Preserving date stamps while cleaning.

[Greg G.]

Does it really matter?  I'm in the process of dismantling my 553a and was going to give the non-electrical parts a bath in Oxyclean, but I know that it will remove any markings that are not engraved, like the date stamps.  Do most people re-mark them, or just let it go?  

[HobieSport]

It would seem sad to me to loose the original date stamps! Is there anyway to protect the small stamped areas from the Oxyclean? With some kind of Oxyclean-resistant tape or something?

[Greg G.]

Maybe instead of completely immersing it, I can make a shallow bath that would only cover up to the bottom of the threads, plus take an extra step like you suggested and put some tape over the date stamp.  Just have to be careful the tape isn't so sticky that it would remove the date stamp on its own.  Regular Scotch clear tape should work.  Duct tape is too sticky.

[HobieSport]

That sounds like a good plan to me there, Brinysir.

[Greg G.]

That's exactly what I did.  I just so happened to have this little dish kicking around in the "junk" drawer, it was the perfect size and depth.  The mouthpiece didn't look real dirty, normally I only use the Oxy treatment for really bad grime, but somewhere somebody mentioned something about 80 years of spit and ear wax on transmitters and receivers and it grossed me out!

[HobieSport]

...80 years of spit and ear wax on transmitters and receivers and it grossed me out!

Good going using the shallow dish there, Briny.

"Eighty Years of Spit and Earwax" Now isn't that an old obscure country tune about a sad old forlorn telephone, that has a happy ending when it finally gets lovingly refurbished?

[Doug Rose]

When I found this Ivory 302, it was a deep yellow in the places it wasn't brown. It was a mess, but solid. An ATCA member told me to soak it in a 50/50 solution of bleach and water, which worked like a champ. I too was worried about the orange dates stamps. After a few trial and errors with damaged parts, the winner was coating the date stamps with petroleum jelly, Vaseline. It did not even move in the days of soaking to get this guy to ivory. It just wiped off with all dates intact.....Doug

[ntophones]

Kidphone, your collection and knowledge is amazing!

Brinbay, I'm so very glad you found a way to preserve the stamps. I don't know what some of my stamps mean, exactly, but, I'm sure they are valuable to have on the phone. Good job finding the dish!

[Dan/Panther]

Doug;
Have you tried the 50/50 bath on other than ivory, or tenite ? It takes days you say to work. Exactly how long.
D/P

[McHeath]

That's very clever, petroleum jelly on the painted date codes. 

[Doug Rose]

D/P.....How long you soak it strictly depends on how bright you want the Ivory to be. Mine was in horrendous condition. When a piece looked good to me, I took it out and gave it an application of Norvus 2. I removed the Norvus 2. If it showed no yellow, that piece was done. The base took 7.5 days. It did not make it brittle, which was my major concern. I still own the phone and it has not yellowed at all. As for colors, I would NOT risk it. I'd be afraid the bleach would take the "wanted" color out as well. Remember, bleach on your Levis?  I ruined more jeans that way. Who knew that it would be the style with my kids.....Doug

[Greg G.]

I may give the bleach treatment you described a try on my white 500.  Oxyclean did a good job of getting the vast majority of the grime off (and there was a lot!), but it could still use some more whitening.  I was going to try mixing up a batch of Retrobrite, but if just plain bleach and water will work, I'll try that. 

[Doug Rose]

Remember...I did this on thermoplastic. Your 500 set is either soft or hard plastic. I would try soaking a part that you do not care about first of the same material. Better safe than sorry....Doug

[bingster]

I've bleached white hard plastic with good results, so that's hard plastic checked off the list.  Has anybody tried soft plastic?

[Dennis Markham]

I have bleached a black soft plastic 500 set before.  I bleached it to "kill" the mold that was present.  I soaked it in a mixture of water and bleach, not quite 50-50 but probably two cups in a sink full of water.  Since the mold disappeared when I polished it I don't know if the bleach actually killed the mold (from returning) or not.  The yellow date stamp on the inside edge of the housing was unaffected.  I was given this tip by a phone collector who told me mold would return if it were not bleached.  I only soaked it for a couple of hours.