NOTE: Posts appear in reverse chronological order (newest ones at the top of the list) - Webmaster

Our mah-jongg case handle needs repair.

>From: Judith Rubin
>Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:36 AM
>Subject: case handle
>My antique case's handle has disintegrated. Do you know if/where I can find a replacement vinyl or leather (black) handle? Could we rebuild the handle and if so, how? Thanks. Judi

Hi Judith,
Try "luggage repair" in the yellow pages. A lot of shoe repair places also do luggage repair.
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, California, USA
July 16, 2008

Chinese Bakelite: what kind of glue?

From: "Jay Davis" (jmd5)
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 11:48 AM
Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
> My mah-jongg question or comment is: Hi, I have a set of chinese 
> bakelite tiles with thin translucent green backs. Quite a few of the 
> backs have come off and I would like to know what kind of glue I 
> should use to reattach them (I was hoping to use something that would 
> not show through). Thanks! Kim

Hi Jay,
I'm not sure what your tiles are made of. The term "Chinese Bakelite" is apparently one that was coined recently by sellers of older mah-jongg sets, and since it's a made-up term, there's no dictionary where anyone can look up the term and see which kind of plastic that really is. And even if everyone agreed that "Chinese Bakelite" is the same thing as "yellow casein," there's no way I could be positive that you knew for certain that your tiles were yellow casein.

So, since I'm not sure what kind of plastic your tiles are made of, I have to give a generic answer. Modern plastics like acrylic and polyurethane are best glued together with solvent (which you could get at the plastic store, where they could furthermore look at your tiles and confirm which solvent is right for your plastic). But it's likely that your tiles are made of a formaldehyde-based plastic, and I don't know about the backs (those might be an acrylic, or another formaldehyde-based plastic).

So I think you probably want to use "superglue." It's clear. But like Peter Gallagher wrote in FAQ 7o, use it sparingly for best results. Also, unless you buy a slow-drying variety, act quickly after applying it to align the pieces, otherwise they could get stuck together improperly aligned.

May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
MJ溌Sloperama中com
トム·スローパー   /   湯姆 斯洛珀  /  탐 슬로퍼
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
April 21, 2008

How to darken your Bakelite tiles

>From: Jeanette
>Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 3:17 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q+A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is: Re: Darkening Bakelite Tiles
>Joan Krimstein wrote [on the Q & A Bulletin Board
] on  December 19, 2007 : 
>Can bakelite tiles be darken to match the rest of the tiles.   I have extra flowers, that will be  
>needed for Jokers, but they seem a bit lighter in color.  Anything I can do? 
>I purchased 4 Jokers on Ebay several years ago to match my other 4 Jokers as well as the rest of my Bakelite set which does have some variation in the shading.  They were an exact match in every way except they were "lighter".  I made a "STRONG" pot of coffee and soaked the 4 tiles in this for about an hour.  I noticed that they did get a little darker.  I wound up soaking them overnight in the (now-cold) coffee and was very pleased with the result.
>Hope Joan sees this, tries it and it works for her.
>Jeanette

How to avoid darkening your Bakelite tiles

From: "Renee Spero"
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:00 PM
Subject: Cleaning/Restoring Tip
> Here's my tip:
> This is more of a warning tip than a restoration.  I was moving and did not
> want my 1950 bakerlite/catalin tiles to rattle or chip in their case.  I
> took crushed newspapers and stuffed the case with them. I did not use my set
> for several months. When I opened it and took out the crushed newspapers I
> found that my tiles that were originally a light buttery color had turned
> dark orangy/yellow from the newsprint.  I hope this experience helps someone
> else.

