Fig. How To Test Bakelite With Baking Soda – Follow Up. The manufacturers of these glass baking dishes have responded to all the recent criticism, saying that these people that were injured were not following the directions on the packaging properly. Baking Soda Paste. No Fillers – No fillers were needed to cast. Change ). Note just about all of us that contributed tested other plastics to be sure there was no reaction. What is Bakelite? Photo and test provided by Jodi Bombardier of Gussie Gurl. Bakelite – Phenol formaldehyde resin Opaque, This photo and the one under Catalin were taken of dice that my Jason held onto from his Grandfather. Commercial baking soda and baking powder are two key ingredients that are essential to baking, but unless you’re a frequent baker, a container will last a long time. No weird looks from strangers for rubbing a bracelet and smelling it or pulling out a “kit”. Bakelite contains Formaldehyde. The Hot Water Test. I am no expert, nor am I genius. Besides, it prevents any fungal diseases on plants and if sprinkled around, is a natural snail repellent and slug killer. Galalith also had various uses and was patented in 1906. It is sometimes mistakenly bought and sold as Bakelite. So, after doing a few of my own tests I asked some friends for their input and if they would be willing to test some of their pieces. Simichrome Polish – Turns Yellow. 6 Tests to Authenticate Bakelite - The Spruce Crafts. To use, dampen a cotton swab with 409 and rub it gently on the inside of the item being tested. Uses – Jewelry, game pieces and radios mostly, but was used for other items around the home. As mentioned above, sometimes it tests sometimes it doesn’t. The baking soda turned yellow. However there are a few fairly simple ways of No way! The first thing to understand about testing is this: There is no test that works 100% of the time on 100% of Bakelite. Bulk Handling Global: Bulk solids and powder flow properties testing, silo and hopper design, discharge and conveyor technology: www.bulksolidsflow.com/ To use, dampen a cotton swab with 409 and rub it gently on the inside of the item being tested. Tonya looks to her reference books, purchases from reputable dealers and has used 409 to test her pieces. a bracelet on the inside, brooch on the back etc. Pros - This test can be done on site, No substances are being used on the piece. E Beef Fat Oil pure A Beeswax pure 6 A tBeet Salt 5 aq. Bakelite was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society in 1993 (3). It is a condensed version of the original. Always test in an inconspicuous area and rub gently. Celluloid, though, smells like camphor. In the first half of the 20th century, Bakelite was used widely for game pieces, billiard balls, phones, jewelry, buttons and more. She stumbled across a new method of testing Bakelite. Just moisten a cotton swab, dip in baking soda and rub gently. I’ve read many opinions on this. Does it have something to do with the 3 types of Bakelite ( A B C) and the year it was made? Baekeland considered the possibilities of using a wide variety of filling materials, including cotton, powdered bronze, and slate dust, but was most successful with wood and asbestos, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), View BunnyFindsVintage’s profile on Facebook, View bunnyfindsvintage’s profile on Instagram, Posting publicly on Facebook and things you should consider…, How To Test Bakelite With Baking Soda | Child Of The 80's, Follow Child Of The 80's on WordPress.com. Place the jewelry in a tea ball or small strainer so the item isn't accidentally dropped into the drain. I put this to the test trying out different plastics. They can be used to combine anything from metal to plastic and even human skin. To complicate things further: There is another type of plastic that sometimes gets in the mix called Galalith aka French Bakelite. It contains phenol, formaldehyde and a wood flour filler. There are, however, a couple of tests that, coupled with a decent working acquaintance with the product, will help you determine whether a piece is legitimate: The Hot Water Test. Just moisten a cotton swab, dip in baking soda and rub gently. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Where as Catalin is translucent, brittle due to the lack of fillers, cast molded and polished. As you can see, some pieces tested darker than others. there are a bunch of ways to test and see if something is bakelite or plastic. Black Bakelite –. Is it Bakelite? You are seeing Simichrome on your left and baking soda on your right. Bakelite and Catalin are both phenol formaldehyde resin plastics. Check baking soda by dripping a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice onto a small amount (1/4 teaspoon) of baking soda. Pros – Is usually dependable for testing pieces and is a great polish to have on hand. Sep 27, 2015 - Angiezilla's Boutique: Testing Bakelite With Baking Soda? Idiomas: português, inglês, espanhol, francês e alemão Here are more examples of the test being done with baking soda on Bakelite pieces. It is quite easy. Appearance and Sound – If you handled a lot of Bakelite in your time then this method is likely the one you would use most often. “The Achilles heel was color. Dish soap can be added if a different texture is preferred. Scrubbing Bubbles – Not Recommended. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Just moisten a cotton swab, dip in baking soda and rub gently. She was so awesome to test several pieces for us. But can pass a smell test. Ex. damaging anything I am testing. Now to complicate things: But not all of us have those . Fillers and the molding process are the difference. Necklace sold for $49 and green buttons sold for $13 both on eBay. Galalith started as a failed attempt to produce a plastic material specifically for “whiteboards,” intended to replace... Read more » Pieces that do not pass a substance test can pass the smell test. Nowadays authentic vintage Bakelite items are valued for their retro style. You can smell it when the piece is run under hot water or rubbed with your finger to create friction. It is generally placed next to the item with odor within a container that can be closed to provide an airtight seal. But this is what I gathered based on the research I did. Some folks stumbled upon a treasure or two they did not know they had. Niki of Past To Pretty also shared her tests and results on her very entertaining, blog Hey That’s Awesome! She stumbled across a new method of testing Bakelite. You can smell it when the piece is run under hot water or rubbed with your finger to create friction. