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Thread: Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

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    Senior Member Keyless Works's Avatar
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    Default Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

    I have this old ebonite Danitrio. I don't know how it was stored but the grip section is darker and smoother while the body and cap feel dryer by comparison. Does this pen need a polish or "moisturizer" of some sort? I don't care about the difference in color I just want to maintain this pen to the best of my ability.


    I have read that Renaissance wax is not suitable for ebonite

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    Default Re: Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

    Quote Originally Posted by Keyless Works View Post
    I have this old ebonite Danitrio. I don't know how it was stored but the grip section is darker and smoother while the body and cap feel dryer by comparison. Does this pen need a polish or "moisturizer" of some sort? I don't care about the difference in color I just want to maintain this pen to the best of my ability.


    I have read that Renaissance wax is not suitable for ebonite
    This pen is old but it is quite nice. I think you should polish it to keep the shine and make it look newer.

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    Default Re: Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

    I have a number of ebonite pens (including this Stipula Saturno) that I have had for years. They showed the discoloration years ago but don't seem to have gotten worse.
    I do keep them out of the sun.20250110_080919.jpg

    Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

    Mark Hoover sells products to restore hard rubber/ebonite, made in small batches. The Deoxidizer deals with the unsightly faded top layer, and his other products polish what's underneath. Note that Mark's original concentration was vintage pens, but pipe collectors discovered his products so he caters to them, too. I found that the color contrast in mottled hard rubber really pops after treatment with Deoxidizer. Polishing does require time, patience and elbow grease if you want to remove every vestige of fading.

    Mark's website has always been screwy and incomplete. I recommend emailing with a necessary follow-up detailed phone message stating what you have and what you want to achieve. (We don't answer calls coming from unfamiliar phone numbers anymore, do we?) It can be frustrating to make contact with Mark, but the products are worth the effort. I suggest asking Mark if he knows whether Deoxidizer has worked on modern hard rubber as well as vintage hard rubber.


    I just noticed the Chat function. Give that a try, too.
    Last edited by FredRydr; January 11th, 2025 at 09:14 AM.

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    Default Re: Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

    The same thing sometimes happens with old celluloid pens See attached pic of a Mandarin Yellow). I don't know it it is oxidation or (IMHO more likely) photo-bleaching, but it's always under the cap that remains darker. I have not found any way to counetr this. If it were oxidation, one would think that a polishing with a slightly abrasive medium (e.g. Simichrome) would do some good, but in my trials it has not.
    yellow open.jpg

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Mark Hoover sells products to restore hard rubber/ebonite, made in small batches. The Deoxidizer deals with the unsightly faded top layer, and his other products polish what's underneath....
    I found that my BHR&MHR Mabie Todd Swan SF230 was looking hazy after I wrote with a damp hand, so I decided to treat it with Mark's deoxidizer. Here it is undergoing a bath in deoxidizer, with cotton wool pressed into the cap and barrel to block the honey-like solution. I only had one pen to treat, so I placed the pen in the plastic from a toothbrush hang tab so that the pen is bathed completely while using very little solution. I've set it in the sun for warmth.

    IMG_7373.JPG

    The SF230 is a lever-filler, so some solution might seep into the barrel, but that won't be a problem. The next steps will be: wipe down the pen, pull out the cotton, pull up the lever and bathe the pen in mineral spirits. Let drain for a few days and wipe down the pen. Use Q-Tips/ear buds on the inside if needed. Remaining deoxidizer can be poured back into the bottle. I might apply a final polish, but I'm not seeking a shiny surface.

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