How to brighten your bone tiles

From: Kay Bishop - KBooklover at triad.rr.com
To: tomster at sloperama.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 3:55 AM
Subject: Cleaning Tip (and atta-boys for the great website)
Tom,
First of all, I wanted to thank you for your great website. It was an enormous help in figuring out what my Mah-Jongg set was made of (bone/bamboo), how old it was (typical 1920's set) and whether it was complete (it was). As a young child, I was fascinated with the beautiful tiles. Now that I've inherited this set, your site has renewed my interest in learning the game and sharing it with others.
Here's a tile cleaning tip that I didn't see mentioned on your website, and gave very good results on my bone tiles: Use a white vinyl eraser (well, actually, several erasers - my set was very dirty). This is how conservators clean antique ivory. I used the rectangular "Magic Rub" erasers available in most office supply stores. The eraser is soft enough to be completely harmless to the bone, and there is no color that could transfer into the pores of the tile. And at least in my case, I found I could erase right over the paint that was down in the engravings. No matter how hard I pressed, the paint was undisturbed.
Rick Tolley

Name = dee gallo
Email = dlgallo/AT/verizon.net
Date = 2/12/05
Tip = For those players and collectors who don't want to try restoration themselves, please contact me for cleaning out old cruddy paint, re-painting tiles, re-creation of lost tiles, matching the engraving or carving of all types of tiles including Bakelite, Catalin, French Ivory, Enrobed, Bone and Bamboo and Ivory (ivory only if you already have a blank!). I have even restored an entire black lacquered set. I am an artist who has extensive experience in carving, scrimshaw and painting. I can send you pictures of my work if you are interested. I also offer services carving custom tiles, such as joker sets, case ID tags, racks and the famous 3-Legged Toad Lucky Charm (mini-bone). You can find my page links at CHarli's Web, home of Simply the Best person!

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 13:51:48 -0500
From: Autumn Romanov [huntersmoon/AT/sympatico.ca>
To:
Subject: Helpful info on ivory

Dear Tom,

I happened across this looking for a good way to polish bone for beading. I didn't check it out completely, but I hope it's of some help. it was on a website for knives, at

http://ajh-knives.com/tips.html

Repairing Ivory
AcryliKey is a registered ivory repair system which has been designed by the manufacturer, specifically, for the repair of ivory piano keys.
However, in case where the scale replacement is not an option, this system could be possibly and succesfully used for any knife scale repairs.

Full page of Ivory repair instructions and tips are located on the company's web page at:

Acrylikey? Ivory Repair Systems UK

Tel: 01254 774599 | Email: sales/AT/acrylikey.co.uk | Fax: 01254 773158
Price | FAQ | Repairing Ivory | Bleaching Ivory

Thanks for your time,

Autumn

Marlbank, ONT. Canada

Name = Martin Atkinson
Email = matkinso/AT/ucalgary.ca
Date = September 14, 2004
Comments = >I have a Mingg with the four wind discs. The lid does not fit properly on the container and the WInd discs needrepainting.
>Do you know of someone who deals with bone/ivory products who could adjust and repair this Mingg?
>Thanks,
>Martin

Hello, Martin.
No, I sure don't. For the "adjusting" part, you could check the local phone directory and see if there are general repair shops.
Or you could try a hobby shop where they sell model kits, parts, and paints. Perhaps a model maker would be willing to try to adjust your mingg lid - and model makers would probably also be willing to touch up the paint for you too. If the hobby shop owner doesn't have anyone to recommend, perhaps he'd let you post a flyer.
Good luck! - Tom
Tom Sloper

Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 14, 2004

Here's another tip for those who have smelly plastic tiles, from Nath Krismaratala in a mahjong newsgroup post today:
>soak the tile in soapy water overnight
>once awhile and store them in a well aerated place.
May the tiles be with you! - Tom
Tom Sloper
Tomster at Sloperama dot com
Los Angeles, CA
Date: Seveno (^_^) de Mayo, 2004

Here's another idea for those who might need help having tiles repainted. You could try the local hobby shop, they might know of a model maker or role playing gamer who'd be willing to paint your tiles for you. If they don't know of anyone offhand, they might permit you to put up a flyer. Make sure that whoever you hire reads the tips above first!
May the tiles be with you - Tom
Tom Sloper
Tomster at Sloperama dot com
Los Angeles, CA
Date: Seveno (^_^) de Mayo, 2004

Name = susan raff
Email = sdr814/AT/aol.com
Date = april 23 2004
>I do not have a tip.. I tried emailing Marvin Backerman because I would like info on having my set repainted. When I used his email address, the return message stated.."no match for this name"..could you please give me info on having my set repainted..
>susan raff
> i would be very grateful for any help you can give me...

