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02-11-2017 18:09:26  #1


Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

Some of you may know that I've just acquired a Blue Bird De Luxe (Torpedo 18B) which, whilst in excellent condition cosmetically & mechanically, absolutely honks of mold and mildew.

Some of this vile stench emanates from the carry case, which I feel confident in tackling by, more or less, any method necessary. But how do I address the felt on which the type bars rest? I'm not confident yet of replacing this material, so I'm thinking either in terms of buying a commercial, bleach based spray or using a spirit (white) vinegar solution & using sparingly.

How have you guys tackled this and what has worked best for you?

 

03-11-2017 11:20:22  #2


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

As much as I know mold is not something you want around, I would personally cleand inmediatelly the typewriter, take away the felt and typebar rest, of course, and throw the case. You can get a new case because it is really not a old or rare typewriter. Mold is toxic, neurotoxic, and having a typewriter around diseminating spores is not something I would like to deal with. And I would use a mask while cleaning it, vinegar, bleach, mold cleaner... just get rid of it.

 

03-11-2017 11:54:54  #3


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

Thanks, but it's mildew, not S. Chartarum! 

It's that 'musty' smell you get with many old things which have been stored in a humid environment (lofts / attics etc) - just that for this machine (and primarily its case) it's more pungent than pleasant.

This is the maximum extent of the discolouration to the felt, and I suspect that most of it is stuff other than mold / mildew:
Mildew by Frank Judge, on Flickr

Anyway, the case is currently bathing in a mild bleach equivalent of 'Scrubbing Bubbles' & once dry, will be filled with bicarb to absorb any lingering whiff from case and typewriter both. If that doesn't fully work, I'm going with vinegar solution.

     Thread Starter
 

03-11-2017 12:14:35  #4


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

steini wrote:

and throw the case. You can get a new case because it is really not a old or rare typewriter.

No. Do not throw away the case. One cannot just get a new case. You would likely have to buy another of the same typewriter to get another case. I have never seen anyone selling a Torpedo case by itself. I wouldn't throw the case out even if it was a cheap and super common model; and while I wouldn't call a Torpedo/Bluebird rare, they are not super common and they are not that cheap. Musty and moldy cases, while they can vary in degrees of stench, are quite common. It is not a big deal to clean a case. If one is afraid of mold, clean it with some Concobrium, or similar product and/or let it air out in sunlight for a while. Never toss a case. They are not normally universal, can have mounts that are specific to the machine, and are easy to clean, especially if it is just a box.

 

03-11-2017 12:48:07  #5


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

SoucekFan wrote:

steini wrote:

and throw the case. You can get a new case because it is really not a old or rare typewriter.

No. Do not throw away the case.

It should go without saying that, for me at least,  this was as viable an option as 'Trade organs for beer' & 'Give house deeds to homeless man'...

     Thread Starter
 

03-11-2017 12:56:56  #6


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

Hi Manc

​Head down to your local hardware store and ask them what they have for mold and mildew spray. Up here in Canada, I use Home Hardware's Ultimate Mold Eliminator (product # 4511-069). I had a 1946 Smith-Corona 4A- series Sterling that stunk when it arrived. Sprayed the inside of the carry case with this and let it dry for a couple of days. Gave the typewriter a full cleaning as servicing while the case was drying. Now the machine just has a light smell of machine oil. Hope this points you in the right direction,

Sky


We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
 

03-11-2017 13:12:02  #7


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

Thanks, Sky.

We have an anti - mold spray here called 'Astonish' which I plan on trying if all else fails.

It'll be a while before I can service the machine itself (and I already have a backlog!), but since removing it from the case & leaving in a well ventilated room, the whiffyness seems to have receded somewhat.

     Thread Starter
 

07-11-2017 12:08:15  #8


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

Yeap, it seems like I didn't have the best idea for it. Well, like it says in the explanation of the forum, just don't take all you read here like "what it has to be done" or a professional advice, but at least there is people more knowledgeable advice than me here! thank you guys! Enjoy cleaning and restoring, pictures!

 

08-11-2017 12:17:04  #9


Re: Mildewed Felt - Recommendations Sought.

Hi Steini

​We all make the occasional faux-pas when we're new to a subject, I still remember a couple of blunders I pulled when I first got involved with muzzle loading black powder guns back in the mid 1980's. However, a few elders of the muzzle loading community steered me in the right direction. A few years later, I was steering newcomers in the right direction. Thus, the progression of knowledge and wisdom is passed down as newcomers become more experienced in the particular field of interest.

​Keep reading and researching as much as you can find in this fascinating subject of typewriters and the associated subjects that go hand in hand with the art of writing, mechanicing and communicating all rolled into one. Never be afraid to ask questions, there's a pretty wide knowledge base here on the forum including some members who have many years experience of working with and on typewriters.

Sky


We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
 

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