[Milsurplus] Headset - ?'s

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Wed, Jan 20, 2016 at 3:13 PM, Bill Carns <wcarns at austin.rr.com> wrote:

>  I slather on the WD-40 and let it soak.  Then, after about a half hour, I
> remove the bulk of it by blotting with dry paper towels. Then, I let it
> dry.  I have rigs I restored this way back in the 80s and beyond, and there
> has been no whitening and no accumulation of dirt.  The secret is giving it
> plenty to start with and then getting what does not soak in completely off
> the paint.
>

That's the same way I do it Bill, except I use cloth like an old T-shirt or
such. Too much lint and fuzz in the wrinkle from paper towels. If the area
is large enough I'll spray it directly on, otherwise I soak a rag and wipe
it on good and thick, let it set for half hour or so, wipe off the excess
and buff lightly with a clean, dry rag. Cleaning first is sometimes
required, of course. A well-worn, soft-bristle toothbrush works well w/
mild cleaner. Too aggressive and the rags end up black with paint instead
of just brown with dirt. The quality of black wrinkle applications tends to
vary drastically, sometimes the paint is just too brittle to bother with.

The linseed oil works the same. I like it especially for the old Collins
A-Line gear as it gives a certain hue to the paint and keeps it looking
nice. Mine still looks dark gray, black knobs stand out against it to a
degree, so I figure it must be working. I've only cleaned/oiled once, so
build up isn't an issue. Dusting as needed later with a slightly damp cloth
if needed followed by a light buffing seems to do the trick.

With either choice, the secret is to start with a clean surface, 'feed'
(oil) well for some period of time, then buff/dry excess completely.

BTW Bill, I got the 30K-5 on the air a couple years back with the help of
W3JN. Works great on 80m, still need to locate some of the IF
transformer-sized plug in coils for Ch 2. The plan is to use it for 80 &
40. Would love to know more of its history but it dead ends with my buddy
Ray/now KC1BT who got it through Army MARS some 5+ decades ago. It only
took me 28 years to get it done.

~ Todd/KAQ
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