Restoring Faded Hard Rubber - Ripple Patterns

[Bunny_Police]

Hello,

I've been doing some research into how people can restore the shine to faded bhr fountain pens and bring out a stronger colour again. Whilst doing my research though, I haven't found anything out about how to restore a fountain pen with a red ripple design, for example.

 

I currently have two Waterman pens in red ripple and in olive ripple which have faded quite badly over the years.

 

Does anybody know a way that these types of hard rubber can be restored?

 

Also, is there a type of wax that can be applied to the surface to prevent fading again?

 

Many thanks in advance,

[Wahl]

-They could be polished, but that is best left to a good professional.

 

-No, never use wax on a fountain pen.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Wahl

[Fuellerfuehrerschein]

Traditional ebonite should contain linseed oil and likes being handled so it comes in contact with skin oils. You could try polishing the pens with 1 (I mean one and less is really more) drop of food grade olive oil on a soft cloth. Please try this method on the inside of the cap first to check if you like the result before applying such a cloth on clearly visible pen surfaces. I would avoid using linseed oil since it might contain other ingredients/solvents ebonite does not like. Linseed oil is nowadays often sold to finish wooden surfaces.

[gweimer1]

I recently had a Waterman 52 1/2 V red ripple that needed to be spiffed up. I dug through the archives here, and followed the olive oil recommendation. One little drop (I actually used EVOO...) on a soft cloth and then gently went over the outside of the pen. It brought out the color nicely, and I didn't notice any degradation of the pen or the surface feel.

[FarmBoy]

Just a note about vegetable oils in general, they go rancid. Olive oil is full of good tasting functional groups that are anything but inert. If you must oil a hard rubber pen use a high grade paraffin oil, nothing but -CH2-s and -CH3s.

[c4bb0ose]

Just a note about vegetable oils in general, they go rancid. Olive oil is full of good tasting functional groups that are anything but inert. If you must oil a hard rubber pen use a high grade paraffin oil, nothing but -CH2-s and -CH3s.

I would have thought that kerosene would be the last thing you would want to put on a hard rubber pen?

[FarmBoy]

I would have thought that kerosene would be the last thing you would want to put on a hard rubber pen?

You need more -CH2-s. Kerosene is to light.

[c4bb0ose]

You need more -CH2-s. Kerosene is to light.

http://www.firelightglasscandles.co.nz/shopexd.asp?id=582&bc=no Would this do the trick? (I ask becasue I have some hard rubber that could do with a spruce up).

[gweimer1]

Just a note about vegetable oils in general, they go rancid. Olive oil is full of good tasting functional groups that are anything but inert. If you must oil a hard rubber pen use a high grade paraffin oil, nothing but -CH2-s and -CH3s.

 

Is this essentially what lamp oil is?

[dneal]

 

Is this essentially what lamp oil is?

 

 

"Lamp oil" is a generic term. Outside of the U.S., "paraffin oil" is sometime used interchangeably with "kerosene". Don't put kerosene on your pen.

Edited February 8, 2015 by dneal