Cleaning Old Paper Reel Strips

[Jackpot]

Hi People,

I have a good question here, and a good answer will maybe help everyone here. I am working on a Pace Comet right now that looks to have very good original paper reel strips on it, but they are the dirtiest, cruddiest, nicotine and smoke covered, smudged up reel strips I have ever run across. The question is: What is the best way to clean reel strips that you have found? I have never really found a good way to clean them myself, so maybe you have a way that works real well. If so, I would love to hear from it you, before I try to clean these up for the guy I am repairing it for. I once read that an old product called renews it worked extremely well, but it was outlawed years ago because it had dry-cleaning chemicals in it. I think they still market a renews it product, but this is not the same product that I was told about, or read about maybe 20-30 years ago and I myself never had the chance to try the old product. So…….. What are your ideas? I would really love to hear them.
Thank You
Jackpot
http://www.coinslots.com
 

[Frank A]

I have used a magic eraser with some success. Be careful with anything liquid. It dissolves the paper.

[OldReno]

One of my roomies deals in antique books and paper.
He cleans his old paper with a can of Gel-Gloss that he gets at Ace hardware.
it says its for Fiberglass, acrylic & cultured marble and is a One-step Polish and Rejuvinator.
He says to spray a little bit of it onto a very very soft lint free cloth, and wipe it on the reels, and then immediately wipe it off.
Please be sure to test it on a little bit of the strip to see if it harms the paper or not.
It should work, and comes in a spray can that's pink and blue.
Let me know if it works on your reels, it seems to do a very good job on his old paper.

[Jackpot]

Thank YOU!

Now some great ideas are coming down the pike, I'll try them all and see what the best system is and report back later with what seams to work best. SUPER HELP!!! Please keep the ideas a-coming people.
Jackpot
 

[Jackpot]

I have used a magic eraser with some success. Be careful with anything liquid. It dissolves the paper.

Thank You!

[Jackpot]

One of my roomies deals in antique books and paper.
He cleans his old paper with a can of Gel-Gloss that he gets at Ace hardware.
it says its for Fiberglass, acrylic & cultured marble and is a One-step Polish and Rejuvinator.
He says to spray a little bit of it onto a very very soft lint free cloth, and wipe it on the reels, and then immediately wipe it off.
Please be sure to test it on a little bit of the strip to see if it harms the paper or not.
It should work, and comes in a spray can that's pink and blue.
Let me know if it works on your reels, it seems to do a very good job on his old paper.

THANK YOU! And from a guy that works with paper even, wow!

[OldReno]

Are you going to seal the reel strips after cleaning?
I've heard clear acrylic spray, or even hairspray might work for that...?
Or do you want to keep it 'pristine'?

[Jackpot]

Are you going to seal the reel strips after cleaning?
I've heard clear acrylic spray, or even hairspray might work for that...?
Or do you want to keep it 'pristine'?

That is a very good question, I have been working with slots for years, but trying to save old reel strips has always been a problem, you can get new ones, but the old original reel strips I like to save on the machine if at all possable. This is a great idea you have provided here, and this might give them just a tad bit of shine back as cleaning with liquid does dull them, and this would also add some protection to oil and grease that can get on them over the years.
Thank You!
Jackpot

[Jackpot]

Cleaning paper reel strips:

Well, I needed to get this machine done so here is what I did, I used that magic eraser, dipped it in water, squeezed it out and started to scrub. It didn't do a lot of good so I gave the sponge a shot with 409 as I have in the past. Now this cleaned them a little better. Using 409 in the past, I found it to be too strong and it would remove the color from the symbol images. This time I think the reel strips had a protective cover coat like a clear of some kind, so it didn't bother the colors. They did clean up some and look 10 time better. But, this is not the cure for doing this, now I need to try the Gel-Gloss as talked about above. i will on the next machine or on this one, if I get some Gel-Gloss before this machine is picked up. I'll let you know right here so stay tuned to this channel, and we will be right back after station identification. Please keep the ideas coming, as it would be nice to solve this problem for once and all.

Jackpot

Before and after photo's............

[Frank A]

Magic erasers are to be used dry !

[Jackpot]

Oops.......................... Well I'll be dipped, I must of read something wrong. You can always tell a Norwegian, just not very much! I'll have to go back and give it another shot and maybe read the box closer, I am thinking it said to dip the eraser in water and squeeze it out first? I guess I just earned the dumb ass award here......, with this slick move. Maybe that is why they give you two of them in the box, one to screw up on, and one to do it right?
Thank You!
Jackpot

[OldReno]

Yes, I'm a Norwegian, and also think that directions are only to be used as a last resort.

[Jackpot]

Yes, I'm a Norwegian, and also think that directions are only to be used as a last resort.

I just went out and read the directions, no where, in any of the directions, is there anything about water, so I must have had to just make this up out of the blue. I guess I just had a gigantic brain fart on that smooth move, I mean big! WOW, that is embarrassing to say the least.
Jackpot