How to restore color to black hard rubber?

[Phroneo]

I have several black hard rubber (vulcanized) pieces that screw into a pen cap to hold the clip firm and provide a stop point for the nib section in the cap. These have all lost their color -- it appears as if they have turned brown -- and I would like to restore them to the original black. This is important to me for this would be my last step in finishing the restoration of 6 very nice Conway Stewart fountain pens -- the pens would look almost like new.

 

Anyway, I once read an article giving information on a chemical dipping process (???) that restores the color to black. Does anyone know of this article or some procedure for restoring black hard rubber back to black?

 

I would very much appreciate help.

[wimg]

I have several black hard rubber (vulcanized) pieces that screw into a pen cap to hold the clip firm and provide a stop point for the nib section in the cap.  These have all lost their color -- it appears as if they have turned brown -- and I would like to restore them to the original black.  This is important to me for this would be my last step in finishing the restoration of 6 very nice Conway Stewart fountain pens -- the pens would look almost like new.

 

Anyway, I once read an article giving information on a chemical dipping process (???) that restores the color to black.  Does anyone know of this article or some procedure for restoring black hard rubber back to black? 

 

I would very much appreciate help.

Hi inky (you don't mind, do you?),

 

The only way that will really make your pens as new, is sending them off to Richard Binder. He uses the blackening process Giovanni Abrate "invented", and he is the only repair person allowed to do so. Yes it is unfair, I know, but there was a lot of discussion on this stuff on other pen boards, which is why it works this way.

 

Other than that, there are a few painting processes as well, of which I don't know the details, but none of these are as good as the stuff RB will do to your pens, AFAIK anyway.

 

BTW, none of these processes are "dipping" processes. They all involve several hours of hard work.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[Roger]

Wonder what "Armor All" would do? It sure does spiff up the appearance of black tire sidewalls and various plastic surfaces. Wears off tire sidewalls quickly, however, necessitating another application after the next wash.

 

Anybody have a junker BHR hanging around to try it on?

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

http://www.pensburymanor.com/ sells some stuff that blackens hard rubber.

 

Dillon

[Phroneo]

Thank you all for your responses.

 

Roger, I thought that your idea about using Armour All was quite interesting -- it may very well work but I am timid about trying it the only tops I have. As soon as I get a junk pen, however, I will give it a go.

 

Dillo, Thanks for the Pensbury Manor web page link. I am going to purchase a bottle of the BHR restoring "potion." What he states about how it seeps through the rubber makes sense to me.

 

Finally, I sent an email to Dr. Jonathan Donahaye at:

 

http://www.prog2kill.com/ConwayStewart/

 

His reply is below and makes me think back to my days of chemistry classes. Aside from his suggestion, finding a way to neutralize the sulphur is a thought; maybe that is what the blackening process Giovanni Abrate "invented" does. Since it appears to be proprietary, I guess we'll never know.

 

This is the response I received from Dr. Jonathan Donahaye:

 

(BHR ...) goes brown because of the sulphur that migrates to the surface. In order to restore the pristine black color one needs to remove a very thin surface layer. This I do by polishing with wet and dry paper starting at number 800 -1000- 1200, by which time they wil look like the day they were born.

 

Dr. Jonathan Donahaye http://www.prog2kill.com/ConwayStewart/

 

Once again, thank you all for your suggestions.

[tryphon]

Well, the process I invented (by the way, why are you using the word in inverted commas?) acts in various phases:

- the initial process opens up the pores of the HR

- a black dye is infused into the surface layer of the oxidised HR

- the pores close during the evaporation phase

The process, called G-10 is unique in that it restores the outer layer(s) of the oxidised portion of the HR to like new condition.

It is not a surface treatment like Pensbury Manor, but rather a penetrating treatment.

Both processes work in different ways: PM is reversible, G-10 is not.

Properly done, G-10 treated pens look pristine, with excellent color uniformity and tone.

Several tests, including UV exposure and accelerated aging tests have confirmed what follows:

a. no degradation of the HR is caused by the G-10 process

b. the inner, not oxidised strata of the HR are nor affected in any way

c. the process protects the restored HR from further decay caused by UV exposure

Richar Binder is the sole authorized restorer for my process. This ensures that all pens are treated according to the correct procedure and also avoids possible issues related to misuse of the process.

As for using Armor All: beware of using any untested process on valuable HR pens. Long term effects can be detrimental; long and expensive tests were carried out on nine possible formulas before I settled on the G-10 process.

