Share Your Cleaning and Restoration Tips

EMAIL YOUR TIP to mj at Sloperama.com to submit your tip. Good tips will be posted below. No information you provide through this website shall be deemed confidential.

NOTE: For a while, the posts below were arranged in reverse chronological order (newest ones at the top of the list), and many still are. Some posts have been rearranged, placed in proximity to one another because of similarity of topic. Use your browser's search or find feature to eke out topics containing key words. - Webmaster

CoolOldGames has wonderful walkthroughs about restoration and repair, at http://www.coololdgames.com/projects.html.

Want tiles engraved? Dee Gallo engraves and restores sets, and creates custom sets. Visit redcoinmahjong.com/

Repairing Crisloid tiles

From: "Dorothy H
Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 11:44 AM
Subject: Repairing cracked Crisloid tiles
> Hello.
> I have Crisloid tiles that are cracking and have puncture type damage,
> probably from remaining in the original cellophane for years. Is
> there a way to repair them (fill the punctures and cracks)?
> Also, the link to www.arkayengravers.com [Note: Arkay Engravers closed for business in 2017] on your cleaning section of
> the site does not work.
> Thank you.
> D

Hi D,
Thanks for the broken link report. Weird that when you go to a nonexistent page on arkayengravers, it sends you to a completely unrelated page. I fixed the link, thanks to you. [See note above]
I looked in FAQ 7c3 and found Crisloid -- that's the name of a manufacturer. The key is to know what kind of plastic we're talking about. So my advice for you is "figure out what kind of plastic they are." Maybe take them to a plastic store, see if they have any advice for you. Look in your local yellow pages under P for plastics.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
August 7, 2010

Dateline April 13, 2009. Lately I've received emails from folks who say they've performed a plastic test on their tiles with something called simulchrome (or simichrome?). I do not recommend applying chemicals to your tiles to determine the chemical makeup of your tiles. It isn't worth it to find out exactly what kind of plastic your tiles are, if you have to cause damage to one of your tiles! In my humble opinion.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on mah-jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
April 13, 2009

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

Restoring antique box

>From: Fayeks21
>Sent: Friday, December 25, 2015 9:33 AM
>Subject: Cleaning/Restoring Question
>hi I recently received and old 1923 ish mj
>set in a wood box with 5 draws, the pull handles on several are missing . Any idea where I can find replacements.
>Thanks

Hi, Fayeks. A good hardware store will have a selection of drawer pulls. You can ask there about ordering different ones if they don't have any that are suitable. You can also do a Google search for small decorative drawer pulls.
If you insist on hardware that matches what's on the other drawers, you can contact mah-jongg tile vendors. People who sell mah-jongg tiles (as opposed to complete sets) usually have bought up incomplete sets, and have a lot of spare parts. You can find tile sellers on the Tiles For Sale bulletin board. There's a link above left. Good luck!
May the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
December 25, 2015

Where can I get antique Chinese mah-jongg box hardware?

>From: Laury T
>Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 6:23 PM
>Subject: Mah-Jongg Q A
>My mah-jongg question or comment is:
>Howdy Tom,
>I recently bought a lovely bone and bamboo set just for its flower tiles. Half of them are the left side of a flower basket and half of them are the right side of a flower basket. Put a left one and a right one together and ta da...you've created a full basket of flowers!
> The box is supposed to look old, but I can't guess it's age. It's not unlike many I've seen before. It has carved Chinese writing on its front door that slides up. Unfortunately, the tile-drawers are missing the pulls and I can't open said drawers unless I flip the box forward. Other pieces of brass hardware are also missing or broken such as tiny pins, straight brass accents, corner protectors.
>Besides Ebay, where can I look for Mahjong Chinese hardware?
>Thanks much,
>Laury

I don't know, Laury. Try contacting sellers of loose tiles, and collectors of antique sets. Sometimes those folks might have a box that's not rescuable that still has some brass on it. Sellers of loose tiles you can find on the Tiles For Sale and Tiles Wanted bulletin boards (on the Tiles Wanted board, check the links at the top). And for collectors, see if you can join the Mah Jongg Collectors Assn. on Facebook. Or maybe folks who do set restoration might have what you need.
Good luck! May the brass corners be with you.
Tom Sloper
トム·スローパー
湯姆 斯洛珀
Creator of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Los Angeles, California, USA
January 25, 2017

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.

Ellejai aka LJ wrote on February 1, 2009:

>PS: I was reading on the [bulletin board, January 18, 2009] about a person who had been storing their tiles in a box inside of a plastic bag and the tiles in one tray darkened quite a bit. It is not a good idea to store tiles in a plastic bag (or wrap) unless it is a special "acid free, archival save" type. Archival paper would be the best choice if you must wrap a set to preserve it. Plastic gives off chemicals that can damage items, especially if tightly sealed. It might be why some of her tiles discolored faster that others. I'm not an expert, so don't know if a reaction between two types of plastic can darken the Bakelite/Caitlin tiles or if it was a reaction between the box and the plastics that might have been the problem. Her case looks like it might have a leather cover over the box structure. The lack of air circulation to the leather, may have allowed moisture from the leather to form inside the plastic bag and cause the stain from the leather to penetrate the tiles. Maybe none of the above is correct, but I've seen enough damage in old items to suspect the cause. I once bought a bone set of tiles that had been stored for years and never used. They were in fact still in the original plastic wrap. In that case the plastic of the wrap adhered to the bone and left a shiny residue. Since the set was a fairly cheap one to begin with I wasn't unduly upset, but just as a warning to others, it's better to unwrap any plastic from your sets, plastic or bone, asap.

