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02-1-2020 20:41:48  #1


Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

I picked up a Remington 12 Standard at a Flea Market for my Granddaughter as she has always expressed interest in owning a vintage style typewriter.  The thing that drew me to this was the Remington name.  I grew up two towns over from Ilion, NY were they were manufactured.  The the unit literally had no rust on it, but did have sticky keys and a disconnected drawstring (pulls carriage bar back) - of which I had no idea if all was intact or even where and how it had to be connected.  I was able to get the drawstring mounted, routed and connected to the carriage.  The paint on the top metal portion that flips up and down is cracking and flaking.  It appears to be a bad paint adhesion and I'd like to safe the Remington logo and a small red decal as 95% of the gold Remington logo and most of the red decal is still intact  Has anyone had any luck getting paint to adhere, as it looks like there is a shiny finish on the metal - and adhesion might have been due to surface was never properly prepped.  How would I have to treat the metal before paint and what type of paint should I use.

The other has to do with sticky keys.   It seems to be isolated with two diagonal rows - one to the left of the keyboard and one to the right.  I have cleaned and brushed multiple times with denature alcohol, but I cant' seem to get any improvement.  Nothing appears to be bent.  I know there is always controversy over applying any kind of oil, but is that the only recourse?  I'm open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

 

03-1-2020 09:56:23  #2


Re: Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

Thanks for being careful with this. It sounds like you want to deal with the paint correctly and properly, so I recommend you find a professional art conservator, not necessarily to hire her but to get experienced advice. If you don't know where to go, ask for contacts from a university, for starters. Saving paint is tricky and I doubt the internet is up to the task. Oh, there may be plenty of responses, but you're looking for working answers.

For the sticky keys, there are many other solvents beside alcohol: mineral spirits, paint thinner, naptha, for example, as well as commercial combinations. Oils are not really solvents, although they can sometimes seem to "grease the path" to a fix. As for the controversy regarding oiling typewriters, which are low force, low speed, intermittent operation machines, I am firmly on the side of oil being unnecessary if not downright detrimental.

 

05-1-2020 18:48:14  #3


Re: Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

While M.Hohne is probably correct on the issue of paint, I should point out that I am on the opposite side when it comes to lubrication. In my opinion, all mechanical devices need lubrication where metal is rubbing against metal. And this is especially true with old devices, such as old typewriters. And the correct lubricant for typewriters (and other fine mechanical devices) is silicone based oil, such as sewing machine oil or gun oil. Silicone based oils evaporate cleanly, leaving clean working parts. Don't use petroleum based oils such as 3-N-One oil or WD-40 as these leave gum when they evaporate and you don't want that in your fine mechanisms. Just thought you ought to hear that there is another side to this argument.


Bangin' around, this dirty old town, typin' for nickels and dimes...
 

05-1-2020 19:41:49  #4


Re: Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

Except the segment slots.

 

06-1-2020 04:16:36  #5


Re: Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

I think treefaller might have got this the wrong way round.  Sewing machine oil (Mineral) - GOOD -------   WD-40 (Silicone) BAD !

 

06-1-2020 12:52:59  #6


Re: Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

Welcome to the #&^%$( internet. It's too easy.

Where to start? WD-40 is inviting...
First of all it is not intended to be a lubricant.
Second, although its formula is a secret, informed conjecture lists: 50% "aliphatic hydrocarbons"; <25% petroleum base oil--presumably a mineral oil or light lubricating oil; 12–18% low vapor pressure aliphatic hydrocarbon; 2–3% carbon dioxide (propellant); and <10% inert ingredients.
Third, I see no hint of silicon or silicone here.
Fourth, the WD-40 Company is the manufacturer of 3-In-1 brands and good luck sorting out the formula and how it might have changed over the decades since we first bought the stuff for our households, not to mention that almost no one in these forums distinguishes between 3-In-1 red can and blue can.(citation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40)
Fifth, since I am on the internet, I will mention that what I learned  long ago is that 3-In-1 is (or was at the time) a vegetable oil, and this was supported by its characteristic rancid smell and the very thick gunk it formed in bicycle hubs--much tougher machines than tws.

Next, I submit that "sewing machine oil" and "gun oil" have been around since long before silicone oils were developed, so either they are still not silicone oils or they have changed in formulation to the point where we cannot know what they are now without researching their MSDSs and patents. I think we are happy recommending sm oil and gun oil because of the similarity of those machines to typewriter machines, not because we know what is in the can.

Finally, my resistance to oiling typewriters is not that I think they are harmed by lubes, per se, but because lubes very often, especially inappropriate ones, tend to congeal, on the one hand, and tend to hold dust and eraser shaving and cat hair, all of which can and often do foul the mechanisms. As to whether it's "necessary", oh, I don't know; I suppose it can't hurt if you keep things clean. But the wear to low speed, low force, intermittent operation machines like these must be measured in molecules per decade.

HTH

 

27-1-2020 14:27:29  #7


Re: Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

Regarding the sticky keys -- check ALL the pivot points for the key and typebar linkages, not just at the segment. Multiple places that can get crudded up.

 

27-1-2020 23:49:02  #8


Re: Remington 12 Standard - advice on a few topics - Paint, Keys Sticking

Getting back to cleaning old gunk off old typewriter innards, and also lubricating them.  It was recommended to me that "Seafoam Deep Dreep" was very good at both (cleaning and lubbing) so I bought some to try and it sure does clean well.  As to drying out and creating it's on gunk formulation, it doesn't seem to be thick enough to do that.
Stan

 

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