Fixing a distorted handset cloth handset cord

[Sargeguy]

I bought a 305 off of eBay a while ago.  It was an excellent matching date 3-49 model with cloth cords, including a coiled handset cord.  Unfortunately it was missing a chunk out of the back due to poor packaging.  I put it on the shelf and ignored it until the customary mourning period passed.  Tonight I gave it a thorough look-see.  The phone is in great shape with nary a blemish on the housing (except for 2-inch chunk broken off).  The dial is a 5H that turns well,  and the fingerwheel is a B+.  It has an old acetone dial card of the sort that you put little chits of paper in pockets that show through the other side.  For exchanges I have a choice of WElsh valley or MOhawk.    

The bottom has a little rust and the feet have typical wear, but are intact.  Both cords seem intact, but the coiled cord is stretched out.  My question is, is there a way to restore the coil to the cloth covered cord?  It has rubber wires inside.  Should I use hairspray? Starch? something a little more durable?

[JorgeAmely]

Warning:

Don't follow my advice, because I have never owned one of these.

But, remember what happens to cotton clothing when you wash it and let it dry? It shrinks. Perhaps if you wash it and wind it up (not too tight) on a 3/8 Craftsman tool extension, may be the curl will return.

Just a thought ... and good luck.

[Sargeguy]

Thanks, but I am a little worried about getting it wet.  Come to think of it, I do have a beaten up one I can experiment on.

[Dan/Panther]

Sargeguy;
Herre is a link to a very distorted set of cloth cords I fixed.
D/P
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=218.0

[Sargeguy]

Thanks Dan, but I want to unstraighten mine, which is coiled.

[bingster]

I don't see why you couldn't do a standard bake and freeze, just like with a coiled vinyl cord.  You might try a lower heat, since the conductors are rubber instead of vinyl. 

[Sargeguy]

It can't hurt.  MAybe I should try a combination approach-bake/freeze followed by hairspray?  Or maybe hair gel?

[bingster]

I don't think it would hurt the cord to break out the Aqua-Net.  I wonder if it would attract dust or dirt, though?

[Sargeguy]

My wife suggest watered down Elmer's glue

[Dan/Panther]

Saregeguy;
The same principle should apply, then just go to the method used to tighten up the coils. Should work the same for clothe or vinyl, or rubber. The point to my post is to straighten out the way the wires lay inside of the coils. Unlike rubber or vinyl coiled cords, the clothe cords wires are not secured to the covering, and need to be reorinented in their original positions so the coil will be able to be tightened and end up with a  smooth coil. Over the years the wires have been crossed over each other and now are out of position, that is why the cloth covered cord has lost it's shape. With Rubber or vinyl all you have to do is soften and retighten the coils, not reposition the wires.

D/P

[Jester]

I remember reading the first two or three postings in this thread with interest because I recently bought a couple WE coiled cords that had relaxed somewhat with age, & I was hoping to find a way to "retrain" the coils.  I let my thoughts on this stew awhile, & finally decided to try some ideas I came up with this afternoon.  I admit that I didn't stop to recheck this thread until after I went my own direction with my repair.  I hadn't considered hairspray, but I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't work.

The route I took was to wrap each cord around a 1/4" ratchet extention (the coils are a smaller diameter than the "fat" 500 cords most have worked with here) AFTER liberally coating the whole cord with spray laundry starch.  I then shot a final coat on the outside of the cord whilie it was wrapped around the extention & set it in the sun to dry.  Since I started this porcess in the late afternoon, I lost my sunlight & had to use Dennis' favorite tool-- the hairdryer-- to finish the job.  The graphic results are posted below.  I need to buy a 5/16" or 3/8" dowel rod for future jobs.  My extention was too short, so I tried treating one end at a time & overlapping my work when I treated the opposite end.  I think my end result will be even better if I can get all of the cord on a solid core at the same time.  The reason I tried the starch is because heat is what makes it "set", which would make the fix more permanant, in my opinion.

[Sargeguy]

Very nice.  I will definitely give that a try.  I am going to give that a try in combination with the other method mentioned.  Here is a NOS cord that I picked up the other day for comparison: