western electric cords

[thirdgeneration]

what year did Western Electric change from cloth to rubber cords

[rdelius]

I think there was an overlap.The older cords were all cloth. in the mid to late 30s they were rubber with cloth, the wartime cords were back to all cloth. Military WWII cords tended to be rubber.back to cloth covered rubber after the war. I believe by the late 1940s and early 1950s the cords were not cloth unless specified for replacements.
Robby

[jsowers]

The cords for color thermoplastic 302s and for the Imperial and Continental, all made in the first half of the 1950s, were cloth covered with rubber underneath. Or at least I think that was the case. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Starting in the early 50s, most color 500 set cords were vinyl covered and not rubber. Some black hard service cords for the early 500s were made of Neoprene, according to the BSP on cords. They were for wet environments. Every now and then we see a 500 set from the early 1950s with a brown cloth mounting cord, but most of them came with black rubber or vinyl cords.

[thirdgeneration]

Thank you both very much for your response. I have both a 102 & a 202 that I would like to put cloth (outside) cords on and still stay true to the period. It appears from your response that I can. Again thank you very much