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Anyone got any ideas about how to restore the red markings in the tab bar of old Royal standards? Perhaps something you wipe over and it fills in the cracks again. Nail polish? The numbers and lines used to be red....
Actually...I might try nail polish, unless you can think of something better.
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Since you are in the USA, the first thing to do is to search for 'Vintage Radio Restoration Supplies'. I have come across a white paint stick that is used to refresh the numbers on Bakelite radio knobs, and there might be a red version too. This isn't available in the UK as far as I can tell, so I haven't been able to try it. If this fails, the next thing to try is to obtain a red wax crayon. Heat the tab. rack gently with a blowlamp. If you are careful, you might be able to do this without removing it from the machine. Rub the crayon across the markings and the wax should 'wick' into them. Allow the wax to partially set (only a couple of minutes), then wipe over. Remove any surplus with a rag containing Methylated Spirits (denatured alcohol). You might have to do this a couple of times to get an even spread of wax, so don't beat yourself up if you don't get it right first time
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Hi Lucas
Another similar option to Tom's suggestion would be lacquer sticks fil-in paint available from gun shops. They're used to highlight markings in sights, caliber information on the barrel and the like. From what I can see, they're available in red, white, silver and gold. Hope this gives you some ideas.
All the best,
Sky
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Here you go:
Micro-tools is my go-to place for camera repair tools. I should take a spin through the site to see about likely tools for typewriter repairs.
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Thank you for all the fantastic suggestions!