The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My Victor III black petal horn is starting to look faded to the white side --how can I clean or wax it without destroying originality? What product?

Thank all

I know this is a late response, but can you post a picture?
That would get a reply that suits the issue.

James.

Posting this incase anything else comes of this question.

An easy way to bring life back to a black horn is to use WD-40... spray it on, wipe it off with a soft cloth and it restores the natural oils in the aged finish.

To touch up scratches on the black finish, use a black Sharpie marker first and then use WD-40. Don't stress when the Sharpie touch ups are shinier than the original paint - they disappear once you apply the WD-40 over them... I used this method on a Victor R horn with a tin bell several years ago. The horn was dent free, but had a lot of distracting scratches on it - after more than 5 years it still looks great.

Would this also work with a black Edison 10 panel cygnet horn? Could I apply with wd40 as well? I’ve got a nice 10 panel cygnet but would love to shine it up a bit without damaging it. Thank you!

I have to say I just tried the Anxious One's Sharpie and WD-40 method on a Victor 3 horn with a lot of bare spots and scratches. I have to confess every time I see Curt posting about WD-40 I think he's the majority stockholder in the company- seems like he uses it in coffee, as a hair gel, tooth whitener, personal lubrication...

But I have to say this Curt A preservation method likely just saved me stripping and refinishing a horn. Is it perfect? No, but it looks like a well preserved original- so well, in fact, I used this method to touch up and blend the back bracket too. It seemed to "feed" the original horn striping and back bracket filigree. Somehow, this satisfied my OCD regarding these parts and that ain't easy to do. I see no reason why this wouldn't detail out a Cygnet and a bed plate, too. Is it possible to be OCD... and lazy? If not, I just invented something like a psychological Reese's cup.

My other "go to" hack on nickel pieces is Autosol chrome polish. This stuff is the bomb and a little goes a long way. As it works it turns black, then you just polish it. I have a buffing wheel in the shop but the little cotton "floaters" get everywhere, so I just used blue shop paper towels. WOW. I will replate the elbow and maybe the bullet brake lever. That's it. This little gem is coming out nice. Autosol has saved me a LOT of replating!

In the next couple days I will perform my shortcut hack for motor servicing. This motor runs super quiet, but thumps with authority. It'll get a bath in the parts washer, can open, then get some Schaeffer's moly grease cut with gear oil. This combo flows EVERYWHERE in the barrels and is liquid, but too thick to leak. It'll liquefy any old grease the parts washer did not get out, and this motor will be happy and never thump again. No spring removal required.

Hate on that method- I don't care. Works for me!

Anyways- a shout out to Curt A for the Sharpie/ WD-40 hack. It's a good one!
I'll take photos tomorrow in the light unless I forget.

Georg's quote: "the Anxious One's Sharpie and WD-40 method"

Kind of an inside joke... My Surname: Angstman(n). Angst - Fear or anxiety. Mann - man.

In this case, it's "Fear-man" = Der Henker or Scharfrichter (executioner). Fortunately, my ancestors changed occupations after the middle ages and settled down to making shoes. It's not a very common name, since most of the descendants upon learning the meaning, changed their names to Schmidt.

By the way, I'm glad you tried this method and it worked well for you... and I'm not a spokesman or investor in WD-40...

KCW wrote: Sat Jun 24, 2023 7:42 pm Would this also work with a black Edison 10 panel cygnet horn? Could I apply with wd40 as well? I’ve got a nice 10 panel cygnet but would love to shine it up a bit without damaging it. Thank you!

It will definitely work... you will be pleased with the results.

Curt - Der Henker

Curt A wrote: Mon Jun 26, 2023 7:40 am Georg's quote: "the Anxious One's Sharpie and WD-40 method"

Kind of an inside joke... My Surname: Angstman(n). Angst - Fear or anxiety. Mann - man.

In this case, it's "Fear-man" = Der Henker or Scharfrichter (executioner). Fortunately, my ancestors changed occupations after the middle ages and settled down to making shoes. It's not a very common name, since most of the descendants upon learning the meaning, changed their names to Schmidt.

By the way, I'm glad you tried this method and it worked well for you... and I'm not a spokesman or investor in WD-40...

One could say also that "Die Hingrichtungen gibt man Angst", in which case "man" = one, hence my translation.
Did your forefathers lube and maintain their tools of trade... with WD-40, by chance?

But seriously... here are the results. Unfortunately the machine sits in a place where it is hard to photo properly, with a window right above, hence the glare. Here are the "before" shots from Ken's ad:





And after the Curt A method: