Does Bakelite get brittle with age?

Unlike most plastics, Bakelite actually improves as it ages; the colors mellow and become especially beautiful and luminous. Bakelite flatware is best washed by hand; cleaning it in the dishwasher will eventually cloud the finish and weaken the joints.

tampabay.com - Bakelite is loved for its faults and improves with age

Is a fuel cap necessary?

A gas cap helps your system normalize the air pressure inside the tank, which is an essential function. Without such, the pressure could rise too...

Last updated Nov 9, 2020

Is the shift still legal?

Major League Baseball's new Joint Competition Committee has voted to ban defensive shifts and to add a 15-second pitch clock beginning in the 2023...

Last updated Mar 28, 2019

Promotion

Question: I've just started collecting utensils with the original early plastic handles, which are yellow-tan in color. What is this called, and how do I care for it?

Answer: It is impossible to identify a piece without seeing it, but it certainly sounds like Bakelite flatware. Bakelite was invented in 1907 in Yonkers, N.Y., by a chemist named Leo Baekeland. He was trying to develop a new kind of shellac but ended up with phenolic resin, the first synthetic plastic, which he named Bakelite. In the late 1920s and the 1930s, it was used for jewelry, buttons, billiard balls and radios as well as for the handles of inexpensive stainless-steel flatware. Bakelite fell out of favor as more durable plastics were developed. The colors of Bakelite aren't stable, and it is more fragile than modern plastics, but to collectors these characteristics add to its charm. Unlike most plastics, Bakelite actually improves as it ages; the colors mellow and become especially beautiful and luminous. Bakelite flatware is best washed by hand; cleaning it in the dishwasher will eventually cloud the finish and weaken the joints. Store it out of direct sunlight, which fades the colors, and away from heat sources, since temperatures over 100 degrees make Bakelite brittle. Handle it carefully but don't be afraid to use it. Your Bakelite has already lasted for decades, and chances are you will enjoy it for many more.

Crisp romaine lettuce

Question: I have a problem with romaine lettuce. I can't seem to get it nice and crisp.

I wash it, pat it dry with paper towels and refrigerate it. It always seems to be limp. What am I doing wrong?

Answer: Perfect lettuce is essential for a wonderful salad. Use the following steps for preparing and storing romaine lettuce and any other kind of greens. First, discard any blemished outer leaves. Fill the sink with cold water and dunk the remaining leaves in it to rinse away any dirt, but don't leave them to soak. The best way to dry lettuce is in a salad spinner, which uses centrifugal force to whisk the water away from the leaves. This is an inexpensive tool, available at kitchenware or department stores, that any salad lover should have. Pack the spinner loosely to keep the leaves from bruising. If you're making the salad right away, tear the dry leaves by hand into manageable pieces. Small leaves can remain whole. Don't cut lettuce with a knife since it can cause the edges to turn brown. If you're not using the greens immediately, place them in a sealable plastic bag and add a single sheet of paper towel to absorb moisture. Refrigerate for up to two days. Send question to Martha Stewart, c/o the New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 122 E 42nd St., New York, NY 10168. Questions may also be sent to Stewart by electronic mail. Her address is mstewartmarthastewart.com.

Can digital piano be in sun?

They can therefore be positioned pretty much anywhere even under a window or against a radiator. However, you should avoid direct sunlight as this...

Last updated May 31, 2020

Is 49 keys enough piano?

That's right: 49 keys are enough to get started. Because your instrument is really made up of repeating sets of 12 notes, as long as you have a few...

Last updated Nov 9, 2018

Promotion

Why does blues music feel so good?

In the very best blues the pain changes, because of the music, into something light.” That lightness and ease come to be because the musical form...

Last updated Dec 2, 2018

Should my child learn piano or violin?

It should be understood early on, that should a child learn any instrument, it will vastly enrich their life. However, when the goal is to nurture...

Last updated Mar 17, 2020

Promotion

How high should you rev before shifting?

Generally, you should shift gears up when the tachometer is around “3” or 3,000 RPMs; shift down when the tachometer is around “1” or 1,000 RPMs....

Last updated Aug 27, 2021

Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Pianoforall is one of the most popular online piano courses online and has helped over 450,000 students around the world achieve their dream of playing beautiful piano for over a decade.

Learn More »

Promotion

Why does Berniece play the piano at the end?

Story Dynamics. Berniece refuses to play the piano because she's afraid to wake the spirits of her ancestors. However, when Boy Willie is attacked...

Last updated Aug 19, 2021