Webley Mark II Target Box Restoration

[45flint]

I bought a Webley Mark II Target last year that was just about mint. Gladly it came in a box, but the box had been taped up years ago and was very unsightly. A fellow on the forum say he used Methylene Chloride to remove tape on a box he had. Got some a couple of days ago and I thought I would try it on the pellet box to see how it worked. Amazingly it worked a miracle taking the tape off and removing the glue residue. I felt like one of those guys who cleans old paintings with solution and Q-Tips. Still have the main box to do but it should go similarly. But had enough fumes right now!

Here’s the box:



Here is the slideshow of the work on the pellet box:

https://imgur.com/gallery/GaBbMfu

Will post when all the work is done.

[micky2]

Wow that's great l must get some. as l have some boxes with tape on them.

[45flint]

Interesting started the main box and it’s a bear. Took an hour to remove 3 inches of tape. This tape is not as dried out. Very difficult to get the fluid to penetrate.

[Scott.]

Could you (very) carefully scrub the surface of the tape with sandpaper to break though any surface layer and allow the chemicals to penetrate deeper?

[ccdjg]

You could also try letting the methylene chloride soak through the cardboard from the other side so that it can get straight to the adhesive layer. It has no effect on cardboard so should not do any harm, and probably would not attack the original adhesives used on the box as pre-war they would not be synthetic polymer based, and methylene chloride specifically goes for the synthetics.

[45flint]

Could you (very) carefully scrub the surface of the tape with sandpaper to break though any surface layer and allow the chemicals to penetrate deeper?

Good thought. I also thought of soaking a felt pad with chemical leaving it on the tape covering it with non porus material and letting it soak for a while. Got time will try various things on a little bit and see what does best. Bottom line it does work eventually and no damage to box. Just the transformation of the pellet box is pretty amazing.

[Troubledshooter]

Lighter fuel is often very effective in removing tape and residue, but does sometimes require several applications.

[RichardH]

Just a word of caution, Methyl Chloride is nasty stuff and known to cause cancer.

Be sensible with it people

[ccdjg]

Just a word of caution, Methyl Chloride is nasty stuff and known to cause cancer.
n
Be sensible with it people

Yes, be sensible with it, but at the same time don't worry about the cancer risk - it is not a proven carcinogen in humans despite many investigations of industrial workers who have been exposed to large amounts over many years. The most important advice is to keep methylene chloride off your skin and avoid breathing in a lot of the vapour, as it is toxic like all solvents. It is solvents like carbon tetrachoride and benzene, which are the proven carcinogens, and these used to be commonplace in the home and workshop.

On the plus side it is not flammable.

[45flint]

Took some advice here and sanded the surface of the masking tape. Other issue I saw was the fluid evaporated so quickly. Made a pad from a cleaning patch, saturate it, and cut a aluminum shield to put over it to hold the fluid on the tape. Clipped it for 5 minutes? Then another application. Then the tape pealed off slowly not damaging the label beneath, so cool. Label probably hasn’t been seen in years!

Here is the method pic by pic:
https://imgur.com/gallery/kw6tIpg


Not finished but this is so cool to see:



Just a little difference!!

[aris]

Lovely - how about some pics with the gun in situ

[45flint]

Lovely - how about some pics with the gun in situ

Trying to finish up today. Have to glue some tears, finished cleaning all the surfaces last night. Tape was certainly overkill at the time, there was only one edge that came apart which can be easily glued. I’m sure no thought back then as to value of the box. Pics with the pistol will be fun.

[Garvin]

Trying to finish up today. Have to glue some tears, finished cleaning all the surfaces last night. Tape was certainly overkill at the time, there was only one edge that came apart which can be easily glued. Pics with the pistol will be fun.

It looks like maybe, ironically, whoever slapped on that masking tape might actually have done you a favour in terms of protecting the original labels!

[45flint]

Trying to finish up today. Have to glue some tears, finished cleaning all the surfaces last night. Tape was certainly overkill at the time, there was only one edge that came apart which can be easily glued. I’m sure no thought back then as to value of the box. Pics with the pistol will be fun.

It shows the journey these antiques take before they come to you. There was actually two different repairs and tapes. A much older brown tape that “repaired” the pellet box and just the corners of the large box. It came off pretty easy. The masking tape came later and just wrapped the total outside box edge. That was just a bear, I was surprised it didn’t damage the end label.

[45flint]

Before:
https://imgur.com/gallery/u67tdrI

After:

https://imgur.com/gallery/vRybTnw

Feel I added value to the package and now I can display this awesome pistol in the box without being disturbed, by its condition. Thought of using a brown felt pen to color the tan box wear on the edges but that is natural wear, so probably best to leave it alone?