Thread: Rehydrating hard rubber

Any way to turn this stuff back black from this brown color it has?

Polish it.

I think once the brown is removed and the fresh black is exposed and polished it makes for and easy recovery. I did try soaking some in silicone lube once but I don’t think it had any impact on the overall project. I was afraid to try mineral oil because of that whole oil and rubber issue and I did not want to have them become rubbery.

If it's actually neoprene (a plastic), then try isopropol alcohol. If it's real rubber,
try this: TECHSPRAY 1612-2SQ RUBBER REJUVENATOR.

It works on copy machine/printer rollers, but you may be talking about rubber scales.
I dunno about them. Never tried it. But it does work on copiers and printers.

There used to be a product called Fedron, which worked very well, but that
was 25 years ago. I don't think it's available anymore.

Originally Posted by PaulKidd

If it's actually neoprene (a plastic), then try isopropol alcohol. If it's real rubber,
try this: TECHSPRAY 1612-2SQ RUBBER REJUVENATOR.

It works on copy machine/printer rollers, but you may be talking about rubber scales.
I dunno about them. Never tried it. But it does work on copiers and printers.

There used to be a product called Fedron, which worked very well, but that
was 25 years ago. I don't think it's available anymore.

Need to try that stuff on the rubber rollers on thickness planer. I’ve tried using paint thinner moistened rag but like rez said, not sure they’ll play nice.

Just polish the scales, real light sanding with 1k or 1.5k should do it then polish. They turn brown from oxidation, a decent furniture wax afterwards should help slow the process.

Another thing you could try is to rub them down with glycerine.

Bob

I typically sand them with 0000 steel wool, then polish.
with Flitz. Repeat, until desired results.

Pinned or unpinned, don't matter.

It is Gutta Percha, a hard rubber like what was used to make black telephones and pipe stems.

Just clean first with WD40, paper towel and wooden coffee stir stick, between the scales. Then some degreaser Simple Green or 409 to remove the WD40. Run a flame under it quickly. Don’t stay in one place too long or it will burn and bubble.

It will turn black and smooth immediately. Don’t over heat and burn, usually a quick passing of a flame, will do the trick. I will also remove or plump up dents, teeth marks on pipe stems.

I cleaned up a D. Peres scaled in Gutta Percha a couple days ago, one side was brown and rough, the other black and smooth. A quick pass brought back the black and smoothed out the finish.

I sanded both sides with 600 grit up to 1k and buffed with Black Magic to a high gloss.

The theory for pipe stems is the rubber oxidizes, faster because of the heat and smoke and the stem is coated in sulfur. Heating with a flame burns off the sulfur.

Well I don’t know if all that is true, but it works. A flame works better than a heat gun. Here is an interesting video where a guy restores a GBD pipe stem using this technique. In another video he tried a heat gun with less successful results.

I used the flame from a disposable lighter, not a butane lighter like he used. I did several quick passes and did not heat it up as much. Best result is where the tip of the flame kisses the rubber.

(How to repair vulcanite stems using heat)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXkBuiEaY6w