Dial 21 Clutch Mechanism

[andy1702]

Does anyone know a way of restoring the clutch mechanism that is fitted to most UK dials, including the dial 21 as used on the 700 series phones? In the past I've managed to unseize the earlier ones by oiling and rotating while holding in a pair of soft jaw pliers. But I've just had a few dials to restore that all had the later plastic type fitted and while they still turn a little, they're not free enough to work properly in the dial. I've replaced them with spares for now, but I'd like to refurbish the old ones to put back in the spares box.

Any thoughts?

Andy.

[twocvbloke]

I've an Ivory 746 that has the same issue, and it doesn't want to play ball with lubrication or cleaning, I think it's just down to the plastic they used either breaking down due to age or just simply wearing out to the point where it doesn't work properly, which is annoying as there's no real way (at least not without one of them 3D printers!) to get new parts to rebuild them sadly...

[andy1702]

I find the earlier ones (look like they're made out of the same stuff they made old circuit boards from) do respond to oiling. It's just the later plastic ones that don't. I'm not even sure how they're put together. Is it possible to take them apart and if so, how? I can't see from the outside quite how they work, so for now at least I just put it down to some form of magic! 

Andy.

[HarrySmith]

Sounds like they have become part of the "new" plastic, throwaway trend!