Hi Susan, if you're just looking for info about retouching your tiles yourself, it's here on this page. You say you just want information - there's a lot of it right here (including other services besides Marvin's).

But if you want to pay someone to repaint your tiles, and if Marvin can't be reached, then perhaps someone will see if you put an announcement on a bulletin board. I'm trying other channels to reach Marvin. Keep an eye on the Q&A bulletin board and on this board for further updates. - Tom
Tom Sloper
Tomster at Sloperama dotcom
Los Angeles, CA

From: Tom Sloper
Email = Tomster at Sloperama dotcom
Date = March 29, 2004

At the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, March 2004, I ran into an old comrade who collects and restores bakelite radios. Knowing this about him, I took the opportunity to ask him about restoring catalin tiles (since, as discussed in FAQ 7c3, so-called "bakelite" tiles are most assuredly catalin). Catalin tiles, my friend told me, started out white and yellowed with age. He told me that catalin objects can be polished every year or so with NOVUS, a plastic polish that also can be used to freshen painted objects. A Q-tip can be used to clean the painted grooves (What I would do is to simply rub the tile on a Novus-dampened cloth lying flat on the table, then use a dry clean Q-tip to remove any Novus residue from the grooves). - Tom

From: Tom Sloper
Email = Tomster at Sloperama dotcom
Date = March 29, 2004

Further to SDWALLCE's crumbling tiles (below), my friend who knows much about bakelite and catalin (above) opined that the tiles are most likely celluloid, which does indeed tend to deteriorate over time. He didn't offer any tips on how to repair them, unfortunately. But at least we have more information to go from...! - Tom

Name = gina
Email = gtsgfs/AT/hotmail.com
Date = March 12, 2004
Comments = >In regards to the questions from SDWALLCE [see below]:
>[snip] ... when I see the deterioration of the backs of some of the tiles shown, it reminds me very much of several pairs of dice that I had that came with a couple of sets I had bought. They disintegrated into "crystals" like salt,crumbled actually, and gave off a distinct odor of camphor. Although I did a thorough search, I couldn't find the name of the plastic that they were made of and I don't think that there is any way to repair them.

From: SDWALLCE/AT/aol.com
>Hi Tom,
>Here are some photos of [a 1920's plastic Pung Chow] mah jongg set I bought ... They appear to be made of some type of plastic.
>The backs of a few are crumbling & a few of the tiles appear cracked on top. My husband thinks they might be repairable with resin compound. ... [snip]

I don't know. If he tries it, I'd like to hear the results. Or perhaps he should read FAQ 7c3 first. The sort of plastics they might have had in the early 1920s surely aren't resin-based, but repair might be possible, I suppose. Maybe go on Google, and do some research on techniques for repairing Bakelite radio housings and such. ... [snip]
Tom Sloper
Tomster at Sloperama dot com
Los Angeles, CA
Date = March 10, 2004

Alite is a vintage plastic that made up the American Beauty set by Royal Depth Control , manufactured and distributed by Crisloid Products, probably in the late 60's early 70's or even a bit later.

You can clean the tiles by taking a lightly damp cloth and wiping them, very lightly over the painted areas, and drying immediately.  Do not rub.  If there is goo, there is a product called "Goof Off" that I have used that will removed sticky stuff but not the paint.  I usually get it on the internet. 

Name: damon
Email: dploumis/AT/gmx.de
Date: 04 Aug 2003

Tips

We received one of the old sets as a a wedding gift. Both the box and the tiles were quite grimy. As I was polishing, with metal polish the brass edges on the box,I got a bit on the wood itself and after rubbing briskly, the wood came back to gleaming life. I then tried it on the bone tiles and the too look great and no colour was lost. It really works.

