Keytop Material

[Ron Nossaman]

At 09:02 AM 3/8/99 -0500, you wrote:
>
>> Grained celluloid
>
>Barrie,
>
>Is this true celluloid or just a generic name for near white plastic
>of a different composition?
>
>Celluloid, real celluloid, is explosively flammable, and as such
>should be avoided.  One cigarette burn and the whole set can go off in
>mere fractions of a second.  
>
>Get a piece and put it on a safe spot on the side walk and touch a
>match to it.  If it flares immediately don't use it.  If it sits there
>and goes out it is safer.
>
>		Newton


That's cellulose nitrate, or "gun cotton" to the archaic types. They used to
make billiard balls out of the stuff, as a more obtainable, uniform and
dependable substitute for ivory. They eventually got tired of blowing up
billiard halls and went to a sort of clay. The stuff used to be made by
soaking cotton in sulfuric and/or nitric acid, I forget, and don't want to
take the time to look it up. I don't think anyone is using cellulose nitrate
for keytop material any more, are they.

 Ron