Difference between Bakelite and Plastic/how to identify them?

[Robby Raccoon]

Not really sure where to throw this thread... From reading a post about poisons on this site, I stumbled across the term 'Bakelite.' So, I Googled it and did a little research, but things are not making sense in my mind right now. So, I was hoping someone would be so kind as to tell me the basics between just what Bakelite is and how to tell if this cap is Bakelite or plastic. It's a medicine bottle I found. Tiny, four paneled and amber with a dull black cap--I had assumed plastic and left it to be forgotten till now-- with a glass rod inside the cap. 2 inches high or less. I'm guessing early 1960s even if this cap is Bakelite, but... I have no idea. Not my sort of thing. It's an Owen-Illinois bottle with the winged oval (as I call it) and the I in it, and on the left 7 and right 4, at the bottom 12 (Code on base, the bottle is not embossed otherwise). The last Owen-IL bottle I tried figuring the number code out on confused me so much I said, "Never again". 3 on left and right, 7 on bottom? I don't recall the date I put on it. It's like an inch high and bright green jar with it's original contents sealed under the cap I can't get off. Anyway, I just derailed the topic of discussion so back to Bakelite! When'd they stop using Bakelite?

 

[RED Matthews]

I am sure Bakelite is a lot older than the plastic. bit I haven't a good answer for you. Identity would have to be the age of the item to tell me. RED M.

 

[LC]

Found the info below while doing a search , hope it helps some . [font="arial,helvetica"]The best and safest way [/font][font="arial,helvetica"]to test and identify vintage plastics is with simichrome polish which you can purchase at most hardware stores. It's somewhat expensive, but it is also great for polishing Bakelite, silver, and most any metal. Polished Bakelite will leave a yellow residue on the cloth regardless of what color the Bakelite is. Another good way to test for Bakelite is to hold it under hot water for about 30 seconds and then smell it. Bakelite has a very distinct odor somewhat like a shellac. If there is no odor, it's likely the piece is Lucite Dow Bathroom Cleaner is widely used to test vintage plastics, but you have to be very careful not to harm any gloss finishes on the the piece being tested. Test this method on a small area first on the back or inside of a piece. Spray a small amount of Dow Cleaner on a swab and rub it on the test area for a few seconds. If the swab develops a yellow color regardless of the color of the plastic, the piece is probably Bakelite To be safe, wash the tested area immediately with warm water since it can damage the finish. You can also use Formula 409 in the same way as Dow, and it's probably safer for the Bakelite You can strip the finish or gloss from Bakelite if you rub too hard, making it dull and hard to restore. If you inadvertently do this, use simichrome polish to attempt to restore the finish. If necessary, repeat the polishing several times. Some people also use car wax to attempt this, but personally I prefer simichrome. It is possible for Bakelite to fail one of these tests if the piece is dirty, has an applied finish or sealant not original to the piece, or which has a damaged finish.[/font]

 

[cowseatmaize]

A very hot, about glowing red pin test. It will melt right through most plastics but not Bakelite.

 

[LC]

That's right Eric , heard that years ago , forgot all about it till you mentioned it . I had around forty bakelite radios some years back that I had collected over the years , let them all go some time back .

 

[Robby Raccoon]

This didn't alert me that people hand responded... :/ Thankfully I looked back into this forum area.
Well, thanks for the tips on it. I'll check it out tonight.