This 1930s Pyramid phone had been painted by a previous owner. The tools required for this job are,

Medium flathead screwdriver
Small flathead screwdriver
Long nose pliers
Paint stripper and fine steel wool
Fine sandpaper and cutting and polishing creams

We start by removing the bottom plate by removing the two large screws on underside -then remove the feet and inside base plate. Use pliers to hold the small nuts while using the small screwdriver to undo screws, then we have access to the inside of the phone, we use pliers to remove small clip which holds hook switch button.  From top of phone we lift and remove hook switch plunger- then you can see two screws which hold top part of cradle, remove screws and lift off cradle ---see photos. Dial is removed by taking out one screw. Carefully mark wires on dial and remove. -------
Turn phone upside down and remove two screws which hold terminal block, at this time all screws the dial, feet and internal parts should be put in a container for when the phone is reassembled. .----
Using paint stripper apply stripper, after waiting ten minutes. We have had to remove the paint using warm water and fine steel wool. With the paint striped back to the original black Bakelite, As you can see in the photos:- -----
After all paint is removed the Bakelite parts need to be prepared with fine sandpaper -once surface is clean and smooth use No. 2 cutting compound to remove tarnish and prepare for final polish - with Auto sol car polish..

The method as used for the Pyramid can be applied to older wooden phones as above. The wall mounted Commonwealth phone showing above was made in September 1905 and is signed by Bob who was the New Zealand postmaster general in 1905. Phones were very rare 100 years ago in NZ.  In the very early days the postmaster general would personally sign each telephone that was sold.