Chloe Zhang
Buttons have existed in various forms for roughly 5,000 years, but it wasn't until the dawn of the 19th century that the standard 4-hole button was introduced. Today, the vast majority of buttons are made of plastic, a relatively new invention. The first completely synthetic plastic was made in 1904 by Leo Baekeland, who used it to make Bakelite buttons in 1920. These buttons are now highly sought-after by collectors. Other types of plastic buttons include celluloid, polyester, and melamine. To distinguish plastic buttons from other materials, you can use the tooth test, the hot pin test, or a magnifying glass.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Feel | Plastic buttons are generally smoother than other types of buttons. |
| Weight | Plastic buttons are lighter than bone buttons. |
| Colour | Plastic buttons can be colourful. |
| Seam | Plastic buttons may have a seam on the edge or underside. |
| Smell | Plastic smells like melting when burnt. |
| Temperature | Plastic does not feel cold against the skin. |
| Texture | Plastic buttons are less commonly matte and more commonly polished. |
| Manufacturing | Plastic buttons are mass-produced. |
| Durability | Plastic buttons are more durable than horn buttons. |
| History | Plastic buttons became more common after World War II. |
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What You'll Learn
- Perform the hot pin test: plastic will smell when it melts
- Look for a thin wrapping of plastic around a metal base
- Check weight: plastic buttons are lighter than bone buttons
- Check texture: plastic buttons are smooth, while horn buttons have surface markings
- Check colour: bone buttons have a yellowish to light brown hue
Perform the hot pin test: plastic will smell when it melts
If you want to know whether a button is made of plastic, one test you can perform is the hot pin test. This involves using a hot pin to melt the back of the button. If the button is made of plastic, it will give off a distinctive chemical smell.
The hot pin test is not the only way to identify plastic buttons. You can also try shining a light on the button at an angle to check for surface markings, or feeling the button to see if it has a seam on the edge or underside. However, the hot pin test is a quick and easy way to identify plastic without needing to look at or touch the button.
The hot pin test works because plastic has a low melting point and will quickly melt when heated. When plastic melts, it releases toxic fumes with a strong, acrid odour. This smell is often described as "chemical" or "nasty" and can be very unpleasant. It is important to perform the hot pin test in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling these fumes, which can cause respiratory irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
If you accidentally melt plastic and are struggling to get rid of the smell, there are several steps you can take. First, try to identify and remove the source of the burning. Then, open windows and doors to ventilate the area, and use air purifiers or fans to improve air circulation. You can also try placing bowls of white vinegar around the affected area to absorb the odour, or wiping down hard surfaces with a mixture of dish soap and water or vinegar and baking soda.
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Look for a thin wrapping of plastic around a metal base
One way to identify if a button is made of plastic is to look for a thin wrapping of plastic around a metal base. This is a tell-tale sign of celluloid buttons, which were the first plastic buttons on the market. While most celluloid objects are transparent, celluloid buttons usually have a metal backing.
To identify the material of a button, it is often helpful to look at the back of the button. For example, a metal shank drilled or pushed into the back of a button indicates that it is probably made of leather, or at least not plastic. On the other hand, a plastic shank is likely a good imitation of leather.
Additionally, during World War II, wooden and metal buttons were covered in a thick layer of paint to imitate plastic. Therefore, vintage buttons from this era with vivid colours may be made of wood or metal rather than plastic.
Other methods to identify plastic buttons include the tooth test, which can differentiate plastic from true enamelled metals, and the use of a magnifying glass to identify tiny black specks in bone buttons or finer grains in ivory buttons.
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Check weight: plastic buttons are lighter than bone buttons
Plastic buttons are significantly lighter than bone buttons. The weight difference is due to the materials used in their production. Bone buttons are made from animal bones, which are denser and heavier than plastic.
Plastic is a relatively new invention, with the first completely synthetic plastic being made in 1904. Plastic buttons are now very common, and most of the buttons you encounter are probably plastic. They are also mass-produced, making them lightweight and easy to manufacture.
