Reconditioning plastic frames?

[beaucaillou]

Hi-ho.

I've got a snazzy pair of black, cat-eye sunglasses of my Grandmother's but the frames are so dull from use, handling, and wear that they look almost white in spots. Does anyone know of a way to recondition older plastics, or are they just done for?

Cheers!

 

[cookie]

Rehabbing old Frames

They can do it I think they may use jewellers rouge

 

[beaucaillou]

They can do it I think they may use jewellers rouge

A jeweller might do it? Or an optician? Is it something I might do on my own?

 

[LizzieMaine]

What's happening there is a chemical reaction in the plastic itself -- the white is actually the plasticizer leaching out as the material ages. You might try wiping it with an ammonia solution to see if that takes the coating off -- but it's something that may keep recurring depending on how the frames have been stored. I had a pair of my childhood glasses go thru the same process -- they turned white, shrank, and finally fell apart. So be careful!

 

[beaucaillou]

What's happening there is a chemical reaction in the plastic itself -- the white is actually the plasticizer leaching out as the material ages. You might try wiping it with an ammonia solution to see if that takes the coating off -- but it's something that may keep recurring depending on how the frames have been stored. I had a pair of my childhood glasses go thru the same process -- they turned white, shrank, and finally fell apart. So be careful!

Wow, thanks Lizzie. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[J.S.Udontknowme]

Flitz metal polish might work too.

 

[John in Covina]

Simichrome, Maas, and Flitz are often used on a variety of plastics to polish them back to a sheen. I have even seen people use hand lotion on plastics to attempt to revitalize them with some sucess.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Try Novus plastic polish, it is available at most plexi-glass shops.

http://www.novuspolish.com/

 

[beaucaillou]

Wow. Thanks everyone so much!

Cheers!