Jump to content

Restoring Bakelite

Kiaxa

By Kiaxa
in Repair Q&A

 Share

Recommended Posts

Kiaxa Rare

Kiaxa

Posted
Posted

So I have this vintage Sheaffer pen and I am wanting to restore the body of the pen. I assume that this pen is made Bakelite due to its age (to my understanding thermoplastics like ABS weren't around til the 50s) and I was wondering if any special precautions needed to taken when working with it.

 

I assume that for removing the deep scratches I can use the standard micromesh technique but what sort finishing compound or wax should I use to make it shine?

 

Any advice I can get would be helpful.

Don't mind me, I like to ramble... A LOT

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 7
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Kiaxa

    4

  • kirchh

    2

  • Ron Z

    1

  • Shaporama

    1

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

kirchh Antique

kirchh

Posted
Posted

Sheaffer never used Bakelite (phenol formaldehyde resin) for its pens; can you post a photo so we can help you identify the material?

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kiaxa Rare

Kiaxa

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Sheaffer never used Bakelite (phenol formaldehyde resin) for its pens; can you post a photo so we can help you identify the material?

 

--Daniel

Well here is a picture, plastic is black in color

http://i.imgur.com/wp34UM9.jpg?1

 

It's a Triumph Statesman, I thought it was Bakelite because of how it felt (I'm not very knowledgeable on vintage plastics, modern plastics are something I have better knowledge on). Excuse my error.

Edited by Kiaxa

Don't mind me, I like to ramble... A LOT

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kirchh Antique

kirchh

Posted
Posted

I believe that pen is made of celluloid. I don't recommend any coating be applied after polishing; it can be brought to quite a high gloss without any coating/waxing.

 

--Daniel

"The greatest mental derangement is to believe things because we want them to be true, not because we observe that they are in effect." --Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Daniel Kirchheimer
Specialty Pen Restoration
Authorized Sheaffer/Parker/Waterman Vintage Repair Center
Purveyor of the iCroScope digital loupe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kiaxa Rare

Kiaxa

Posted
  • Author
Posted

OK, micromesh and polishing cloth it is then, thanks for clearing that up for me.

Don't mind me, I like to ramble... A LOT

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shaporama Extremely Rare

Shaporama

Posted
Posted

Ron Zorn makes a pen polish that is wax free and water-based, he says its formulated to be kind to your pen. I have been using it in a three-step process (micro mesh, then polish, then buffing, and have been very happy. The stuff is available on his Main Street Pens website for around $10

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ron Z Museum Piece

Ron Z

Posted
Posted
Ron Zorn makes sells a pen polish that is wax free etc...

 

Just a minor correction in the quote. :) I quit using anything with wax when I discovered this stuff about 5 years ago. Polishing a pen with this stuff is the last thing that I do with every pen that I repair or sell.

spacer.png
Visit Main Street Pens
A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful vintage pen repair...

Please use email, not a PM for repair and pen purchase inquiries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kiaxa Rare

Kiaxa

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I quit using anything with wax when I discovered this stuff about 5 years ago. Polishing a pen with this stuff is the last thing that I do with every pen that I repair or sell.

I'll be sure then to pick some of that up next chance I get.

Don't mind me, I like to ramble... A LOT

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33583
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26772
    5. jar
      jar
      26105

  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      Links to web pages or articles about Chinese typesetting, signwriting, etc.

      By Shanghai Knife Dude · Posted

      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o

  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More

  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...