Hey, you can't take it with ya! LoLoLoLoLoLoLoLo

Good ol' paint thinner always works for me.

Put all the "guts" (springs, posts, caps etc.) into a glass Snapple or salad dressing bottle with paint thinner (lid closed tight, of course).

Working OUTDOORS (nasty fumes!), I pour paint thinner in the "towers" using a funnel and then use a stiff bottle brush to scrub the threads etc. clean.

Make sure you do this outdoors on dirt or on weeds; something that you won't care if the paint thinner kills off (because it will most cetainly kill anything that it touches). Avoid pavement, because it will leave a stain, similar to spilled gas.

Good luck!

Have you tried Goof off, or Goo Be Gone? The latter claims to remove crayon (sort of like wax)?

B

I've renovated 4 Speedkings - though I've not done anywhere as good an exterior job as you - and I find acetone absolutely indispensable. So far, it has always worked.

/Magnus

That is one gorgeous vintage Speed King. Beautiful job!

Thanks it turned out ok and it plays great. Second best pedal ever made. First has got to be my Ghost pedal. I'm in the middle of doing a restore on it.

There is a product made in England , called Gunk. It's a water soluble grease remover designed primarily for car engines. We have a knockoff of it in Canada prepped by Canadian Tire called Dunk. They are both amazing grease and oil removers and wash down the drain with warm water. The item comes out sparkling clean with all other parts and finishes intact. I believe Gunk is internationally available and there may be other knockoffs.

There is a type of grease called intermittent movement lubricant.You might be able to get it online as Moviola Magnasync lubricant. It is widely used on motion picture machinery----sprocket drives and bearings. This is what I use everywhere I can get it into on footpedals. A small amount of the grease lubricates a lot and it has a stringy clinging quality that helps it stay put when other greases are forced out of place. I have used it on the few Speed Kings that I have reconditioned. The original lubricant was garbage.

GUNK! Great idea! I've cleaned some pretty dirty ol' engines with Gunk and a little brushing.

Thanks for the lube tip, too... going to look into it...

FYI...TSP=Tri sodium phosphate. Available in paint stores and departments. Scrubbing powder that does scratch. I have not used it on anything but siding.

Paint thinner does work for the grease.