SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 ADIRONDACK GIRL @ HEART TESTING FOR BAKELITE

WHAT IS BAKELITE? Invented in 1907 by Leo Baekland, Bakelite is a form of early plastic, but it's density and rich colors set it apart from all others. Collectors passionately collect Bakelite jewelry especially, but also buttons, kitchenware, radios, and more.

THE SOUND TEST When two pieces of Bakelite are tapped together, they make a clunky sound, as opposed to when two pieces of "regular" plastic are tapped together, they make a "tinny" sound. THE WEIGHT TEST Not always, but most of time, Bakelite, SAFE CHEMICAL TESTING FOR VINTAGE BAKELITE which is very dense, weighs more than regular plastic. Safe Chemical Testing: One of the simplest ways to test whether a piece of plastic is in fact Bakelite, THE SNIFF TEST is to use a household cleaning product. Run a piece of suspected Bakelite under hot water for 30 seconds, then I use MAAS, a metal cleaner similar to Simichrome, sniff. If it smells like formaldehyde, which is frequently recommended; however, MAAS then it's Bakelite. is cheaper and can often be found in grocery stores.

Place a small dab of MAAS, SimiChrome, 4O9, or FOR TESTING BAKELITE: Scrubbing Bubbles on a clean rag or cotton swap MAAS metal polish and firmly rub it on the plastic. Simichrome 4O9 cleanser If the item you are testing is genuine Bakelite, the Scrubbing Bubbles pink MAAS will turn amber yellow on your rag, as seen below. It's that simple to learn whether what you own is in fact real Bakelite.

FOR MORE DETAILS Check out the blog post on this topic: Collecting Vintage Bakelite

Adirondack Girl @ Heart 2019