cpc 464 spanish keys yellowed or painted?

[deadmeat]

Hi All,

I've recently acquired a spanish CPC 464 and I'm trying to restore it however I'm struggling with the keys, I don't understand if this is a very heavy plastic "yellowing" or if these keys have been painted (see pictures). I'm really confused because if painted it was done with proper equipment but in a sloppy way - keys are not completely covered not even on the top, one shift is painted the other isn't, but letters are perfect ... if instead it is yellowing or plastic discoloration is just really strange blue turning into grey. 

Can this be a Spanish customization maybe not particularly well made but still done at the factory, or should I try with hydrogen peroxide and see if it can be bleached to original colour? 

[Gryzor]

That's the CPC sitting in the sun for years...

[eto]

I think there was a discussion about a similar CPC keyboard in the past. I just don't know if it was here or on Facebook. In that case it could be resolved with the usual retro brighting procedure, if I remember correctly. 

[deadmeat]

Oh well thanks for the information, time to buy some peroxide... 

[deadmeat]

Well not sure if anybody is interested but I've tried to retrobrite my very severely discoloured keys and had mixed results... on the blue keys it was total disaster: after a couple of hours in peroxide 12% and UV light the colour was just different, more towards light grey than blue. On green keys, a couple turned out perfect like new; while on some others I have streaks of very light green. Overall not a good result, I think the plastic was too compromised for the process to work or the chemicals in it are somewhat unusual, maybe a process using h2o2 vapors or a more diluted solution would have had better results but now it's done. I will look how complicated will be to paint them with acrylic and recreate the lettering...