Raw Ebonite too dry on Danitrio?

[Keyless Works]

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

[millionbovril]

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.

[Dougc]

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

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[FredRydr]

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.

• Contact: https://www.lbepen.com/blank-2
• Restoration products: https://www.lbepen.com/shop

I just noticed the Chat function. Give that a try, too.

[Doctox]

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