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Old 20th Dec 2021, 6:43 pm   #1
Telephone Guy
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Default 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.
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Old 20th Dec 2021, 6:55 pm   #2
stevehertz
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Default 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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Old 20th Dec 2021, 7:30 pm   #3
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Default 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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Old 20th Dec 2021, 8:19 pm   #4
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Default 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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Old 20th Dec 2021, 9:17 pm   #5
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Default Re: Greygate polish

I used Greygate plastic polish on an aircraft canopy...hard work but worked a treat.
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Old 20th Dec 2021, 9:29 pm   #6
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Default 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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Old 20th Dec 2021, 10:10 pm   #7
Dickie
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Default Re: Greygate polish

Me too. The less abrasive plastic polish is good for removing scratches from perspex record deck covers.
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Old 20th Dec 2021, 10:43 pm   #8
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Default 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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Old 21st Dec 2021, 8:41 am   #9
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Default 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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Old 21st Dec 2021, 9:35 am   #10
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Default Re: Greygate polish

I've put any loss of efficacy down to my own ageing years rather than the polish!
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Old 21st Dec 2021, 12:39 pm   #11
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Default 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.

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Old 21st Dec 2021, 3:29 pm   #12
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Default 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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Old 21st Dec 2021, 4:07 pm   #13
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Default Re: Greygate polish

Quote:
Originally Posted by Telephone Guy View Post
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.
For sure, 'hand grease' and human breath can affect plastics over a long period.
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Old 21st Dec 2021, 4:22 pm   #14
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Default 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.
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Old 21st Dec 2021, 4:45 pm   #15
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Default Re: Greygate polish

Quote:
Originally Posted by Telephone Guy View Post
I'm not familiar with the Retrobright process that you describe.
The Retr0bright process was originally developed to address the problem of age related yellowing affecting ivory/white ABS cases used in computing. However it has successfully been used with old phones as well but I've no idea whether or not it would work with a green case.

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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