RobertKB Posted October 14, 2009 Report Posted October 14, 2009 I pulled a lighter and correct mounting hardware from a '48 Dodge D25 four door that I am parting out. Lighter handle was in nice shape although slightly discoloured and dirty. I tried washing it with dish soap and it wouldn't touch the decades old dirt. I thought about using Vim or similar product but thought it might be a bit too abrasive. What to use? I then thought of my toothpaste, went and got it, put a bit on my toothbrush and went to work. 30 seconds later it was done and the dirt removed. Toothpaste is after all a very mild abrasive and worked well for me on this small project. Just a little trick that might work for you on a part you want to be gentle with. Pictures show before and after taken without flash for comparison purposes, and the last one with flash. Quote
David Maxwell Posted October 14, 2009 Report Posted October 14, 2009 (edited) Robert, that turned out to be one of the nicest original lighter knobs I've ever seen! An excellent example of the original color these knobs were when new (refering to the last image with flash). You might try a gentle buffing with plastic polish to really bring it back to its original state. Edited October 14, 2009 by David Maxwell left part out. Quote
Jim Yergin Posted October 14, 2009 Report Posted October 14, 2009 Nice tip Robert. Looks great. But what does it taste like now when you brush your teeth? Jim Yergin Quote
aero3113 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 dont throw out your tooth brush I think it has magical powers. Do you have any pictures of your teeth? Quote
RobertKB Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Posted October 15, 2009 (edited) Robert, that turned out to be one of the nicest original lighter knobs I've ever seen! An excellent example of the original color these knobs were when new (refering to the last image with flash). You might try a gentle buffing with plastic polish to really bring it back to its original state. Thanks, David. That is a very nice compliment. The lighter will be going in my Dodge D25 coupe when it is back from the paint shop. I included a picture of the car it came from and the dash that was the lighter's home when found. Not that I smoke, but it does work. All knobs higher up on the dash crumbled to the touch. The other knobs at the level of the lighter are good. I guess the sun did not get to them lower down. Jim, it now tastes sweet when I brush my teeth. Toothpaste was Colgate, paste, not gel. aero3113, no pictures of my 60 year old teeth but they are all mine.........so far! Edited October 15, 2009 by RobertKB Quote
Niel Hoback Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Theres a cleaning product out there called "Sof-Scrub". Its very much like toothpaste except the abrasive in it is round instead of gritty. It will do the cleaning job without making tiny scratch marks. I have used it to clean my wife's rings and it really makes the Sparkle Plenty. Remember her? Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Looks good. Gets the yellow out. Think I would invest in a new toothbrush for my teeth now. Quote
mackster Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Looks good. Gets the yellow out. Think I would invest in a new toothbrush for my teeth now. Look great robert! can I tooth paste my whole car???? Quote
RobertKB Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Posted October 15, 2009 Look great robert!can I tooth paste my whole car???? You know, if your paint is just dull, it probably would actually work. Might want to buy some really big tubes of toothpaste and a buffer though. Quote
Rodney Bullock Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Is that a Studebaker truck in the background of the pic:) Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Toothpaste is a multi purpose material. While in the Army, my last duty assignment was at SHAPE headquarters, Paris, France. Took my first wife and then 3 month old daughter with. The army put us up in a hotel in Paris for the first 60 days while our furniture and car was being shipped from the states to Paris. Found an apartment in a brand new apartment building to move into after the hotel. We were the first tenants in our apartment. In the lease it said we were not to make any holes in the wall. Well.....the wife wanted something mounted to the wall in the bathroom (WC), so I made two holes in the wall to mount whatever it was. When it came time for us to move, we took whatever it was off the wall, leaving two screw holes in the nice white plaster walls. Absent of any plaster to patch it with before the owner came in for the final inspection, I filled the holes with toothpaste. Worked great, could not see the two holes at all and we got our full deposit back.:D Quote
RobertKB Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Posted October 15, 2009 Is that a Studebaker truck in the background of the pic:) Good eye, Rodney. Yes, it is a Studebaker truck, one of several in fact. He has a totally restored one that is absolutely gorgeous and several parts trucks. He plans to eventually make another good one out of about three trucks. Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 I sometimes use Mean Green liquid cleaner first on things like knobs. Then have used chrome polish. Kind of gritty.....similar to the toothpaste and other items mentioned. Your knob looks like new. I finally got a lighter out of the parts car I'm going to cut the roof off. I think it was the same deal as yours......down low on the dash and not affected so much by the sun. Quote