[wimg]

Hi Giovanni,

Well, the process I invented (by the way, why are you using the word in inverted commas?) acts in various phases:

I used invented in quotation marks because I wasn't sure you invented it, or supplied the means and materials, that's all. I stand corrected, and wish to offer my apologies if I upset you in any way. It certainly wasn't my intention, and it is nice to hear you are the actual inventor of it.

 

I was hoping you would chime in, because of some photographs I have seen of pens treated by Richard Binder. Saw some of yours too, I remember. AFAIK, it is the only non-destructive process for reblackening BHR pens.

 

Thank you very much for sharing, Giovanni!

 

Warm regards, Wim

[tryphon]

Hi Wim!

Not upset and no offense taken, of course!

I am in Paris this week and have no FTP, or I would post some before and after pictures.

Maybe next week, when I am back home.

Take care,

Giovanni

[wimg]

Hi Wim!

Not upset and no offense taken, of course!

I am in Paris this week and have no FTP, or I would post some before and after pictures.

Maybe next week, when I am back home.

Take care,

Giovanni

Hi Giovanni,

 

Please do! I would love to see some of those pics. I think the transformation is marvelous.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Warm regards, Wim

[pmocz]

Wonder what "Armor All" would do? It sure does spiff up the appearance of black tire sidewalls and various plastic surfaces. Wears off tire sidewalls quickly, however, necessitating another application after the next wash.

 

 

Regarding the use of "Armor All" please remember that it is a "protective" coating and not a dye. It will give the pen a shine but will not change the colour. In addition, if it does penetrate the pores in the HR it could prevent a "real" treatment from working the way it should. Many of these coatings use silicone which can cause problems with other treatments from taking hold. It would be like trying to apply paint to an oil surface.

 

George

[stephen_schachter]

So, Richard Binder no longer repairs pens except those purchased from him. Are there now no practitioners of the G10 porcess?

[FarmBoy]

I believe the process was dropped before the switch to not doing repairs.

 

While I am not a fan of reblackening I don't preach against it. I will offer one recent experience, I was recently asked if I was interested in a Parker Black Giant, either for purchase or to value for the seller. I offered a price based on condition but did not purchase the pen. Several months later I was again offered the pen at the price I quoted. Because the pen had been blackened I offered significantly less. Needless to say the seller was not happy having spent money on the restoration. As of Sunday morning at the LA show, he still had the pen.

 

/sermon

 

FarmBoy

[tenney]

Thanks for rekindling this topic.

 

Farmboy, it would seem that the G-10 process might end up looking quite different than the other types of surface blackening. I've seen some surface blackened pens that just looked too black and shiny for their age -- and I didn't like that look (it's like someone 85 years old dying their hair).

 

Though, it almost sounds like that pen of mine with the slightly browned black part might look fine using G-10. Unfortunately Giovanni's site which sells bottles of G-10 don't list their price... but I'm not sure I would try it on that browned section of that pen of mine...

[Guest Ray Cornett]

Time to revive the subject again I guess. Has anyone actually tried G-10? Or potion #9 from Pensbury? I am still wondering about long term effects. I for one would not use anything on my own pens since I LIKE and PREFER the antique/patinad look on old pens. But I am refurbishing a pen for a friend who may want the hard rubber on her pen, the Waterman 452 in my profile image, reblackened. She and I are one's to collect what we like because we like it and not for value. So, we are not concerned about it lowering the value of the pen.

[Mardi13]

Ray, I just read a report here about using that product: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/256320-pensbury-manor-black-hard-rubber-pen-potion-no-9-results/

Hope the link works. If not just search the term "Pensbury Potion" and I am sure you will find it.

[Freddy]

Food for thought....

 

 

 

http://www.vintagepens.com/FAQrepair/reblackening.shtml

 

 

Fred

Edited May 4, 2014 by Freddy

[Freddy]

excuse the d......double post.....

 

Fred

Edited May 4, 2014 by Freddy

[ChrisJJ]

I am just starting out on pen restorations, and having searched around for a solution to restore a Conway Stewart cap top, which sounds exactly like the OP one, I decided to mask the threads with masking tape and carefully use my buffer to see what would happen if I just tried polishing it with buffing compound.

 

It worked so well, I did another cap and took before and after photos.

 

Here is a brown and matt cap (it wasn't as bad as the first one I did)

 

 

And after

 

 

And the first one done

 

 

Chris

 

 

 

 

[siamackz]

Very nice!

[DigiDog]

Hi

would yu please give me more particulary information how to precede with this masking tape? And what means OP?

I have an own methode to restore conways Top's bud i have to admit that even it works..its not the smoothts way to do.