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Discolored numbers on W.E 500 dial bezel

Started by Charles, January 05, 2012, 04:24:02 PM

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Charles

I have a black 1962 W.E. 500 that I am restoring. The white numbers and letters on the dial bezel are dark yellow.

Is it safe to use the peroxide method on the dial bezel to whiten the numbers or will it discolor the black background?

Thanks

Charles

1954NE500

"Yellowed" numbers on 500-series dial bezels were actually somewhat common and are normal on black and dark colored 500 series phones made from the early 1960's right up to about 1968-69 on Canadian Northern Electric 500-series phones and on some 1960's Western Electric black and dark colored 500-series phones as well. They were often using cream-colored plastic also in the 1960's to inject the numbers and letters on 500-series dial bezels.

Dennis Markham

Charles, sometimes soaking the part in a water bleach mixture will improve the condition of the numbers.  It will not harm the black color.  Using peroxide on the black bezel may do more harm than good.   Sometimes those numbers/letters darkened from environmental conditions....tobacco smoke, oily air, etc. and will improve with bleaching.

bingster

I had this problem with my first phone (a black '57 500), which I've had for probably thirty years now.  A bleach/water soak helped it a great deal.  They didn't come snow white, but they're much, much better than they were.
= DARRIN =



jsowers

If you look at the back of the dial face, that should be the original color of the letters and numbers since smoke and light likely didn't penetrate underneath if the gasket was still there. The bleach/water they're referring to is roughly a half and half mixture of bleach and water and putting it in the sun for a day or so will help. Be sure to rinse the bleach mixture off when you finish.

If your bleach is "ultra" concentrated, you may want to use one part bleach to two parts water. It won't take much to do a dial face.
Jonathan

Charles

Thanks all for your replies. I was not aware that the yellowed numbers may be the original color. I have a newer ITT Cortelco 500 and it has bright white numbers (this is what I was comparing it to).