[EricS]

I just cleaned and polished the bakelite panel for my Synchrophase radio. The panel was a mess: scratches, some form of liquid that ate into the surface where the drops dried, general gunk, you name it. I used a sheet of 3000 grit wet sand paper (it is attached to a very thin layer of foam rubber like material) that I found at Walmart, some clear-coat scratch remover for cars, and then some turtle wax.

I went VERY gently, but evenly, with the sand paper. This removed the surface scratches and gunk and debris that GoJo couldn't budge. Like sanding wood, go gently, always in the same direction, and ALWAYS with the "grain." The surface was then very clean, but I had lost the nice glossy quality that bakelite is supposed to have. I used the car buffing compound and a new sponge to polish the bakelite surface and remove the light hazing and fine scratches left by the sand paper. This made the surface reflective again, instead of the dull/matte finish that the sand paper left, but you had to REALLY work this part HARD to restore a smooth, even texture. Do it all by hand. After I was happy with this, I rubbed in some of the original green liquid turtle wax, let it dry for an hour, then buff. You'll need sunglasses after this step!

The bad news for me was that removing the grime revealed pitting in the bakelite panel as a result of the abuse it received over the years. Comparing areas of panel that were "protected" vs "exposed" reveals that the pitting is the result of decades of exposure, as opposed to me sanding through the bakelite.

What a shine now!