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Stinky soft plastic

Started by foots, August 07, 2009, 11:26:46 AM

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foots

I keep hearing about soft plastic phones being stinky, like old feet or cheese. I have 3 soft plastic phones, 1 564B  from San Fransisco California (TEmplebar2 exchange), 1 545 from either Alexandria or Pollock Louisiana (it has a phone number from each city above the line buttons), and one from right here in Port Barre Louisiana (I know the people that owned it originally). None of thes phones have any kind of stench to them at all, not that I'm complaining. I wonder why some of them stink and some don't?
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

Phonesrfun

I think the 302's were more notorious for the stink.  All my black 302's have the notorious odor.  Perhaps Western Electric changed their formula later on.  I also know that the only stinky ones I have seen are black.  My 2 ivory 302's and my ivory 354 do not smell at all.

It has to do with the plastic formula.  Apparently WE bought rights to a formula that was patented by Eastman Kodak. 

-Bill
-Bill G

Dan/Panther

Quote from: Phonesrfun on August 07, 2009, 01:31:35 PM
I think the 302's were more notorious for the stink.  All my black 302's have the notorious odor.  Perhaps Western Electric changed their formula later on.  I also know that the only stinky ones I have seen are black.  My 2 ivory 302's and my ivory 354 do not smell at all.

It has to do with the plastic formula.  Apparently WE bought rights to a formula that was patented by Eastman Kodak. 

-Bill

I hope it wasn't the same formula they used for their base on film of Eastman color film.
It shrinks up to useless garbage, and smells like vinegar. In fact they call it Vinegar Syndrome.
Maybe we should coin the new phrase, "Cheesey Syndrone".

BTW Dennis, I'm getting the skip at the end of the dialoge box once more.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Dennis Markham

Just today I opened up a Flat Rate Priority box with a soft plastic Red Model 500.  As soon as I peeled the flaps back I got a whiff of the cheesy plastic inside.  Then removing the bubble wrap the smell got stronger.  I kind of like that smell.  :)  Maybe the color makes a difference??

Dan, I'll look around the software again.  I think last time I never was able to conclude what made the the jumping cursor stop.  I think I checked for an updated version of the software.  Maybe that will work again.

bingster

I think the color does have a lot to do with the smell.  My pink 500 has a distinct smell, but it's a much sweeter smell than the more pungent black.

Dan, all safety films can suffer from vinegar syndrome, regardless of black and white vs color, or manufacturer.
= DARRIN =



McHeath

On our way back from the coast this week, our mini-vacation, we stopped in a town called Kettleman City to use the facilities.  The men's room smelled exactly like soft plastic, it was an amazingly strong smell, and the exact same one.  My son said, "That room smelled terrible" but I must confess it made me instantly in the mood to look for some old phones.   :D

Dennis Markham

Heath, I laughed out loud on that one!

foots

All I can say is that I must be lucky, the 2 multi lines are black and the other is white and they are all stink free. Hopefully my luck holds up with future phones.
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

Dennis Markham

Come on Foots!  You have to experience the soft plastic cheese smell! :)

bingster

Hold out as long as you can, Foots.  It's an addictive aroma, and once you smell it, stink-free plastic just won't do.
= DARRIN =



jsowers

Quote from: Phonesrfun on August 07, 2009, 01:31:35 PM
It has to do with the plastic formula.  Apparently WE bought rights to a formula that was patented by Eastman Kodak.

For what it's worth, a friend who collects phones and has some photography experience told me the developing trays Kodak made for film developing smell and feel flexible like soft plastic. Kodak has made some odd things over the years. The solenoid plunger for the advance mechanism in a Kodak Carousel slide projector. the light gray and black models from the late 60s and 1970s, is some kind of odd flexible plastic that, over the years, turns brittle and brown. It just breaks into pieces and then the projector won't advance. The only replacement is to get the same plunger assembly from them with that flexible plastic piece attached. So I'm not too sure Kodak was the world's big expert on long-term plastics.

Does anyone besides me remember what the guy told Dustin Hoffman the future was in The Graduate... "plastics!"

My experience with the smellier colors has been that the darker colors have more fragrance. But evidently not black. And inside the handset, where it's been trapped, is the best place to experience the aroma.
Jonathan

foots

I have been keeping my eyes open for early 500 series key sets in color and also the 5300 series key sets (based on the 5302's) so I may very well end up with a stinker sooner or later.
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"