Warped Pickguard Reforming

[h20rider]

I have a floating VINTAGE 3 ply pickguard from a n archtop that is warped. The surface layer is tortoise. As so many seem to do over the 1/2 century of life, this one has become somewhat concave (dished in). I want to flatten it and even go a bit convex (slight bulge out). I tried a bit of heat and gentle bending, but was cautious because of my experience that heated plastics can take on a white cloudiness. Any thoughts...suggestions...? Since it is the original,I want to be very careful and conservative in my approach....but it looks terrible the way it is now.

Thanks in advance for the responses.

H20

[Mattia]

I haven't done this, but the most common solution to warped vintage flattop pickguards (like, tortoise plastic) is to drop it in a pan of hot water for a few seconds/until it gets flexible, then clamp it between to bits of flat stuff to keep it in place. Might shrink a little if you do this, I think, but with a floating pickguard that's a non-issue.

[h20rider]

Mattia is right. I had used some heat, but was being too cautious. Almost scalding water was necessary for this 3-ply pickguard. Even then, it had to be muscled into the new -- make that, RENEWD -- shape. Cool water applied while keeping it in preferred shape finished the reformation. No shinkage is noted, nor was there any cloudiness caused by the heating.

BE CAREFUL though. Go slowly and be conservative at first. You can always apply more heat...but if you overheat, you'll cause a greater problem than the the original. Lightweight pickguards are much more sensitive to the heat effects.