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- - NOTES ON "RESTORING" OLD TELEGRAPH APPARATUS - -

There is a difference of opinion among collectors about the desirability of restoring old telegraph apparatus to its original condition. Most collectors prefer the marks of age in a hundred year old key to a shiny like-new appearance. The restoration of old telegraph apparatus then, may involve simply the stabilization of the deterioration process or, it may involve the complete cleaning and polishing and relaquering of the instrument. Restoration is a time-consuming activity which can not be rushed. Quick, short-cut methods usually damage the instrument permanently and are to be avoided at all costs.
ABOVE ALL, AVOID USING WIRE BRUSHES ON THE INSTRUMENT !

MINIMAL CLEANING AND STABILIZATION:

If the unit is to be kept in its present condition, a strategy that I pesonally recommend, you may want to simply remove superficial dust and stop further rusting of ferrous parts. The safest cleaning tools are soft toothbrushes and cotton-tipped applicators. Detergents of any kind are dangerous because they may dissolve or remove original paint and historically important painted-on or ink-stamped-on identification marks and decals. Also, historically important hand-written information often inscribed on the bottom of instruments in pencil may be erased by energetic cleaning. Rust can be stopped by Naval Jelly or, if the ferrous part is black, one of the other compounds that remove and replace rust with a black oxide can be used. THOROUGH CLEANING AND RESTORATION:

Before beginning a complete restoration, make sure that you have adequate time so you will not feel rushed into taking disasterous shortcuts. PLEASE give up any ideas of using motorized metal brushes or steel wools to remove finishes or corrosion because even soft brass brushes will leave tell-tale scratch marks on the metal and obscure the historically important machining marks. It is also important to examine every part of a key with a magnifying lens to locate any identification marks that may have been stamped or written on the underside or on individual parts. Once located, these marks should be carefully preserved.

Most old telegraph apparatus was painted with a protective laquer after manufacture and this laquer must be removed before the metal can be cleaned, polished, and then relaquered. The least damage will be done by using a powerful paint remover such as Zip-Strip to remove the laquer. Apply the chemical using protective gloves and eye protection and wait for it to loosen and soften the paint. Remove the paint residue with a toothbrush or cotton-tipped applicator. Then wash thoroughly so that metal polish can work.

The next step is to restore the original shine to the metal. Try several non-abrasive copper, brass, and silver polishes until you find one which you can simply apply and wait. The more you have to rub a polish into the metal, the more you remove the trade marks and machining marks and the more you tend to round sharp edges. After the unit is clean and shiny and all broken parts have been repaired, it is time to apply a new finish. A clear spray varnish will preserve the shined up appearance of the unit but it won't look authentic. Since most telegraph units were purposely painted with a duller finish to avoid distracting the operators, you will want to use an amber colored laquer. This will bring the unit back to its original appearance and you will have a piece of history to be very proud of.

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