Name: Tom Sloper
Email: tomster[AT]sloperama[DOT]com
Date: 08 Jun 2003

Comments

Hello Dave McKienzie (djmckie), you wrote:

>I purchased a new Hong Kong set ... Is there anything else I can try to get rid of the smell? Is this a common problem with certain sets?

It is indeed a common problem with sets made of that particular plastic (I have several, and I know exactly what you're talking about). I recommend that you try Febreze, or Wizard Neutra Air, both of which are designed to neutralize odors (available at the grocery store).Don't spray the tiles directly - that might affect the paint (although if you've ever tried to remove the paint intentionally, you probably wouldn't worry about that too much).Spray a clean soft cloth to the point of dampness, and use that to wipe the tiles individually (on each surface of the tiles).

You might need to do the procedure a couple of times.Another idea would be to get a different case for the tiles too - those vinyl cases exacerbate the problem.

Name: Tom Sloper
Email: tomster[AT]sloperama[DOT]com
Date: 23 Apr 2003

Tips

Hello claire hecht (davidhecht), you asked:

>How can we keep a very new [plastic} set from getting sticky?We wash them constantly,but after a few games the same condition occurs.Thanks for your helpClaire

It sounds to me like somebody has sticky fingers! (^_^)You probably can't keep the tiles from getting sticky, but there is an easy way to wash them.

My friends at the Japanese mah-jongg club use this technique.Line up all the tiles face-up in a big rectangle and wipe across all of them at once using a SLIGHTLY damp soft cotton cloth.Then turn them all face-down and wipe the backs.(You could also turn them all on their sides and wipe the sides.) That's a lot easier than wiping them one by one.

Now that I think of it, that's easy for the Japanese folks because their mah-jongg tables have a lip around the edge.You could try wiping the tiles in trays - either the tile trays from your set (if you have the shallow type) or any kind of lipped tray you might have around the house.

And one last suggestion. Maybe keep damp finger towellettes or finger bowls by each player, especially if there are snacks.No need to find out which player's fingers are sticky - just make everybody observe cleaner finger habits at the game table.

Tom

P.S. If anybody has a question, please post it on the Q&A board (not here).http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd.htm

Name: claire hecht
Email: davidhecht/AT/computerfactory.com
Date: 22 Apr 2003

Tips

How can we keep a very new [plastic} set from getting sticky?We wash them constantly,but after a few games the same condition occurs.Thanks for your helpClaire

Name: claire hecht
Email: davidhecht/AT/computerfactory.com
Date: 22 Apr 2003

Tips

How can we keep a very new [plastic} set from getting sticky?We wash them constantly,but after a few games the same condition occurs.Thanks for your helpClaire

Name: Chad Leonard
Email: CHAD_A_LEONARD/AT/HOTMAIL.COM
Date: 30 Mar 2003

Tips

There are now a couple different products availible to help in removing stickers.My favorite is RE-USE. I removed lick and stick Big Joker stickers from seated emporer style flower tiles. It removed none of the paint, and many of the big joker stickers could be reused, if anyone would touch a stamp that old with their tounge.RE-USE and Goo gone are availible at most craft stores.

Name: Tom Sloper
Email: tomster[AT]sloperama[DOT]com
Date: 11 Mar 2003

Tips

Lately, I've been hearing from folks who unfortunately washed their tiles.That isn't the best way to go. Wiping the tiles (while laid out tightly bunched together, all face-up) with a slightly damp cloth (slightly damp so as not to get liquid down into the painted grooves) is the recommended technique.If your tiles are plastic, and it's discolored, you could try dampening a soft cotton cloth (like an old but clean t-shirt) with some Windex, see if that helps.Good luck! - Tom

Name: Norm
Email: ngdaley/AT/mlode.com
Date: 17 Feb 2003

Tips

I have progressed from pasting labels on the tiles to fill in for missing tiles. I make a copy as before but now take a fairly small punch or heavy pin and perforate the paper around the edge of the tile. I then place this over the blank tile and then blot with a paint pen or Marks-a-lot pen. This gives a good outline of the tile I want to make. I can now use a dremel tool with a fine etching bit to engrave the tile and be sure to be close to the original. I can then use the same punch to dip into the various colors of model paint (one color at a time) and when dry, scrape with a razor blade at a very shallow angle so as to not shave any bone. The results are excellent compared to a sticker. Circles or dots are the most difficult but even flower tiles can be acceptable.

