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Cleaning tube pins

Anyone have any suggestions for cleaning gold plated tube pins on NOS tubes. I have heard that Caig's is not the answer. Plus, I do not want to take the chance of removing the gold plating.
128x128daveyf
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Alcohol evaporates 100%, leaves no residue. Use 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol. Wait til completely dry before reinserting tubes. 
jea48
4,425 posts
 
@OP,
Been doing it for at least twenty years.
Alcohol quickly evaporates. What you are wiping dry is any water content the alcohol didn’t evaporate with it.

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daveyf's avatar
daveyf OP
2,871 posts
 
I wiped down my gold plated pins with some 91% isopropyl alcohol tonight. Seemed to clean the pins well enough, we shall see if that also cleans up the sound a little.
bjesien
1,287 posts
 

I had the dremel out for another project but just polished some NOS pins with the polishing bit (felt) and some compound. I can reach the outside but to get the insides, I'd have to trim felt and put some time into this. Will there be a reward for such activity? The outsides went from really tarnished to original surface. It's a contact surface I'd say small gain??

bjesien
1,287 posts
 

Found some good bits that will cut the time. I'll give it a try.

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