Clansman headset downlead repair and sourcing?

[teletech]

I've got several headsets with really very tatty downlead cables.  That is, the insulation is falling off the cable in big chunks.  I'd be willing to replace just the wire and reuse the end, but sadly the 7-pin connector seems to be crimped onto the cable and not really disassemble-able in any case.  I did see NOS bare cables on a popular online auction site, but as a price over that of a good headset!  Has anyone seen replacement downleads or cable-ends at a reasonable price lately?

[Chris Suslowicz]

Half a century is well beyond any Government specification for a headset cable, since the headsets were introduced in the 1970s (I think). It certainly outperforms the commercial Jabra rubbish on my work laptop - in worse condition than any of my Clansman headsets after a mere 5 years.

PTS Norfolk were selling "Refurb Kits" for various headsets - mainly the Infantry Lightweight in the early days of Clansman disposal, and they were almost the same cost as an unissued headset. Sadly they are all gone now. You might be able to disconnect the cable at the headset end and slide heat-shrink sleeving over it, but the result would probably be much too stiff for comfortable use.   

[teletech]

6 hours ago, Chris Suslowicz said:

Half a century is well beyond any Government specification for a headset cable, since the headsets were introduced in the 1970s (I think). It certainly outperforms the commercial Jabra rubbish on my work laptop - in worse condition than any of my Clansman headsets after a mere 5 years.

PTS Norfolk were selling "Refurb Kits" for various headsets - mainly the Infantry Lightweight in the early days of Clansman disposal, and they were almost the same cost as an unissued headset. Sadly they are all gone now. You might be able to disconnect the cable at the headset end and slide heat-shrink sleeving over it, but the result would probably be much too stiff for comfortable use.   

I'm not in any way suggesting the public didn't get their money's-worth out of the headsets, but it is interesting to notice that units of virtually identical age have *very* different cable integrity.  I assume that is as a result of cleaning or decontamination chemicals or perhaps storage conditions.  All the wire made of soy-based insulation we are seeing today seems very tasty to rodents and between that and the removal of BPA from plastics, I surely don't expect the subsequent generations of electronics to show the same endurance.