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In the first half of the 20th century, Bakelite was used widely for game pieces, billiard balls, phones, jewelry, buttons and more. You are also going to need a cotton swab- 1 per item to test. Testing with baking soda. Bakelite contains Formaldehyde. *insert smiley face*. So please, if you find something in this blog that is wrong, point it out. This blog is meant to be more informational than entertaining, so please excuse the lack of bells and whistles. A baking soda bath is often recommended to soothe itchy skin. I tested on a steel file box with Bakelite handles/sides and West Bend electric skillet knob. In fact, the term cyanoacrylate glue generally describes quick-bonding super glues. There is no good reason to poke anything with a hot pin. True Bakelite produces a yellow, tobacco-like color. ( Log Out /  Black Bakelite. Posted to the ebay jewelry and gemstones forum. “ Baekeland considered the possibilities of using a wide variety of filling materials, including cotton, powdered bronze, and slate dust, but was most successful with wood and asbestos fibers.” – Wikipedia. Another method is to … Almost immediately the baking soda started to turn nicotine yellow. It should be a heavy, low-pitched clack. Just dampen a Q-Tip, dip it baking soda and rub gently for about 30 seconds. No one has reported any damages using it. These pieces tested positive with Simichrome prior to testing with baking soda. Catalin –  Phenol formaldehyde resin Transparent. I put this to the test trying out different plastics. Be sure to read the follow up, it is pretty interesting and may answer some questions you have. Many oven-safe pans are labelled as such on their bottoms. For a seasoned Bakelite collector this is easy peasy. Pressure Molded – The material was strong enough to compress. … There is a mix of different plastics from different eras and none of them had the reaction that Bakelite did. Bakelite is opaque due to fillers, can stand up to compression molding and does not require polishing. The cotton swab will … Please do not do this. Refining gold from ore or concentrates is done during the smelting process. A Banana Peel Oil pure A Barbiturates as is A Barium Hydrate 0.5 aq. As it smells like burnt milk or wet wool with a heat test. Vintage baking soda tested two tone butterscotch and black marbled bangle cuff bracelet. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. ( Log Out /  When testing Bakelite, always use safe, nondestructive tests like those described in this article. I am still unclear as of why. Dish detergent can be added if a different texture is preferred. E Bayberry—Oil of 25 pet. These simple procedures will let you test baking soda and baking powder for freshness and is worth your time if you have these products around for very long. If you don't see a lot of bubbles, it's time to replace your baking soda. Yes! Pieces that do not pass a substance test can pass the smell test. All the handles I tested were red and a little worn. If the cotton swab turns a yellow tone you have a positive test. They believe that sodium bicarbonate, the primary agent in baking soda, will mask the presence of meth in their urine. Thanks for reading, I hope this tip is helpful. It seems like black tests easily if it is a utilitarian piece. If it’s genuine, the Q-tip will show a yellow, brown or orange tint. I still cannot smell the Bakelite even with a baking soda rub, but the yellow tint helps a lot. I am hoping this blog helps clear somethings up for some of you or at least is a helpful start! (Fig. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. These fail the cotton swab test and have a mold seam. Cons- Not dependable for results. How to Do a Baking Soda Test Place 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in a cup and add 2 teaspoons vinegar. The flux is added to a crucible with the gold that is then melted in a furnace. Ex. Some say it has tested positive for Bakelite, others say it hasn’t. Cyanoacrylate glue is the industrial name for what is commonly known as “Crazy Glue” or “Super Glue”. Pros – This test can be done on site, No substances are being used on the piece. Test for Bakelite. With the exception of black, Simichrome is pretty dependable. Pros – This test can be done on site, No substances are being used on the piece. Sometimes it tests with substances, other times it does not. Turns out baking soda will give a positive result as well. It was one of the first synthetic plastics ever to be produced. in this video i well be guling hard plastic together. Sara Peluso of Sfuso shared her experience testing her Philco radio on her awesome blog the stories behind the stuffs . As a matter of fact during research I found someone who mentioned baking soda in a forum 2 years ago. So when I discovered that baking soda appears to be just as effective for testing Bakelite as Simichrome is, I never dreamed I would learn so much. Sound- One thing I really love about wearing Bakelite is the clack noise when they tap together.This is another way to test the authenticity of the plastic. 1960s. Regular 409 – Turns Yellow. Most people test with 409, Simichrome or the hot pin test (NEVER DO THAT!). Cons – Years of experience is necessary. If a piece is lacquered, it may test negative with 409. I personally have never had consistent results with 409 and switched to Simichrome before discovering baking soda works. Currently the definitive method of testing Bakelite is to put some Formula 409 on the end of a Q-tip and apply a small amount on an inconspicuous portion of the bead in question. Unfortunately, it was quite brittle and had to be strengthened by “filling” with other substances, usually cellulose in the form of sawdust. See more ideas about Two hands, Antique knowledge, Glazes for pottery. Alias – You will likely see, or have already seen, Galalith referred to as “French Bakelite”  I am not sure how it adopted this nickname but according to this article  it is not correct, and after reading how she puts it, I would say I agree. After publishing this idea for the first time, I had a lot of requests for more information. 18 Plastic bangles with molded carvings, ca. Alternatively, wrap the item carefully in muslin or cheesecloth, then tie the top to make a … Watch the video below to see these tips in action! Always ask the seller's permission before making any tests. 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