QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,632
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 21, 2017 23:46:12 GMT -5
Does anyone remember the blocks of man-made cabbing material that many of the jewelry supply companies used to sell back in the 1970s and 80s? What it was called and what it was made from? It used to be made in several colors including turquoise blue, red coral, pink shell, yellow, brown, etc.. I've attempted to post an image above of some of the yellow and brown blocks using Postimage.org . It's the first time I've attempted to use this photo image host service so I'm not sure if it will work here. Larry C.
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Post by Pat on Sept 22, 2017 0:03:41 GMT -5
Cheddar and chocolate. 😄
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Post by vegasjames on Sept 22, 2017 0:37:02 GMT -5
Possibly bakelite, which is baked phenolic formaldehyde. Stuff then use to make things like knobs, plastic ashtrays, etc.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2017 1:09:42 GMT -5
Yes, Bakelite (or Catalin) come in those colors. Celluloid, Galalith and "opalite" glass, too.
Dip them into near-boiling water for about 30 seconds and smell (if you aren't good at distinguishing smell, grab someone who is).
Bakelite and Catalin will give off a chemical phenol or formaldehyde smell for the reason vegasjames said. Catalin was used longer than Bakelite, and every so often some enterprising soul will still cook up a new batch of "Fakelite" when demand warrants.
Celluloid is lighter weight than the others and often smells slightly of camphor (like old cold remedies) when warm. Burns easily. Warm Galalith smells like soured milk (which is partly what it is).
No smell at all means glass or one of the many more recent resins.
I think they look most like Catalin, which can be slightly more translucent than Bakelite.
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Post by parfive on Sept 22, 2017 11:04:34 GMT -5
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,632
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 23, 2017 5:17:35 GMT -5
It's possible it's Bakelite but doesn't really quite have the same feel as the Bakelite Jewelry and Bakelite radio cases we used to run across when we were dealing in As & Cs. I'm not familiar with Catalin but it's another possibility.
I'm pretty sure I remember Rio Grande used to sell this material in their catalogue and I think I remember Greiger's and maybe Thunderbird selling it as well. I was hoping someone whose been at this a long time may have a better memory than I do as to what they sold it as. But thank you to everyone who has responded!
Larry C.
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mnblarneystone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Minnesota Rock Lover
Member since February 2011
Posts: 110
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Post by mnblarneystone on Oct 1, 2017 12:52:45 GMT -5
I am no genius at this, but it looks a lot like some "reconstituted" rock that I bought to sell on Etsy recently. What I believe it is, is, "real" rock, powdered, and mixed with an agent, perhaps resin or acrylic, to make a workable piece of material. Terri
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