You know those nice old ball handle switches... with the old brass patina of age on them? You just HATE to change one out with any modern appliance switch and loose that original look.

Well, you don't need to ! Just shoot some WD-40 (or similar electrical cleaner/lube) into the face area where the ball socket is. Push on the handle so the ball backs up from the face and the liquid can get inside. Then, work the switch many times. It will restore to working order about 80% of the time !

Remember, NEVER use any lubricant type spray on a band switch or a tube socket (can cause arcing on either). Use an evaporating cleaner like D5 Deoxit or various types by other brands.

For frozen vol or tone controls, spray the shaft/bushing area where the retainer clip is and apply heat from a solder pencil to the bushing. Turn the control clockwise usually to free it (or, better, check the resistance to see which way the wiper can be rotated safely without breaking it). This also works about 80% of the time.

Mark Oppat
http://www.oldradioparts.net

I've had good luck taking them apart and fixing them when shooting in cleaner didn't work. I had some that were just too gummed up.

RRM

Get 'em all out of the set and soak overnight in paint thinner out on the back porch. Nest squirt in Some WD40, followed by Deoxit, and work back and forth.

Still no good, bend back the holders and disassemble to look at contacts. Too far gone, bury with dignity just like we hope o be.

With care, you can remove enough of the peened-over end of the rivet to let it slide out, and disassemble the switch entirely for cleaning. To re-use the rivet, countersink the side plate with a drill bit so the old rivet protrudes a little, then peen it again.

Yep, that's exactly what I did to fix one in a US Radio cathedral. A bat handle just wouldn't have looked right.

RRM

If liquids could get inside, I used to take old switches like that and drop them in an ultrasonic tank full of a cleaner that deoxidised the metals. Then another beaker was full of a neutraliser. After blownig them out/off with compressed air, drying in an oven, they were as good as new. Low resistance. Otherwise pure isopropyl dissolves dirt, crud, and removes metal oxides to some extent. And dries away to nothing. Might be a good pre treatment before adding contact cleaners or Caig. You could soak it in the alcohol for a while. I would not use the stuff with a water content.