So you think your resins are stable?

[DCBluesman]

This will give you pause for thought. And what about the impact on a CA finish?

http://www.slate.com/id/2221963/pagenum/all/#p2

 

[edman2]

Very interesting indeed. Interestinly enough, some of my pens deteroriate BEFORE they come off the lathe!:biggrin:

 

[jwtrumbo]

That is an interesting article. I made a long click pen and pencil set made of black and white Celluloid pen blanks from CUSA for a co-worker for his father for Father's Day but he died suddenly the week before Father's Day. So now He is going to place the set in time capsule with his father ashes and put in a tree that is father liked. I wonder what it would be like in 75 to 100 years from now.

 

[cnirenberg]

Lou,
Interesting article. Monday night I had some time alone and decided to make a pendant out of some older AA that I had laying around. For a 1/2" final piece it took the entire pen blank. It was so brittle that every time I even looked at it, piece flew off and exploded. I figure, I got this about 7 or so years ago, don't know if it has anything to do with the article, but the plastics i use today are at least more forgiving. I can't say how long they will last, I will defer to Freddiep's comment.

 

[Dalecamino]

Thanks Lou ! I wonder if Bakelite will make a come back ?

 

[rjwolfe3]

Very interesting article!

 

[leehljp]

Now I know why I like wood so much! :biggrin:

 

[devowoodworking]

Well, I suppose all the 'Plastics' littering our landfills won't outlive us after all

 

[Texatdurango]

So instead of selling a pen saying... "You'll be proud to hand this pen down generation to generation" we would change it to... "Enjoy it while you can!" :biggrin:

 

[nava1uni]

I wonder how the combination of organic matter with the acrylics will hold up. Will the organic matter start to deteriorate and then cause changes within the acrylic piece. The article surely gives something to think about. However, I have some celluloid pens that belonged to my grandfather and mother that are still fine and they are over 60 years old. I also have some bowls that were my grandmother's from when I was a child so they are also over 60 years old and they are still in operation. Maybe the older plastic was more stable. CA is relatively new so maybe as it evolves it will become more stable over time.

 

[wolftat]

I'm not too sure how stable I am, much less my resins.

 

[rjwolfe3]

I'm not too sure how stable I am, much less my resins.

Neil, I heard from Bob that you are

 

[RussFairfield]

All other plastics degrade with exposure to the atmosphere, and sometimes quickly with exposure to sunlight and UV. Why would we expect art and pens to be any different??

 

[bitshird]

Interesting article Lou, I wonder how long our PR and Alumilite pens will last

 

[Fred]

Well, I suppose all the 'Plastics' littering our landfills won't outlive us after all

Have you ever noticed those hundreds of thousands of cigarette filters piled up against the curb at intersections?

Well guess what ... they will still be recognizable 1000's of years from now! Maybe someone ought to find a way to make something useful out of the filthily things.

Another interesting thing about them ... If you collect several hands full of them, soak them in water for a couple of days, then strain the water off and save it ... you can spray bugs with it and guess what they do then ... they die of course.

Oh yea, don't ever smell this water as it will turn your stomach inside out.

 

[wolftat]

Have you ever noticed those hundreds of thousands of cigarette filters piled up against the curb at intersections?

Well guess what ... they will still be recognizable 1000's of years from now! Maybe someone ought to find a way to make something useful out of the filthily things.

Another interesting thing about them ... If you collect several hands full of them, soak them in water for a couple of days, then strain the water off and save it ... you can spray bugs with it and guess what they do then ... they die of course.

Oh yea, don't ever smell this water as it will turn your stomach inside out.

I thiink maybe we can grind them up into some sort of food additive and feed them to the ones that litter them all over the place. I would be happy to test it on my M-I-L.

 

[babyblues]

I thiink maybe we can grind them up into some sort of food additive and feed them to the ones that litter them all over the place. I would be happy to test it on my M-I-L.

Won't work. Cockroaches can survive just about anything.

 

[Dan_F]

Certain vintage fountain pens made of "genuine" celluloid are beginning to break down - the damage is called "crazing". Waterman "100 Year Pens" and Wahl-Eversharp "Doric" models are some of the usual suspects. The Doric was one of the most beautiful pens ever made.

Perhaps we should adopt a more Buddhist attitude - nothing is permanent, everything is in a constant state of flux.

Dan

 

[GaryMGg]

Plastics -- the beginning of man's affinity for planned obsolescence. :biggrin:

 

[low_48]

Maybe we can soak them in salt water. Ever read about the great Pacific garbage patch?
http://www.greatgarbagepatch.org/

 

[wolftat]

Won't work. Cockroaches can survive just about anything.

So, you've met her I see. Poor guy.

 

[wolftat]

Neil, I heard from Bob that you are

What? nucking futs?

 

[rjwolfe3]

What? nucking futs?

Nope, he said the other way:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[DurocShark]

I doubt kit pens will be placed in a museum. :wink:

The art pens I've seen here might be at risk however.

And don't assume wood is any safer. What do you finish your wood with? Poly? Plastic. CA? Plastic. Mylands? You get the idea.

There's no guarantees anything we use other than solid precious metals will last.