I'm batting a thousand so far the last couple of days on eBay.
Today I got a package in the mail, and I could tell it was a bug — right size and weight. Sure enough, it was the 1945 Vibroplex Original I was waiting to receive.
The key isn't in bad shape, but if you look at the photo, you can see what looks like dirt on the frame and damper. Unfortunately, that's not dirt. It's some kind of corrosion and pitting.
All of the bright parts have this corrosion on them, it's just a matter of degree. I've tried cleaning up the damper, and it did clean up ok, but the pitting and corrosion remained. It looks a lot better, just not as nice and smooth as you normally expect — even for a 1945 key.
The ID plate has lost most of its paint, but it doesn't have any rust. The base is dusty but not chipped. The key looks pretty dang good with the exception of the condition of the chrome parts.
The adjustment screws may clean up OK, but the pits are prevalent all over the bright parts. Of course, none of this is going to take away from the key's operation. I've already been trying it out, the action is smooth and fast. It needs a weight screw and the correct finger and thumb pieces.
So now I need to decide if I want to add those parts and try to resell the key or not. That's an additional $15 for the parts, and I already gave a probably too-high a price anyway. I don't know if I want to throw good many after bad. The key is fine, but it's not the show piece I had gambled it might clean up to be.
I could just buy a new frame and damper for the key, and it would indeed make it looks like new. The parts are the same. The frame is $40 and the damper is $32. A pricey renovation for a common key. This may be the key I sell and use the funds for my anniversary model, LOL.
I'm watching some other keys right now on eBay. I've got more than 35 Vibroplex keys as it is, so I'm going to have to cut back on them. I'm probably going to thin out the crowd … finish refurbing the ones that need work and decide which to keep and which to sell. Wish me luck!!
73 es CUL … de KY4Z SK … dit dit ….