Name: Norman Daley
Email: ngdaley/AT/mlode.com
Date: 16 Mar 2002

Tips

In restoring catalin and bakelite tiles with the red paint/fingernail polish or whatever on them, I found using Lacquer thinner worked very well with some elbow grease. It had no effect on the original paint on the tiles. I then printed tiles from various sites on the web onto label paper I got at Staples. I reduced these to 65% of their exhibited size (which was too large) and after peeling and pasting on the tile, I covered with 3/4 inch Scotch Brand tape for gloss and protection. Great looking results. Norm

[Note: the following thread from the Q&A bulletin board is copied here since it is germane to this topic - Webmaster]

Name: Peter Gallagher
Email: pega/AT/xs4all.nl
Date: 23 Feb 2002

Comments

To Lynda Hausmann (and Tom, of course): Having done a little "carving" of bone myself, (I haven't yet gotten much further than simple bone dice <more difficult than you might think - believe me!> ), I have delved into the treatment of bone prior to cutting/sanding/carving/etc...

I discovered that bone has fatty deposits.

If the bone is not properly bleached in the preparatory stages, the fatty deposits can remain in the bone and can be seen (often later) as light-brown "staining". You can see this in many antique sets - there are many with a couple of "stained" tiles. My understanding of this is that the staining is often due to aforementioned fatty deposits which have not beeen properly removed prior to making a MJ tile from the piece of bone in question.

I won't go deeply into the process, but it requires boiling (lightly) with some detergent added to the water. Actually; overbleaching results in very "lifeless" bone and should be avoided. Also: bone piecess (jewelry etc.) are sometimes bathed briefly in lamp-oil- which gives a "marbled" effect and adds life and lustre to the piece..

There's tons of info on how to prepare bone for carving on the Net, so a simple search with (e.g.) Google, will help.

I'm not suggesting that Lynda (or anyone else reading this) needs to know how to prepare bone for carving, but there is much info available out there which might throw some light upon the sudden discolouration of the tiles...

I basically agree with Tom - it seems a mystery; but perhaps sudden changes in temperature caused fatty deposits in the bone to discolour.

If the set in question is old, then I would have expected any fatty deposits in the bone to have revealed themselves long before now.... (and yet; I can think of no other"cause" of sudden discoloration ...).

Unlike the bamboo backing, which is prone to infestation by woodworm, the bone faces are basically quite dead material and not subject to infestation by insects, fungi, orany other biologocal cause I can think of... apart;that is; of latent fatty depositsmaking tehmselves known at a surprisinlgly later date.

Perhaps, if Winsconsin is a damp area, some mildew has in fact taken home in the set, in which case: perhaps some careful roasting in the oven or even a gentle treatment in the microwave might help. I would attempt this with one of the spare tiles before subjecting the while set to such an experiment!

I'm curious as to eventual outcome of attempting to "unstain"/"restore" the set!!! Best regards, Peter

Name: Tom Sloper
Email: tomster[AT]sloperama[DOT]com
Date: 22 Feb 2002

Comments

Hello Lynda Hausmann,

I have never seen bone spontaneously change color as you describe. It's a mystery!

One possible theory: perhaps the tiles were already discolored, and the previous owner found a way to whiten them, and the whitener wore off.I have some bone tiles that are discolored - it seems to be mildew or something that has seeped into the bone itself. But I also have several bone sets in which the color is a lovely creamy ivory color - the same color, I'm sure, that the tiles have been for many decades.

