I would try Armour-all, you can get at autozone or something. Maybe boot cleaner. Stay away from genuine leather products !!

The Ajax, John Grey and Premier drums all had the same dampers at sometime during their production. Some of those Ajax drums came from the factory sans dampers( I have one), so it is best to determine where the factory mounting holes were for those dampers. It seems that Premier went over to a unique damper at the business end at some time in the mid-60's but continued to use the common knob and J rod. J.G. and B&H were likely buying the dampers from Premier and they used the common design throughout the 60's and back quite a ways into the 50's.....point being....you can get a stock damper for this drum from any of the above brands.

Hello Calfskin

Many thanks for your advice regarding the damper. Very helpful. I'll go and investigate.

The chrome work is coming up fine considering it's neglect.

With regard to the wrap, I've ordered a few (I think) Delmar offcuts from STDrums in Germany - in Arctic Oyster, Purple Diamond and Silver Sparkle - BUT - will wait a while longer in case I hear otherwise on the Forum regarding the exsisting Leatherette - I've been wrong about wraps/finishes before on other old drums I've got hold of, even though it looks as if the wrap finish on this drum isn't perfect!

In the meantime, here's some pics to show how I'm getting along.

http://www.stdrums.de/

I'm doubtful the leatherette is original.

Looks like birch shell and solid beech re-rings, probably three ply with outer and inner plies being vertical. Some people are getting excited about vertical ply these days. Eddie Ryan who served his apprenticeship with Ajax told me that this type of shell was referred to in the factory as an "Ajax" shell - no real surprise there but there were other versions. Only about half had serial numbers so it may never have had one, but take a really good look in daylight it may be very faint.

The Ajax damper from the early 60s looked like this ...........

[IMG]http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb77/nutbox/DSCN1608.jpg[/IMG]

This is an English Rogers '62 (beech shell and laminated birch rings - Eddie called this an "Edgware" shell).

These dampers are almost impossible to find. I have only ever seen one for sale. You would need to pretty much scrap another drum to get one.

My later Ajax C.O.B. snare has a similar damper( although I can't see the knob on yours). Was this not due to the influx of Rogers parts, into their system? Previously, though and to include snare drums of the vintage of this leatherette one the dampers had a J rod with the adjusting thread on the outer end of the rod, which ran in and out of the 5/8" diameter control knob. The leaf spring had a 3/4" felt pad riveted on with a bifurcated rivet. The very same dampers show up on Premier ,Olympic and John Grey drums pre-1965.

The muffler in that Ajax snare,...those one`s are the best one`s, I have them on my Phonics, only difference is the Sonor type have two fastening points instead of one. They don`t strip no matter how hard you hit them !! I`ve never seen one stripped out.

This type of damper hasn't much in common with Rogers dampers.

[IMG]http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb77/nutbox/005-471.jpg[/IMG]

You see something similar in Ludwigs and some other makes at the time.

The one with the "J" rod I associate with Premier, did they use something similar in Ajax? Would be the 50s if so wouldn't it?

The leatherette snare in question is going to be early 60s, isn't it? Maybe the holes would tell us more.

that damper is the same as the one in my 14 x 6 C.O.B. snare drum.

.....trying to find some pictures of older Ajax drums with a damper intact. it seems a certain # of them never had a damper , as well.

Here is what is supposed to be a 50's C.O.B. snare with a double pad but they are the same pads as the single ones, controlled by a J rod. Can't see the knob but dollars to doughnuts it's the same little control knob, Premier and J.G. used. http://nzdrumforum.forumakers.com/t14-for-sale-trade-ajax-50-s-brass-snare