Posted 7 years ago
SpiritBear
(813 items)
Well my computer crashed as I was nearing completion of my background, details, and full question, and as I am quite unhappy I'll just give a few details pertaining to my question, and then ask it:
Today I picked up a broken candlestick for pieces to replace the mouthpiece of my other one. This one has a crack in the thin covering over the tube that connects base to mouth.
I realised it wasn't thin brass, but Bakelight, as I tapped it against my teeth. Both are like that, and I didn't realise it before.
I would like to know if it was always meant to be ugly aged brass colour, or if it was once shiny-- it's not brass, it's Bakelight.
If it was meant to be clean-brass-colour, how do I clean the shaft covering to make it look new again? Neither BFK nor Brasso did anything except make it stink (I experimented on the cracked one).
Or will I have to spray it? I desire not to, but if need be I will as I want it to look nice- especially if the mouthpiece body turns out to be brass, not iron, under the paint, as I would like to reveal that.
Also, for the Bakelight, is there a safe cleaner for it? Should I use a carwax on it to make it look shiny? I'd like to overrestore this one to how I want it to look.
I'll do both phones, though one will be a pieces phone and the other will be on display.
Help?
Please carefully consider your plans for these phones...the one on the LH side in your pics (is that the 'parts' one?) has an interesting plug on it, and what's that arm-thing that plug is resting on? And what part/s of which phones are "broken", besides whatever cracked bakelite you mention?
That gummy stuff is probably from people holding it there. Usually, if you keep those areas oiled(any thin oil like olive oiled) for a few days or longer, that gum will soften & lot easier to get off.
Anything, we can still buy those plugs in St. Maarten. Shall I send a dozen when I get home ?
I like the olive oil idea as plastic is made from oil, If you have a soft buffing wheel for a bench grinder it will save a lot of time, Just keep a good grip so you don't throw it across the room and keep it moving as not to burn or melt it, car wax should work good for a final shine.
Is the one on the right a Stromberg Carlson? I got one like it that has been painted black. If all yours needs is cleaning I just leave it maybe some windex. I am going to need paint remover.
Anything Obscure, the plug on the left-side parts phone is probably twenty years newer than the phone itself. It had been converted for, at their time, modern use. I'm not sure why its arm is different. It is missing its earpiece, and the Bakelite shaft is cracked from top to bottom on the back.I just want the mouthpiece plate off it.
Anything I do can be undone or redone. I do things permanently, but they don't have to be permanent. I intend to polish and repaint, albeit I want the brass to show, but that can be repainted if desired.
Blunderbuss, the Bakelite is cracked, likely from being dropped. Nothing is gummy on them. There are merely chips, cracks, and surface layers of paint missing. I will strip and refinish them. I was going to start today, but it decided to rain all day.
Political Pinbacks, I will likely get a polishing cloth and work it by hand. I don't have many fancy tools nor the finances to buy them (either I can buy the stuff or buy the tools, but not both. LOL), so I tend to do things the hard way. I was thinking on Turtle Wax. Thank you.
Fort Apache, no, they are both Kellogg phones circa the 1910s. One had two layers of paint, with the surface layer falling off, so it needs redone. I could polish the other, but I have desire to bring them both back to life.
Sounds like the same reason I have only a few display cases ;p A paste wax may work better then liquid but I would used what ya have first & see, enjoy LOL
I'll look into it. Thank you, Political Pinbacks.