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>
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

Ivory-cleaning tip

>From: Averil
>To: Tom Sloper
>Sent: Saturday, May 02, 2009 4:33 AM
>Subject: Tips link was turned down
>Hi Tom
>I’m delighted to find your site it’s proved very informative - I’ve been up all night reading it J. I was fortunate enough to purchase an ivory & bamboo Mahjong set in the late seventies and have never seen another like it since. I think it’s of early Japanese origin and the tiles are in beautiful condition. Since you hadn’t found any tips for cleaning Ivory I checked the net and found this quite helpful link below. I got inspired to photograph my set and will send some pictures sometime. I like the patina on mine which gives them a soft mellow timelessness & character so I won’t be looking at trying to change that with mine.
>Cheers
>Averil
>Here's my tip: http://www.canequest.com/cleaning_ivory.asp

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 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

MORE ON BONE AND BAMBOO TILES FROM PETER GALLAGHER OF THE NETHERLANDS--THANKS PETER!

Here's a tip I hope you find useful:
I play with a 1920's bone/bamboo set and sometimes a sliver of bamboo lefts off the back if a tile - usually at the edge. I glue this back immediately with 'superglue' - the transparent stuff that dries in seconds. You need to be very careful to apply as little glue as possible, to avoid annoying residue or worse again - fingerprints. If you use the liquid version rather than the gel, it runs into the groove where the sliver has lifted and can make a perfect, invisible repair. In a matter of seconds, you can literally carry on with the game and a repaired tile. I intend to keep the glue handy when I play from now on!

Another tip: I injected wood glue into all my bone/bamboo tiles as they were in danger if coming apart. You can use a very thin hypodermic needle to get right in there in the tiniest cracks. As the glue dries, it contracts, and, applied carefully. can be invisible. Afterwards you can use wood putty (as you mentioned) to fill. Speaking of wood putty: I disagree with you about using a darker colour - I tried it on one tile and it didn't look a good as it would have if I had a colour which matched the bamboo.... (I hope to get a matching colour eventually)
Cheers!
Peter

>From: gina smith
>Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 9:39 AM
>Subject: from gina
>I am happy to do paint removal and replacement - contact me at gtsgfs@hotmail.com and can sometimes replace the "flippies" on racks depending upon the composition of the rack (solid brass, coated brass or plastic with metallic paint.)

>From: Michael Stanwick
>Sent: Sunday, October 2, 2011 2:32 PM
>Subject: Paint
>Tom, i regularly had to put paint into my counting sticks. I used fine tipped felt pens of the colours needed. If necessary I shaved the felt tips to get very fine points. Worked a treat!
>Cheers
>Michael Stanwick
>Sent from my iPad

Amy writes: "I just purchased an old mah jongg set and at first, it seemed that anything I did was removing paint along with all the grime that was coating the bone and bamboo tiles. Then, I tried baby wipes...they were soft and worked wonders... I used them (gently) when they weren't sopping wet, and used a Q-tip to dry them. They came out shiny and still brightly colored. Just thought you may be interested :)"

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. 

* There is also "Goo Gone." Personally, I use "Goo Gone" a lot, for cleaning a lot of sticky and gooey stuff. I got it locally, at either the hardware store or the drugstore. You can Google the question "Goof Off vs. Goo Gone" to learn more about the difference. - Tom

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.

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.

Red stains on Catalin tiles

On Friday, April 17, 2020, 07:12:31 AM PDT, Leslie wrote:
Removing red stains on catalin tiles
Good Morning, Tom ~
I read the entire section #7o Cleaning & Restoring, but saw no mention of those pesky red stains that can appear on vintage catalin tiles. I’ve bought several sets that have these stains: oddly, they are overwhelmingly on the edges of the tiles. While I don’t mind them aesthetically, they are problematic during play. Once a player gets familiar with that particular set, she/he can identify that tile, similarly to a “marked” deck of cards. Do you have any advice on this issue? Thank you very much.
Leslie Z

Good morning, Leslie ~
My recommendation is to retire such a set, stop using it or only use it sparingly. You say you have several? Each one stained differently? Rotate them in your play sessions. One week play with set A, another week play with set B, another week with set C. Or just buy an unstained set. I have no solution for removing the stains.
Stay safe. Don't touch your face. Don't panic! And may the tiles be with you.
Tom Sloper
Author of "The Red Dragon & The West Wind," the definitive book on Mah-Jongg East & West.
Author of the Sloper On Mah-Jongg column and the Mah-Jongg FAQs -- donations appreciated.
April 17, 2020
Los Angeles, California, USA

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.