Bakelite, cloth cords and Z operator

[belljaf]

Recently read that the headset of the 302 is Bakelite while the body was never manufactured with Bakelite but with thermoplastic/tenite.  I believe I read this started in the years 1937/38.  Is this true?  Also, I have a 1946 WE 302 and I am wondering if the original cords, headset and wall, would have still been clothed covered and not the rubber coated cords that are presently on the phone.  What year did the cloth covered cords stopped being manufactured?  And finally when did the "Z operator become established on the dial?

Bill

[LarryInMichigan]

The black F1 handsets were made of bakelite for most of their run (from ~1937 into the mid 1950s).  Some of the later ones were plastic.  Western Electric 302 shells were made of a zinc alloy until the beginning of the war when they switched to thermoplastic.  I believe that Northern Electric made 302 shells of metal much later.  I have a NE 302 with a 1946 base date and a metal shell, but the metal is thinner than the WE 302 shells.  I believe that cloth cords were made well into the 1950s.

Larry

[poplar1]

The cloth covered cords with rubber conductors (H3C handset cord and D3AL line cord) were standard until about 1952 when they switched to black (rubber?) H3AG and D3AY cords.

WE made metal 302s from 1936-1941 and some metal ones in 1946.

[poplar1]

The Z was added to WE dials sometime between 1930 and 1935 and removed around 1953 on 3" dials and earlier on 500s.