A massive lump of metal for €20 which looks to be intact, but with no cord as usual. It's the real deal though.
I bought these lst week, they were advertised at $40.00 for the two of them.
When I got there I found they were being offered by an elderly retired tailor in my city, he used to dress the top politicians in his day.
I said they were worth at least $40.00 each and offered to help him get a proper value for the rest of his gear.
So, I showed him the C and T site and abebooks and booklooker.
Now I have a bit of other stuff and an open invitation to ask questions and seek advice about tailoring skills and so forth.
It was very exciting.
(https://s12.postimg.org/5z9db14fd/IMG20170223150152.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/5z9db14fd/)
Goos score and I am glad to see this stuff go to someone who will both use it and appreciate it. Picking up some expertise from the old fella is an added bonus.
Nice find. I mean the old tailor. He may be worth your time. Never know what he might impart.
I just have to keep his wife calm.
The bottom one looks clean as a whistle. Having the cords intact helps too. Well done old bean.
Its handle is exactly the same as my iron, only mine's red. In fact it looks similar to mine, but more rounded all-over. Is it missing its thermostat disc though? Or was there never one? That hole in the handle-plate is where mine has one.
He told me that the newer one (bottom) had hardly been used. I don't believe it had a thermostat, when you look into the hole there is no corresponding one in the chassis.
The older one is a "Hecla" brand its an Australian make.
I also got a buttonhole punch. And some buttonhole silk.
I don't think temperature control was a big factor in irons of this type, they had to be heavy and hot and as long as the bases are in good nick, they will work fine on wool and cotton but I would not use them on modern synthetics which must be ironed at much lower temperatures. These are the type you would use to put creases in men's trousers as they have both the heat and the weight.
I was told that you bring the iron up to heat and then turn it off.
I´m considering this one wich is 6kg for € 15.-
(https://s28.postimg.org/gta56y321/b_g.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/gta56y321/)
No temp control also...
It looks quite nice peterle. 15 Eur seems a good price, to me.
I also got the stand on my second visit. He remembered where it was.
peterle,
It looks like a good item for working on wool and cotton, if you can hook it for that price you will have done well. I would be inclined to put a new cord in it as I don't really trust ancient electrics. Something that is worth doing is to get some cheap Chinese teflon sleeves to go over the bottom as it reduces the risk of glazing the fabric if you over do it. I bought 10 from China via eBay and still have no worn out the first one.
I learnt the trick from a tailor who used to run a shop not far from me, he used teflon sleeves over his boiler style iron and it worked well.
Quote from: peterle on March 06, 2017, 09:56:05 PM
I´m considering this one wich is 6kg for € 15.-
(https://s28.postimg.org/gta56y321/b_g.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/gta56y321/)
No temp control also...
:o Only considering? Snap it up man! It's a fine-looking iron.
Quote from: hutch-- on March 06, 2017, 01:07:41 PM
I don't think temperature control was a big factor in irons of this type, they had to be heavy and hot and as long as the bases are in good nick, they will work fine on wool and cotton but I would not use them on modern synthetics which must be ironed at much lower temperatures. These are the type you would use to put creases in men's trousers as they have both the heat and the weight.
Mine is from the 50s and the thermostat is original. It's very useful because a good cotton heat or one for heavy linen is not so good for fine wool (those thin worsteds).
I tend to knock off electricity when it's very hot (a Sf referred to) and it stays hot a long time. If you forget to switch on though it can be too cool for some sorts of pressing. The thermostat is thus useful. I have to say that I use a domestic sometimes if I'm just pressing some crumpled lining.
Believe there is a thermostat which can be plugged into the wall socket and then the cord is plugged in to the thermostat.
Poulin says something about having a light that goes on when the iron is turned on. When you leave you see the light and turn off the iron.
I have something like this. It's not a thermostat, but it has a light on it and an on/off microswitch.
For some reason which eludes me, standard sockets in Europe (and in many other places) have no switches. They're standard on about 85% of British sockets. Not to mention the plug design is far safer and holds more securely in the socket. 2-pin plugs are bloody useless, shoddy things.
Quote from: Schneiderfrei on March 06, 2017, 11:24:10 AM
He told me that the newer one (bottom) had hardly been used. I don't believe it had a thermostat, when you look into the hole there is no corresponding one in the chassis.
For comparison, here's the iron with temperature dial.
(https://s27.postimg.org/vc2obfvzz/Grossag_iron.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/vc2obfvzz/)
(https://s22.postimg.org/h8xzz5lb1/Grossag_iron_dial.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/h8xzz5lb1/)
It is a Grossag (of course), only a bit newer. This one is 1000 Watt, 5.5 kg. The axis of the dial goes right through the cover of the iron, so if yours doesn't have a hole there, it hasn't been provided with a thermostat. I assume yours is a Grossag as well, so the factory, when they still produced tailoring irons, seems to have used the same mould for casting the handle assembly.
I don't use the iron much, I'm not really into weight lifting. I generally prefer the lighter and more efficient steam iron. When extra pressure is needed you just add part of your body weight.
(https://s2.postimg.org/mfrxj2w51/Steam_Iron.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/mfrxj2w51/)
Mine's also a grossag (with thermostat) 6kg. I also had one identical to yours, but I wanted a heavier one so sold it, but now I regret it. The smaller irons are easier to use. The heavy one is excellent though for flattening bulk.
Finally I also purchased one:
(https://s1.pixxxels.org/z477fvp2z/DSCI0486.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/z477fvp2z/)
(https://s16.pixxxels.org/jk3evd6jl/DSCI0487.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/jk3evd6jl/)
It was 40 Euros and was only used for decoration by the former onwer ( a tailor).
(https://s15.pixxxels.org/tlodmtktj/DSCI0488.jpg) (https://pixxxels.org/image/tlodmtktj/)
You have done well with this iron. It looks well made and will probably outlast you. To appeal to your sense of humour, one of you grandkids will probably use it as a door stopper well into the future.
That's a nice find!
My everyday all-purpose iron is an old lump of 6,3kg without a thermostat. About one year ago, I had to renew the cables, which caused me some headache, since they must be extremely heat resistant. I ended up with a pair of engine cables that seems to work perfectly fine. To avoid that the iron get overheated, I've placed an effect regulator (high quality dimmer) on to the flexi cable. This works perfectly fine for me. One of the greatest advantages with a heavy dry iron, in my opinion, is that it needs less heat to give a good result. I think it is about three years since I last used a boiler and a steam iron, not missing it a bit ;-)
Please excuse the mess...
(https://s17.postimg.org/4nbuaawqz/15133727846251216595095.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/4nbuaawqz/)
What I think is brilliant is the oven thermometer on the stand. Great idea, I never would have thought of that.
Quote from: Schneiderfrei on December 17, 2017, 09:55:53 AM
What I think is brilliant is the oven thermometer on the stand. Great idea, I never would have thought of that.
Hadn't noticed that before. Genius!
Thanks for noticing, no big invention, but it sure makes life alot easier ;-)