Tuning knobs on Radios-To clean, or not to clean?

Very nice,[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

This way?

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Let me try again.

Will not work....must be my security settings.

Look in your posting window, there are a number of picture icons, edit tools, and such. The one that shows a picture with a disk is the one to use. First save your picture to your desktop for easy retrieval then use that picture. When you host it it will go to a photo hosting web page. Be sure and save the link on the hosting program as it assigns a number with the link, you insert this into your post by copy and paste.

I'm gonna try once more to post a pic for Cliff.....

I just don't get it!!

Just what I am working on.  Not no ways finished.

Well...that didn't work...oh, well...

Thanks for all the help guys!

You can use a metal marking waterproof crayon, paint model ot automotive touch up,(Easy to artificially yellow or age the color),
or as mentioned above, lumber or kids crayons.
 I also expect a white nail polish would work too, again fairly easy to tint.
 Chalk won't work. Tried that myself, years back.
  Just put it on and wipe off the excess CAREFULLY!
I'd test a spot on the back of the knob before using anything too exotic, to make sure it doesn't negatively react with the knob material- like melt it!

Well...I'm glad to know that I did not dream this up.  I have seen some radios on E-Boob which look as though the dials have undergone a "dental tooth whitening" procedure; much too bright to look original.  <grin>

I will set my camera stuff up and send out some pics for Cliff.

Mike

A picture of what your working on would help.  Cleaning with light action on a toothbrush should work well.  Even if the lines are a little light, well it is an old radio.  As Cliff indicated they can be carefully darken if you wish.
Jerry

Thanks Cliff...

Granted, I don't want to make this radio look brand new;  that would make it look fake, or too much like a reproduction.  I just want to give it a touch here and there.

I am not familiar with that radio. If the markings are engraved, you could use a crayon, by rubbing it over the marks. There are micro point ink pens and paint pens also, but a steady hand is required.

Afterwards you could spray with Krylon clear crystal spray, to protect from wear.

My 1923 Freed-Eisemann.  The tuning knobs et al, could be cleaner, but I'm wary of scrubbing (even lightly) with a toothbrush.
Seems that somewhere, someplace on the net, I read about a kind of a paint or kind of "stuff" which would refill all the little divisions and numbers on these dials and make them like new.

Or....did I dream this up?

Mine aren't all that bad and there is no missing spots on any of them.  They are just dirty.  Tobacco stained.  I got all the tobacco staining off of the front with a little Windex and paper towels.  91 years of smoke on it.  Now I can see myself like a mirror!

Comments...Warnings....All welcome.

Mike