For tiles to change from their natural color to a different darker color all of a sudden... I have no ideas other than the above.I'm planning to take one of my antique sets to the east coast this summer. Hopefully they won't suddenly change color on me like yours did! Seems unlikely, but then what happened to yours is unlikely too.

Sorry I can't be more helpful... - Tom

Name: Lynda Hausmann
Email: Hauslyn2/AT/aol.com
Date: 22 Feb 2002

Comments

Hi Tom, I purchased an older (20's) bone and bamboo set approximately 4 months ago. I have only played with this set on three separate occasions. In those four months the tiles have discolored a great deal from a fairly decent white to a brownish yellow. I read your section on cleaning and restoration of tiles, but I didn't happen to stumble upon anything that might explain why the tiles would discolor so quickly. This discoloration appears to be in the grain itself and not just surface oil. Any ideas as to cause? (Would a change in climate cause this? They were originally in San Francisco and now reside in Wisconsin.) Thanks so much, Lynda

Name: deby
Email: capt-zero/AT/rocketmail.com
Date: 21 Nov 2001

Tips

I'm just starting out with an interest in Mah Jongg and bought a lovely looking bakelite or catalin vintage set of tiles at auction. I haven't got it yet but I know it has a few faded looking tiles and I'm cautiously considering restoring them. I know very little about bakelite and catalin, but as an artist on paper I would caution against using indelible ink or other pens. You may run into a "bleed" problem years later (have you ever noticed how ink marks on old Barbie dolls sink into the plastic and spread out?). I don't know if this would be the same case with bakelite and catalin plastic. I would go with modeling paint which is probably designed to sit on top of the plastic and not sink in. The old paint on tiles probably chips and flakes because it was designed with the same idea. I'd be patient and apply a few micro-tiny samples of the colors I intend to use in places where it won't be to noticable if it bleeds, then I'd wait a few months to see whathappens. If anyone else has tried repainting their tiles I'd like to hear about their results and what they used. Hope this helps everyone! regards,deby

Name: Tom Sloper
Email: tomster[AT]sloperama[DOT]com
Date: 07 Jul 2001

Tips

If your tiles are modern plastic tiles, you can probably do what my Japanese friends do: line up all the tiles, face-up, and wipe across the lot of them with a slightly damp cloth (not a soaked cloth). If the tiles are not antique, there shouldn't be any resulting damage to the paint down in the nooks and crannies of the tiles.

Got questions about mah-jongg?Ask them at our Q&A Bulletin Board -- http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/bulletinbd.htm.

Name: Tom Sloper
Email: tomster[AT]sloperama[DOT]com
Date: 08 Jun 2001

Tips

I make replacement tiles by making computer-printed labels.

First, either scan or photograph the tile design you want to duplicate.For example, I had a bamboo set that was missing a 2 Crak.I photographed another 2 Crak with my digital camera.

I made a grid in MSPAINT and printed it, and used the grid to determine the exact pixel count I needed for the label to fit the tile. I resized the photo to the correct size.

Then I adjusted the colors until it looked right when printed.Then I printed it on label paper.

Ordinarily, for bakelite or bone tiles, I also laminate the label.But for bamboo I decided to leave it flat (it matches the tiles better that way, but it'll wear out sooner if the set is used a lot).

Then I cut out the label with an X-acto knife, trying not to cut through the backing (that makes it easier to peel the label off the backing) and applied to a replacement tile.

I really like the results with this method. I've even used it to make Vietnamese jokers, Singapore flowers, and Japanese red fives.

Name: Beth Goodwin
Email: Bethkay/AT/swbell.net
Date: 16 Apr 2001

Tips

I recently purchased a beautiful old Catalin set made by Cardinal. Unfortunately, it had a very strong musty odor. I did not have success with Febreeze, but have had success with placing dryer sheets in the bottom of the case. The fragrance from the sheets lingers when I remove the set from the case, but this is certainly better than a musty smell!