On the other hand, bone buttons are heavier and less widely available. They are made from animal bones, which are naturally denser and heavier than plastic. Bone buttons were more common in the past when there was plenty of bone available, and they were easy to carve. However, today, bone buttons are less common and often sought-after by collectors.
The weight difference between plastic and bone buttons can be a quick and easy way to distinguish between the two materials. Plastic buttons will feel lighter in your hand, while bone buttons will have a noticeably heavier weight. This weight difference is due to the inherent properties of the materials used.
In addition to weight, there are other ways to identify plastic buttons. Plastic buttons usually have a perfectly smooth finish all over, while bone buttons may have tiny surface markings or subtle nuances in colour and texture. Plastic buttons may also have a seam on the edge or underside, which you can feel with your fingernail. Bone buttons, when viewed under a magnifying glass, may show tiny black specks where the blood travelled through the bone.
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Check texture: plastic buttons are smooth, while horn buttons have surface markings
One of the ways to tell if a button is made of plastic or horn is to check its texture. Plastic buttons are typically smooth, while horn buttons have surface markings.
Plastic buttons are usually made of polyester, a semi-synthetic or synthetic polymer. They often have a perfectly smooth finish all over. They may, however, have a seam on the edge or underside, which can be felt by scratching with a fingernail. Plastic buttons will not feel cold against your skin.
Horn buttons, on the other hand, are made from animal horn, which is essentially bone. They are known for their strength and unique surface markings. Shining a light on a horn button at an angle will reveal these surface markings, which may be very subtle. Horn buttons will feel cooler against your skin than plastic, and they are usually matte rather than polished.
In addition to texture, there are other ways to distinguish plastic and horn buttons. For example, horn buttons are known to have a unique smell, like burning hair, when heated. Plastic buttons, when melted, will also have a distinct smell.
It is worth noting that vintage buttons may be more challenging to identify as plastic or horn due to the manufacturing processes and materials available at the time. For example, during World War II, materials like plastic were scarce in Europe and Spain, so wooden and metal buttons were painted in vivid colours to imitate plastic.
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Check colour: bone buttons have a yellowish to light brown hue
When trying to determine whether a button is made of plastic, one of the key things to check is its colour. This is especially true for bone buttons, which have a yellowish to light brown hue. Bone buttons are made from animal bones, mainly cattle. They were popular in the past due to the abundance of bone material and the ease of carving.
Over time, imitation bone buttons were mass-produced, but there are ways to distinguish them from authentic bone buttons. True old bone buttons will have a yellowish to light brown colour, whereas imitation bone buttons may be painted in vivid colours to mimic the appearance of plastic.
In addition to colour, other characteristics can help identify bone buttons. They tend to be heavier than plastic buttons and have a similar weight to glass buttons. The holes in bone buttons are uneven, with a brownish colour on the inside, and they typically have two widely spaced holes. Bone buttons also have a very dry feel to them, and under magnification, tiny black specks can be observed, indicating the presence of blood vessels.
By examining the colour and other distinctive features of buttons, you can gain insights into their material composition, distinguishing bone buttons from plastic or imitation alternatives.
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Frequently asked questions
Bone buttons will have a yellowish to light brown hue, be heavier, have uneven holes, and feel very dry. Plastic buttons, on the other hand, are lighter and smoother.
Shine a light on the button at an angle; if it's plastic, there won't be any surface markings. Plastic buttons will also feel warmer against your face than horn buttons.
Celluloid was one of the first plastics on the market. To identify celluloid, run it under hot water, then smell it. If it smells like Vicks Vapour or mothballs, it's celluloid. You can also look for a thin wrapping of plastic around a metal base.
Look at the back of the button. If it has a metal shank, it's probably not plastic. If it has a plastic shank, it's likely an imitation of leather.
There are many different kinds of plastic buttons, including chalk buttons (made from unsaturated polyester resins), melamine buttons, and casein buttons, which were popular until the 1950s.
