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Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment |
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20th Dec 2021, 6:43 pm | #1 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK.
Posts: 71
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Greygate polish
Hello all,
I've always used Greygate polish to bring 746-era phones back up to a decent shine, and it always seems to have done the job. I'm currently trying to do the same thing with my office phone ( an 8746, I think ), but the Greygate seems to be making little difference even after several applications. Can anyone tell me: 1 ) Does Greygate lose it's effectiveness over time? ( The bottle I'm using is probably around five years old ... ) 2 ) Is there a knack to using it over and above the instructions on the bottle? ( I'm only doing exactly as I've always done, i.e. apply with a soft cloth, polish to a dull haze, leave to dry, polish off with a ( different ) soft cloth ). 3 ) Is there anything that works better than Greygate? ( I must say, up to the point where I started using it around fifteen / twenty years ago, I hadn't found anything superior. ) As I say, it always used to do the job even on quite noticeably discoloured phones without excessive effort; for whatever reason, however, it doesn't seem to be doing it now. As always, any thoughts are welcome. |
20th Dec 2021, 6:55 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
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Re: Greygate polish
Are you talking about Greygate No. 5? Because that's the one to use for Bakelite. I am not aware that it is available in bottles, the stuff I have is a paste in a tube. Otherwise, some 'weaker' stuff in a bottle may not be abrasive enough.
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |
20th Dec 2021, 7:30 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK.
Posts: 3,684
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Re: Greygate polish
I trust you're shaking the bottle well? Incidentally, don't spill any on Rohan or Craghopper-type trousers. It stains indelibly.
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Regds, Russell W. B. G4YLI. |
20th Dec 2021, 8:19 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
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Re: Greygate polish
I take Telephone Guy's reference to a bottle to implies Greygate Plastic Polish rather than Greygate No. 5 (the bakelite polish that comes in a tube).
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Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) |
20th Dec 2021, 9:17 pm | #5 |
Heptode
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 998
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Re: Greygate polish
I used Greygate plastic polish on an aircraft canopy...hard work but worked a treat.
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David, G4YVM. |
20th Dec 2021, 9:29 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
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Re: Greygate polish
Top class stuff, was called Paste Polishing No 5 by the Post Office. I also have and use both.
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20th Dec 2021, 10:10 pm | #7 |
Octode
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: St. Albans, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 1,477
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Re: Greygate polish
Me too. The less abrasive plastic polish is good for removing scratches from perspex record deck covers.
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Regards, Richard, BVWS member |
20th Dec 2021, 10:43 pm | #8 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK.
Posts: 71
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Re: Greygate polish
My apologies: I meant Greygate Plastic Polish ( I didn't realise there were two types ). The phone in question is 746-vintage, therefore plastic rather than bakelite. Other than that, my original questions still stand ...?
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21st Dec 2021, 8:41 am | #9 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK.
Posts: 71
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Re: Greygate polish
... and ... sorry again ... further to Russell's question, yes, I've shaken the bottle vigorously before each use; there's no sign of any sediment etc. at the bottom.
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21st Dec 2021, 9:35 am | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: St. Albans, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 1,477
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Re: Greygate polish
I've put any loss of efficacy down to my own ageing years rather than the polish!
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Regards, Richard, BVWS member |
21st Dec 2021, 12:39 pm | #11 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Greygate polish
Are we dealing with colour change due to age and/or UV here? Ivory and grey plastic cased phones often suffer particularly badly. Although polishes might improve slightly affected 'phones more often than not polishing alone won't do the job. However the Retro0bright process can help enormously.
Alan |
21st Dec 2021, 3:29 pm | #12 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK.
Posts: 71
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Re: Greygate polish
The phone in question is green. I don't know how either age or UV light would affect that colour, but there are some parts of the phone that seem completely unaffected, so I'm more inclined to think it's handling that's done the job; the 'handle' and mouthpiece are the most affected areas, and they would also be the most handled. I'm not familiar with the Retrobright process that you describe.
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21st Dec 2021, 4:07 pm | #13 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
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Re: Greygate polish
Quote:
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A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. |
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21st Dec 2021, 4:22 pm | #14 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Surbiton, SW London, UK.
Posts: 2,801
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Re: Greygate polish
Some plastics can be affected by the plasticizer used in curly leads, grommets etc.
This can effect both texture and colours of plastic and paint surfaces. |
21st Dec 2021, 4:45 pm | #15 | |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Greygate polish
Quote:
This is an example of one of my efforts earlier this year: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...&postcount=247 This is the thread referred to in my post: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=176883 A bit of 'googling' might be worthwhile. Alan |
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