You're right in that respect but the local drycleaners used benzine for removing certain spots before full cleaning. I had the carbon tetrachloride and pheno mixed up, good thing the makers of Ex-Lax don't have them backwards huh? -> -----Original Message----- -> From: owner-classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org -> [mailto:owner-classiccmp@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Feldman, Robert -> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 8:45 AM -> To: 'classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org' -> Subject: OT: Chemistry Sets (was RE: Rubber Restorer...) -> -> -> Yeah, chem sets are pretty tame now :( -- can't do many real -> reactions other -> than make C02 from bicarb. My father was a chemist and added -> many chemicals -> to the Gilbert set we had (more than 10 years old, so somewhat -> on topic). I -> do shudder a bit to think of some of things we did, though, like playing -> with big globs of mercury in our hands. -> -> BTW, water glass is Sodium Silicate, not phenothalien. And -> carbon tet, not -> benzene, was dry cleaning fluid. As kids, my brothers and I used -> carbon tet -> in killing jars to gas butterflys for our collection. It is -> banned in most -> places now, and benzene use is severely restricted, as it too is a strong -> carcinogen and bad for your internal organs. -> -> -----Original Message----- -> From: Russ Blakeman [mailto:rhblakeman@kih.net] -> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 8:14 AM -> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org -> Subject: RE: Rubber Restorer... -> -> -> And many of the classic sets have replacements for the original -> chemicals. A -> friend bought a 1965 chemistry set and in place of phenothalien (water -> glass) it was just plain water, as had the sulfur been filled with dry -> mustard and confectioner's sugar mixed. No telling what else... -> -> -> -----Original Message----- -> -> From: owner-classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org -> -> [mailto:owner-classiccmp@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Douglas Quebbeman -> -> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 7:37 AM -> -> To: 'classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org' -> -> Subject: RE: Rubber Restorer... -> -> -> -> -> -> > I wonder if children's chemistry sets still come with all the -> -> > interesting chemicals? -> -> -> -> For the most part, no... you have to buy the old chemistry -> -> sets if you want those (many vintage chemistry sets trade -> -> on E-Bay). -> -> -> -> -dq -> -> ->