I have used WD-40 to "revive" an old dried-out ribbon.  It seems to both
soften the dried ink and lubricate the print pins.  But it doesn't add any
ink, so eventually you need to re-ink.

I have owned two "MacInkers", devices designed for re-inking ribbons, but I
got rid of both due to what I consider design flaws.  First, the ribbon and
ink dispenser are oriented horizontally, which means the bottom part of the
ribbon tends to get more ink than the top; there are two holes and if the
ink level drops only one hole dispenses.  Second, the drive motor is small,
one-speed and one-directional.  Third, the drive adapters rely on a clumsy
set of "claws" to hold the ribbon cartridge in place and lastly the ribbon
path has to be adjusted according to the cart being serviced.

I built my own in answer to these problems**.  It uses a 1/2-inch variable
speed reversible drill as its motor.  The ink dispenses from tiny holes in
the bottom of a tube (1/2-inch PVC).  The ribbon threads over two
roller-skate wheels which hold the ribbon against the ink dispenser. Two
garden-hose washers keep the ribbon in line.

The final hurdle is the ink consistency:  Too thin and you have blotchy
pages; too thick and it doesn't distribute evenly on the ribbon.  I'm
afraid you have to experiment there.  I can only say that proprietary
formulas sometimes include alcohol, glycerine and/or ethylene glycol as
well as lampblack carbon in an oil base.

-CH-

**
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NDMLCdHa01qJSXpLCQnhWjWctH4XQ7lf/view?usp=sharing

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