[bridkarl]

I generally replace the cord with a two wire plastic power cord with a polarized plug.
Any thoughts on what is most authentic for a restoration? Cloth covered two wire in black with a period repro plug?

[Buzz]

i used polarized 2 prong plug with cloth covered wire

[462ron]

I believe by 1941 Philco didn’t use cloth covered line cord anymore. I have a 41-250 that had the original cord and it was just rubber no cloth! BTW, it is a good performing set, enjoy!

Ron

[MrFixr55]

I have to suspect that rubber line cords became popular by 1938 - 1940, as they were likely much cheaper to make than cloth covered cord.  Plugs were also rubber, either molded onto the cable (usually post-war) or an add-on, similar to the plugs used on the previous cloth covered wire.  Forzby T just posted a find of a 40-150 radio (with a really nice clean chassis).. The cord was rubber with a molded-in  strain relief.  Pic below:
     

While rubber (SOOW) extension cord type cable is still readily available, rubber lamp cord (zip cord), popular in the 1940s and 1950s is not.  You may try an electrical supply store that is a "jobber" to the electrical trade.  The current lamp cord, type SVT has a PVT insulation.

Unless you can find a power cord from an early 1950s TV where it has cracked at the TV end but is otherwise good, the closest replacement would be brown 18 gauge SVT-1 lamp cable ("zip cord").  The "repro" low profile round replacement plugs with the cardboard front protectors, available on eBay and other places were still sold in hardware stores into the 1960s (when I was a kid).  Therefore, it would be a valid replacement.

When I use these, I do not like to put the wire directly under the screw.  I use either a low profile crimp-on ring connector or, if the body is bakelite, remove the screw and directly solder the wire to the prong at the screw hole.  It is not a good idea to tin the wire and place under the screw, as the solder will "cold flow" with the connection becoming loose.

The recent Transitone discussion raised the issue of the molded strain relief.  I have salvaged this from a bad cord by cutting the cord and drilling out the insulation.  Failing this, find a rubber grommet that fits (you may have to Dremel off the lip seen in the above pic) and back it up with an "Underwriter's Knot"  cable clamp, zip ties or other type of strain relief.

Hope this helps