Straight cord thought.

[podor]

I picked up a super nice complete numbers matching WE 500 with a straight cord ($18 shipped!). The cord has the typical "stress" near the receiver, but the insulation is intact and there are no broken wires. I remember someone talking about using hear shrink tubing to repair a straight cord. I have some stiff heat shrink, and I was thinking about using it to preserve the cord and to prevent further damage, kind of like a splint. It could be removed in the future without damaging the cord. It wouldn't be as pleasing to the eye as I would like, but it would help preserve it, maybe for another 60 years. What do you guys think?

[unbeldi]

I have done that.  Not ideal, I agree, but sometimes the original cord is just what you want, what the set deserves, or how you feel best about the item.  I have gone to great lengths repairing even torn cloth cords. And I have used black heat-shrink on them and then painted the heat-shrink tubing ivory, for example.

The problem however, often is that it can be hard to get the proper heat-shrink size onto the cord, meaning past the cord restraints on the ends.  But S-hooks can be opened up a little, unhooked, and later replaced after the tubing is installed.

PS: here is an example where I wondered whether or not I gained anything, but at least the rubber leads were still nice and fairly soft, and the phone now still has its original cord.

PS: the term "original" in this example is perhaps debatable,  as this is a D3AM cord for use with a 283B plug, while an ivory 302 from the factory probably had a D3AK cord.

[unbeldi]

Of course that was a line cord, I have repaired handset cords too...

Here is an example of a repaired handset cord.

The arrow points to the heat-shrink tubing.

The phone was probably assembled in 1947, but the handset cord is from 1950.  Repaired and recoiled, makes for a decent display, not ideal,  but it works.  I don't have to pretend that the phone is brand-new, although it looks pretty sharp and the coat of paint is.

[poplar1]

When I worked for a refurbisher, we had to cut off the frayed ends of cloth cords, crimp on new spade tips, and move the restraint. Of course, this won't work on straight neoprene cords with grommets like the H3AG or H4BF.

[19and41]

With cords that have a rubber covering I have had good luck using super lube synthetic grease applied in a light coat and letting the cord hang.  It absorbs the lubricant and after 2 or 3 applications the rubber becomes supple at least to the degree that it is not prone to cracking.  If the inner wiring's insulation is in good enough shape to withstand flexing it can be a way to prevent cracking.  It won't work on vinyl based coverings.  I also use it on rubber parts I want to soften .

http://www.harborfreight.com/85-gram-super-lube-grease-cartridge-93744.html

[podor]

Well, here it is. I have an assortment of heat shrink from Dorman I got at the local Napa several years ago. The size to the side of the box is the one I used. I was able to stretch over the hook of the strain relief clip. I ended up using 2 pieces, the second layer a tad shorter. It is stiff enough to keep it from moving with the full weight of the cord on it.

[podor]

It turned pretty well. I thought my work was in vein. Once I got it back together, it wouldn't transmit. I thought I may have fatigued the wire too far with my repair. Luckily it was just a bent contact tab.