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Got 3 more, with tree sap or shoe polish on them??

Started by ThePOWERtoRULE, August 20, 2010, 01:36:35 AM

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ThePOWERtoRULE

I attached a picture, pardon the poor quality. I took it with my cellphone because my digital camera is giving me problems right now.

I got this black trio yesterday, and they all seem to have slight bad organic smell to them (I can't describe it much better than that... smells like something is rotting almost) that becomes especially prominent when I scrub at them.

You can see where I've cleaned the top of the handset on the 500, but the entire phone (and the other two) all seem to have a light coating of something on them... perhaps a light coating of old sap or shoe polish? I can scratch it off with my fingernail, and it's badly dulling them.

Elbow grease and TuffStuff (made by STP, i think) seems to work at getting the crud off the 500, but I don't want to damage the bakelite on the AE's. Can I use TuffStuff on there?? Or what do you guys suggest I use to get off the "coating" on these phones??
"I remember a house like a lot of houses, a yard like a lot of yards, on a street like a lot of other streets. I remember how hard it was growing up among people and places I loved. Most of all, I remember how hard it was to leave... And the thing is, after all these years, I still look back in wonder..." -Kevin Arnold "The Wonder Years"

Kenny C

i always soak the Cases in the kitchen sink in lukewarm water for an hour with palmolive Dish liquid then remove the stuff with the soft side of a scotch brite pad.

Kid phone has a good way to clean bakelite.
In memory of
  Marie B.
1926-2010

Doug Rose

Welcome to the forum. On the AE, are you sure they are black and not brown? Probably the camera, brown would be good. The AEs are bakelite and its tough to damage them cleaning. Try some brasso on it. Fine Steel wool and bakelite are friendly...Doug
Kidphone

Greg G.

For really grimy phones I dismantle them and put all the non-electronic parts in a bath of Oxiclean and warm water overnight.  For rusty or corroded (non-electronic) metal parts, soaking them in CLR works good, but don't use CLR on the base, it'll remove the paint.  Put Vaseline over the date stamps on the plastic parts before putting them in the bath.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

ThePOWERtoRULE

Here's a few more photos that are maybe clearer.
"I remember a house like a lot of houses, a yard like a lot of yards, on a street like a lot of other streets. I remember how hard it was growing up among people and places I loved. Most of all, I remember how hard it was to leave... And the thing is, after all these years, I still look back in wonder..." -Kevin Arnold "The Wonder Years"

AE_Collector

Quote from: Kidphone on August 20, 2010, 02:51:05 PM
On the AE, are you sure they are black and not brown? Probably the camera, brown would be good.

Doug: I was thinking the same thing when I looked at the picture. Especially the AE 40 on the left. I'd love to accidentally come upon a Walnut or Mahogany AE one day.

Terry

Doug Rose

Quote from: ae_collector on August 22, 2010, 02:28:08 AM
Quote from: Kidphone on August 20, 2010, 02:51:05 PM
On the AE, are you sure they are black and not brown? Probably the camera, brown would be good.

Doug: I was thinking the same thing when I looked at the picture. Especially the AE 40 on the left. I'd love to accidentally come upon a Walnut or Mahogany AE one day.

Terry
Terry....I keep dreaming. They are out there, someday we will get lucky. Everytime we pull up to a yard sale, I say to Janet; "my blue 302 is here."  Maybe today.....Doug
Kidphone

Dennis Markham

Hey Doug, if they don't have a blue 302, see if they have an Oxford Gray 554.  I need one of those........ :)

Doug Rose

Quote from: Dennis Markham on August 22, 2010, 10:58:26 AM
Hey Doug, if they don't have a blue 302, see if they have an Oxford Gray 554.  I need one of those........ :)
Before I can ask, Janet is asking, "do you have any old phones, rotary telephones??" She is better at digging them up than I am. ...Doug
Kidphone

KeithB

It looks like they may have had some mold growing on them, in which case that can be giving off the organic smell.