I just removed a lot of the yellow from my 1960 Slingerland kit. I tried the lacquer thinner technique on a small area on the bottom of my base drum but didn't feel that I had enough control. I know the technique I used will get a lot of gasps.

You can see the original color under the heads and the hardware. Mine was the marine pearl. First I must say I don't know how you can get the original color back but you can remove a lot of yellow. Mine were not that nice antique white look but very yellow.

The method I used is destructive but also effective. The pearl wrap is made up of two layers. The bottom layer appears to be a solid color and the top layer appears to be translucent with the pattern. This top layer is the one that is yellowed. The trick is to remove enough of the top layer without going all the way through. First remove all of the hardware. Than you use sandpaper to "sand away the yellow". The top layer is can be hard and require a lot of effort to sand. As soon as you use sandpaper on the shell you destroy the smooth finish. There are a lot of steps to restore it.

I ended using 120 grit paper with an orbital electric sander. It is very important to let the weight of the sander do all of the work. Do not press hard on the sander. Always move the sander around the shell never side to side. Watch the progress very close and don't try to get the original color back.

After you remove what you dare with the 120 it is time to start restoring the finish. Use 220 than 320 with a very light touch on the sander. Next start with the wet sanding by hand 500, 1000, and 1200 grit. I than used rubbing compound, polishing compound, and finally car wax each with an electric buffer.

It was a lot of work but I am very happy with the way it turned out. If you don't have DIY skills or experience with a sander I don't think I would tackle this as a first project.

I go up to 2000 it's sweet that the buffing than the polish

Too scary for me.

Yeah, the lacquer thinner technique would probably be a bit too scary for me as well.

Especially on such a beautiful pristine clean snare such as this.

As far as condition both the wrap, and all the chrome hardware, this one ranks right up there as being as clean as the NOS Krupa Sound King I have that the seller threw in with my Deems Set. And even cleaner than my Steve Maxwell sourced 5.5x14 TDR and the Deems prototype 6.5x14 Spitfire I acquired later from the Deems Set's seller.

I did try a light rub down with Meguiars M205 Ultra Finishing Polish and some small pieces of pure white t-shirt, and not one little bit of any residues were removed-seen from any possible nasties such as dirts, grunge, bar cigarette films, zero, nothing. The WMP Wrap glows, mirror like gloss, and shines and looks like this snare was built last month as far as its overall condition. Thoughts are, this drum had to spend a large-major portion of its life being entombed in a case to be this pristine clean and unmolested. "A King Rootin Tootin" Snare so to speak! LOL

The original Slingy heads both sides look like they have a couple weeks worth of use on them. Truly an immaculate snare that I lucked into. (They'll probably come off later to save, and toss on a brand new impossible to find Remo Dip M5 Batter, and vintage Dip Snare Side which I have a few of on ice and have saved for such a snare)

I thought further, and thought that sure, I could probably strip the drum, resort to a heavier cut compound and go at it with the DA Polisher, but again thought to what end?

To possibly harm and alter the originality and the pristine quality and condition of the wrap?

I'm sorry to perhaps start this thread, and come to my own conclusions shortly after, but a wise man and probably the most revered of drum collectors (Maxwell-Currotto-Tommy P-etc etc) would probably tell me not to further touch the drum in any way, play it, enjoy it, love it, and not in any way ruin its original condition and value.

I really do appreciate you folk's input, I'll perhaps try to post an image of this beauty ASAP for you folks to enjoy.

No thinner just good ol wet sanding

I have read about a technique that collectors of computers use to remove the yellow from plastic computer cases. I have wondered if it will work on drum wraps. They are using a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide with uv lights. Somehow it reverses the yellowing process. Has anyone tried it on drum wraps? There are a lot of youtube videos on the process.

I'm interested since I have discoloration on my 1965 black diamond pearl jazz festival snare. You can see photos on my 1965 BDP Super Classic thread in this section of the forum. While WMP seems to yellow, it appears that BDP gets green.

I did Novus 2 twice then Novus 3 twice followed by 2 more Novus 2's then a Novus 1. It still has the discoloration.

I would like to hear about any solutions. I'd also like to see photos of Mark D's drum.

Check out this youtube video [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU7vXMezW_I"]How to fix yellowed plastics on old computers! - YouTube[/ame] If this would work on drum shells it would give us a nondestructive way to restore the color of drum shells.

This Salon Care method seems quite promising, and I did search and watch some videos where a UV light was not used, (on a Louvered Ceiling Vent) that just the natural UV emitted from sunlight worked as well.

The unknowns are of course what such chemicals might do to a drum wrap, as drum wraps are commonly acetate, correct?

Sure wish I had some old drum wrap, that was say removed from a shell from a new re-wrap process.

Would hope somebody would try such an experiment with a drum wrap, cause I'm not sure the durability of such drum wraps could hold up to the peroxide chemicals without somehow "melting" or dissolving?

Anyone willing to try this?