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Restoration of braided flexible cable, circa 1925 (Low Voltage!)

AncientMariner
Managed to locate a pair of circa 1925 Ericsson BBC Headphones suitable for my similar age Ericsson Crystal Radio. The braided flexible cable looks a bit mucky.

I suspect that the inners are tinsel wrapped cotton similar to that used by Post Office Telephones in the days of plaited handset flexibles of the 1940s 50s. I guess there would be rubber overall insulation beneath the braid.


Question is, how to clean the cable up?  Ideas that have so far come to mind are 1) Hand hot water with some washing up liquid, or 2) electrical solvent such as Isopropyl Alcohol. I am a little wary as to be would be kinder to the rubber over insulation (If any) and the tinsel covered cotton?


Either way, or any other way, would be to afterwards jang the wet flex close to a CH radiator to dry out.


Thanks.

Clive

Parents
  • 0
    The lead is of twisted construction and is dark brown and greenish in colour. My comment re rubber insulation is very much a guess on my part, but the lead has a rubbery feel when squeezed.


    Years back when connecting a similar sort of flex to a jack plug, I successfully terminated the tinsel style inner by wrapping it in fine fuse wire in a similar way that headphones with external terminals have the conductor shaped as an eye.


    Also, the black bakelite ear pieces have defied both mine and my wife's attempts to remove.  A WD-40 soak and a silicone rubber jar top remover will, I hope, do the trick.


    The above may be a few days off, since in the morning I am off for a bilateral selective laser trabeculoplasty to bring my IOCs within range. I tend to "run" with a high IOC but fortunately have no signs of glaucoma. Drops have been tried and stung like hell (the preservative apparently). After putting up with the discomfort for too long the opthalmologist I see said stop the drops and I will see you in a few weeks. Went back and pressures exactly the same.....

    Clive

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  • 0
    The lead is of twisted construction and is dark brown and greenish in colour. My comment re rubber insulation is very much a guess on my part, but the lead has a rubbery feel when squeezed.


    Years back when connecting a similar sort of flex to a jack plug, I successfully terminated the tinsel style inner by wrapping it in fine fuse wire in a similar way that headphones with external terminals have the conductor shaped as an eye.


    Also, the black bakelite ear pieces have defied both mine and my wife's attempts to remove.  A WD-40 soak and a silicone rubber jar top remover will, I hope, do the trick.


    The above may be a few days off, since in the morning I am off for a bilateral selective laser trabeculoplasty to bring my IOCs within range. I tend to "run" with a high IOC but fortunately have no signs of glaucoma. Drops have been tried and stung like hell (the preservative apparently). After putting up with the discomfort for too long the opthalmologist I see said stop the drops and I will see you in a few weeks. Went back and pressures exactly the same.....

    Clive

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