[Milsurplus] Cleaning fine crackle paint

[David Stinson]

Re:  Cleaning Wrinkle Paint
IMHO, YMMV etc.  I don't think I'm smarter than
anyone and I don't know everything.  Just my 
perspective after working on these things for many years.

A word of caution, from personal experience:
If any of the 409/Ammonia/Scrubbing Bubbles etc.
 solution gets under screw heads or rivits, etc., 
in a few years they will have a bright green
ring of corrosion around them.
I stopped using harsh chemicals long ago.

The old wrinkle paint surface micro-cracks down 
some fraction of the depth of the paint.  Microscopic dust
collects in these cracks over the years, making a dirty, dull
look to the paint.  No amount of cleaning will get it all out.

Assuming your paint is in good condition-
clean all the dirt you can get at with a dry paint brush, 
followed by a medium tooth brush.  
For heavy dirt, plain distilled water and scrubbing.  
For oily or greasy stuff, a toothbrush soaked in
 Ronson Lighter Fluid followed by blotting 
with paper towels.

Once you have removed as much dirt as possible, 
you'll be left with a dingy, dull wrinkle paint.
Believe it or not, WWII Radio Maint. Shop manuals
call for a coat of oil on wrinkle paint.   Drop a few 
drops of light machine oil like 3-n-1 on the surface.
It doesn't take much- a drop every 3-4 inches.
Using a medium bristle dry brush, scrub the oil around
the surface until you get an even sheen.  It takes some elbow
grease and good lighting.  Wipe away the 
excess with a clean towel.   The oil will flow into the 
micro-cracks, darkening the impacted dirt and melding 
it with the black wrinkle finish and sealing the cracks.
You'll be rewarded with a wrinkle finish that looks
almost new and, if you cover it when not playing radio,
it will stay that way.  
Works excellent on old, dull black knobs, too.
And when the radio warms up, the soothing smell
of machine oil warms a tinkerer's heart.

73 DE Dave AB5S