Unfortunately natural rubber is easily destroyed by moisture, heat, sunlight, and petroleum products. I have a few radios which I have managed to keep the original cords on. The cords are soft and bouncy. I like the feel. If and when they get bad near the plug, I remove the plug and shorten the cord. Then I put the plug back on. Some have a one piece rubber plug with the letter H in the middle (forgot the brand). With these, the prongs can be pulled out with a pliers. The cord can then be forced through and resoldered to the prongs. The prongs are then forced back in.Other cords have a two piece Belden rubber plug. A center piece can be removed for removal of the prongs. There are other plugs which have been used, of course. These plugs are the ones I am most familiar with.
If the rubber cord has rotted out, sometimes a brown extension cord can be purchased with the larger dimention wire. Most modern extension cords are rated for 15 amperes, and have the heavier wire. If you can save the plug from the original cord, it may be placed on the new cord. The plastic cord may be sanded with sand paper so that it has a duller look. If the plug is rotted out, don't re-use it on the new cord. Either use an attractive bakelite plug on the new cord or use a bakelite plug on a cloth cord (I'll give more detail on this in a bit).
I wish someone made reproduction rubber cords. Unfortunately they rot out very easily. I replaced the cord on my Telechron clock only 14 years ago with a then new black rubber cord. With the clock placed next to the kitchen window and sink, however, as well as the coils of a refrigerator, the cord badly deteriorated during this short period of time. Recently, after looking attrocious (lots of cracks and mushy spots), the part at the plug exploded. I replaced it this time with a white cloth covered cord which has PVC insulation.
If you wish you may use cloth covered cord for your radio. Though not original, it looks better than plastic cords. If the cloth cord you use has rubber insulation, the cloth at least shields the rubber from some of the elements. Also, if the rubber starts to crack, the two layers of cloth tend to keep the wiring from being exposed even though the rubber is failing. This does not mean, however, that the cord is still waterproof (that it won't give a shock when wet). If it has PVC insulation, it'll be stiffer, but will last a long time. It will not likely develop cracks for some time. Cloth covered wire with either rubber or PVC insulation can be found at www.sundialwire.com. Attractive bakelite plugs can be found from time to time on eBay. Unfortunately sometimes demand for these plugs is intense, and their prices go high. I once bid on a set of 12 bakelite plugs at $75. As long as you don't step on them, though, they're perfectly safe to use and are attractive, too. You can find bakelite plugs with art deco designs, leaf designs, and all sorts of other beautiful patterns. I really like the round ones a lot. If the ones you obtain are a bit dirty, wash them in soap and water, and then polish with Brasso or Mother's Aluminum Polish.
Thomas
Thanks for your reply. I do have a spool of reproduction cloth covered cord, so I might go that route.
The wooded case for this radio was in fairly bad shape. The paint on the trim around the bottom as well as the handle was flaking. The finish on the case was flaking also. I used Formby's refinisher on the case and found a real close match to the vanilla colored paint. It turned out well. The case has about the same tint as before the refinishing and the trim looks good. It turned out very similar to the picture on page 184 of the collector's guide to antique radios, sixth edition, without the stripes on the base trim.
Mike M.
:The original cord for most post 1935 radios (and quite a few prior to this date) is natural rubber. Natural rubber cords could usually be had in brown, white, and black. Brown is the most common for radios. My Telechron wall clock has the only example of a white cord that I know of.
:
:Unfortunately natural rubber is easily destroyed by moisture, heat, sunlight, and petroleum products. I have a few radios which I have managed to keep the original cords on. The cords are soft and bouncy. I like the feel. If and when they get bad near the plug, I remove the plug and shorten the cord. Then I put the plug back on. Some have a one piece rubber plug with the letter H in the middle (forgot the brand). With these, the prongs can be pulled out with a pliers. The cord can then be forced through and resoldered to the prongs. The prongs are then forced back in.Other cords have a two piece Belden rubber plug. A center piece can be removed for removal of the prongs. There are other plugs which have been used, of course. These plugs are the ones I am most familiar with.
:
:If the rubber cord has rotted out, sometimes a brown extension cord can be purchased with the larger dimention wire. Most modern extension cords are rated for 15 amperes, and have the heavier wire. If you can save the plug from the original cord, it may be placed on the new cord. The plastic cord may be sanded with sand paper so that it has a duller look. If the plug is rotted out, don't re-use it on the new cord. Either use an attractive bakelite plug on the new cord or use a bakelite plug on a cloth cord (I'll give more detail on this in a bit).
:
:I wish someone made reproduction rubber cords. Unfortunately they rot out very easily. I replaced the cord on my Telechron clock only 14 years ago with a then new black rubber cord. With the clock placed next to the kitchen window and sink, however, as well as the coils of a refrigerator, the cord badly deteriorated during this short period of time. Recently, after looking attrocious (lots of cracks and mushy spots), the part at the plug exploded. I replaced it this time with a white cloth covered cord which has PVC insulation.
:
:If you wish you may use cloth covered cord for your radio. Though not original, it looks better than plastic cords. If the cloth cord you use has rubber insulation, the cloth at least shields the rubber from some of the elements. Also, if the rubber starts to crack, the two layers of cloth tend to keep the wiring from being exposed even though the rubber is failing. This does not mean, however, that the cord is still waterproof (that it won't give a shock when wet). If it has PVC insulation, it'll be stiffer, but will last a long time. It will not likely develop cracks for some time. Cloth covered wire with either rubber or PVC insulation can be found at www.sundialwire.com. Attractive bakelite plugs can be found from time to time on eBay. Unfortunately sometimes demand for these plugs is intense, and their prices go high. I once bid on a set of 12 bakelite plugs at $75. As long as you don't step on them, though, they're perfectly safe to use and are attractive, too. You can find bakelite plugs with art deco designs, leaf designs, and all sorts of other beautiful patterns. I really like the round ones a lot. If the ones you obtain are a bit dirty, wash them in soap and water, and then polish with Brasso or Mother's Aluminum Polish.
:
:Thomas