1just4don Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Most people use toothpaste rather than spackling compound before painting a wall. It works 'great' on small nail holes etc. larger holes need more help and structure than paste can provide. But the small holes,toothpaste doesnt need to dry like spackling,can be painted over immediately. All the pro apartment quickey painters use it!! Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 big use in military housing, where I first learned of it..you cannot vacate quarters with nail holes in the wall.. Quote
busycoupe Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 The knob looks great! I have not tried toothpaste, but I have used Autosol metal polish on plastic pieces with good results. It also can be used to clean up plastic headlight covers on more modern cars. Dave B. Quote
Oldguy48 Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 I pulled a lighter and correct mounting hardware from a '48 Dodge D25 four door that I am parting out. Lighter handle was in nice shape although slightly discoloured and dirty. I tried washing it with dish soap and it wouldn't touch the decades old dirt. I thought about using Vim or similar product but thought it might be a bit too abrasive. What to use? I then thought of my toothpaste, went and got it, put a bit on my toothbrush and went to work. 30 seconds later it was done and the dirt removed. Toothpaste is after all a very mild abrasive and worked well for me on this small project. Just a little trick that might work for you on a part you want to be gentle with. Pictures show before and after taken without flash for comparison purposes, and the last one with flash. I cleaned up a couple of mine with polishing compound. Turned out pretty nice, but the lettering on the front of the knob looked a bit shabby. Used some black acrylic paint from a craft shop on it. Painted over the lettering, then wiped it off with a paper towel. Since the lettering is engraved, the paint remained in the engraved area, and wiped off the rest of the knob surface. Turned out great. And the paint is water based, so clean up was easy. Quote
Don Coatney Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 I tried the same thing but I used a tooth pick and it did not work well:confused: Question for BobKB, Why are you parting out this car? It looks like it could be brought back to driving condition? As you are a purest you must see this? Quote
RobertKB Posted December 10, 2009 Author Report Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) I tried the same thing but I used a tooth pick and it did not work well:confused:Question for BobKB, Why are you parting out this car? It looks like it could be brought back to driving condition? As you are a purest you must see this? Car is a lot rougher than it looks. I put a lot of money into my '38 Chrysler and I would have to put more than that into this one to get it even close to my '38. I did the majority on the '38 myself but it was still an expensive proposition. This '48 as a parts car it is worth nothing, but as parts it is worth a lot. You can't save them all and I am not going to try to save this one. I have sold a few parts to people in Canada, a bit more to those in the US, a lot of trim went to New Zealand, and a whole pile has gone to the UK. This is basically trim. I have all the mechanicals to sell including a modern style drive shaft and u-joints. I may be a purist but I am also a realist. Incidentally, the radiator and heater core turned out to be good and both are replacing so-so ones in my own '48, keeping OEM in my car instead of rebuilt cores. I am going to use the lighter in my coupe as well as the radio that is better than the one I presently have. I may be a purist but that does not preclude being a realist. Being a purist doesn't mean you can save them all and some cars are better living on in other people's projects. Any parts you need, Don? Edited December 10, 2009 by RobertKB Quote
greg g Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 Mackster, I do not recommend using toothpast on your whole car but try som Bon Ami cleaner on a small area of dead paint. I believe you will like what it does. Alos on exterior windows. Put some on a wet sponge and apply to a wetted area and scrub, then rinse well. Quote
Don Coatney Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 . Any parts you need, Don? Not at the moment but thanks. Quote
T120 Posted December 10, 2009 Report Posted December 10, 2009 Hi Robert, Say,that lighter of yours looks like a mint original.Do you think I might be able to borrow it for awhile?...I'll return it of course...:)Just kidding,I have one Ralph Quote
RobertKB Posted December 10, 2009 Author Report Posted December 10, 2009 Hi Robert, Say,that lighter of yours looks like a mint original.Do you think I might be able to borrow it for awhile?...I'll return it of course...:)Just kidding,I have one Ralph Sure, Ralph, but the rent might be kinda steep. I'll bring it to the Christmas party if you like. Just kidding, too. Quote
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