Name: Sharon Prien
Email: rprien/AT/mtaonline.net
Date: 08 May 2000

Tips

I've had beautiful results painting worn sets.I custom mix enamel hobby paints to match the colors in the existing set or can custom color.The most important first step is to make sure the tiles are free of any oily residues by cleaning with alcohol.Next, with a small paintbrush or a toothpick smear paint on the area you desire to color (you don't even have to stay between the lines!...just smear!) Turn the tile face down and blot it (lightly) on a flat paper towel.Now for the fun part!Spray a little DeSolve-It on a pad of paper.Again holding your tile face side down, rub on the pad of paper.The paint will stay in the depressions and be gone elsewhere! I've tried several methods... this is produces the most original results.You literally can't tell them from original paint jobs. I also do it for those faint of heart or those wanting exact color matches.Happy Refurbishing!Sharon

Name: Joyce
Email: JKCOWGAL/AT/AOL.COM
Date: 29 Mar 2000

Tips

I have been very successful with tracing the character onto thin tracing paper with a fine pencil and then I use fine micro pigment ink pens to color in the character. When this is done, I then paste the paper onto a blank tile, with tacky glue, let it dry, trim off excess paper & glue and Presto!! A new tile has been made. It is not perfect - but it certainly makes the set playable. Hope this can help someone else. It took a lot of hit & misses to figure this out. Joyce (jkcowgal/AT/aol.com)

Name: Renee
Email: mausi305/AT/aol.com
Date: 25 Mar 2000

Tips

I recently purchased a MahJong set which must have been in a damp basement for years. I cleaned the tiles with baby wipes as Amy suggested but the trays and box smelled awful. My grandaughter suggested that I spray them (case and trays) with Fabreze -I used the extra-strength and sprayed twice - and lo and behold the odor vanished completely!

Name: Michael Stanwick
Email: mstanwick/AT/aol.com
Date: 21 Jan 2000

Tips

Because of my interest in saving old sets for playing or collecting purposes, I have had to either restore the tiles(see earlier posting)and/or have a box custom made for the set. If you consider the tiles etc to be worth it then the latter can be a worthwhile experience. I have had two slide-top boxes made so far in the slide-top traditional style, each being either of dovetailed or finger jointed construction and containing three compartments. The best wood for this purpose, if rosewood is unavailable, is mahogany. But make sure it is from a valid source and not from indiscriminate rainforest deforestation. By having the box stained black and then rubbed down with a wax containing a dark brown colouring - such as Antiquax here in the UK - a really 'antique' look can be achieved. The lid can also be carved with the mah jong chinese ideographs and then painted to give that authentic look. Make sure you research the style 1st by viewing boxes on such sites as the MJ Cyber Museum or at ebay.

Name: Charlene Bayley
Email: charlene/AT/giga.com.ar
Date: 21 Oct 1999

Tips

To get rid of the mildew/musty smell in the older cases, fill the case with crushed newspaper and leave closed for 2-3 days. If an oder remains after the newspaper trick, place a flat dish filled with baking soda in the case and again close for 2-3 days. Should both of these methods fail you can always place one of the scented envelopes inside the case or spray with freebreeze.

Name: michael stanwick
Email: michael.stanwick/AT/virgin.net
Date: 30 Aug 1999

Tips

In my view old sets dating from the 1920's, unless made for decorative purposes, are sets to be played with *and* kept for posterity. If the tiles need restoring - like any painting or item of furniture - then why not. In view of this, when the bone is slightly narrower than the bamboo backing the tile can be sanded down with a very fine sand paper of the 'wet and dry' variety. This also applies when the cracks have been filled with a wood putty('natural' colour is by far the best) that is left protruding after it has thoroughly dried. After many plays, the tiles will take on skin oils etc and the wood putty will disappear into the background (if it appeared a lighter colour.) This may seem strange, but after a tile has thoroughly dried or after a light sanding, try rubbing your finger down the side of your nostril to pick up the oils and then rub it into the side and ends of the tiles. It will give them back some of the patina they have lost.