1 of 1- WTS
- New Member
Offline - Registered: 03-8-2014
- Posts: 6
Accidentally Ruined Key
I'm very new to the typewriter restoration game and am afraid I made a terrible mistake cleaning a Royal 10. When I bought the typewriter the keys looked to be in good shape. During cleaning it I noticed that one of my keys has become cloudy white.
(I have a picture but being that I'm new and this is my first post I can't include a link in my post yet)
I don't know exactly how this happened, to the best of my knowledge the only thing that could explain it is some denatured alcohol I was using to clean the linkaged could have came in contact with the key.
When I removed the key I noticed cardboard underneith it. I still have the thin cloudy key top. I thought some people with more experience might have some advice. Has any one seen this before? Any idea on what I can do to fix this?
Any help will be appreciated. I'm just sick I destroyed a key trying to "fix up" this beautiful old royal.
Last edited by WTS (04-8-2014 23:05:56)
- beak
- Key Master
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
- Posts: 912
Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
Hello and welcome.
I'm just saying Hi until someone who knows more about this comes along, but several of us have learned to our cost that d.a. (Meths) can mar a variety of finishes, and its use has to be carefully controlled. Assuming some form of plastic or celluloid - you mean the clear covering of the key, right? - has been clouded by the solvent, I'd guess that some form of very slightly abrasive polish (a metal polish, or car cutting compound of some kind) will be the cure. But do wait for other advice to come along first.
All the best.
Sincerely,
beak.
- Uwe
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- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
I like beak's suggestion and would try a plastic polishing product on it. I also wouldn't sweat that you've ruined it. It shouldn't be too hard to source some clear plastic that's the same gauge to replace it with, or you can just swap that one with one from another, less obvious key.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- WTS
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Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
Thanks for the advice. I'll look into giving that a try. Besides this key I've mostly got the Royal cleaned up. The replacement carriage return strap I fabricated seemed to be working well and I've managed to unbend some of the damage the poor thing suffered during shipping.
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Thread Starter- WTS
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Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
Ah. Now that I've posted twice and proved I'm a nondeterministic atomaton I can include photos of the key in question.
Before:
After:
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Thread Starter- beak
- Key Master
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
- Posts: 912
Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
Oh dear - it really didn't like that! I'd scrub the key immediately in warm slightly soapy water and toothbrush to get rid of anything active relaining, and then dry thoroughly while testing polishes. If it transpires that it's irrecoverable, and the rest of the machine is serviceable, you should be able to remake the key somehow - maybe try your local engraver, who may have a stock of the correct plastic. Good luck.
Sincerely,
beak.
- WTS
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Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
In case someone in the future has a similar problem this is how I solved it. Thanks to the advice from this site and a furniture restoration site I ended up sanding the key (use something very very fine) and polishing it up a bit to remove the white.
The furniture site suggested that if denatured alcohol turns a surface white it might be lacquer or shellac and very light sanding might be necessary. 
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
Excellent job; it looks great! What grit sandpaper did you use? And did you have any issues removing and reinstalling the nickel trim?
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- WTS
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Re: Accidentally Ruined Key
I used what I had handy, which was #0000 super fine steel wool. It seemed to do the trick. I didn't have trouble with the trim. To remove it I carefully bent the tabs straight with a small screwdriver and set of needle-nose pliers. To re-install it I reversed the procedure. Pretty painless once I knew what to do.
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Thread Starter