I had always spelled it as PRIPP’s. I sit here with the container
in front of mine eyes and see:
Well. I’m chewing on some big time CROW here. I just went and
checked a source more reliable than my own memory. Guess what.
his name IS spelled Prip, with one p on the end. Sorry, John…
(g).
Re: the griffith product though, the other thing I note is their
price. Making it yourself… lets see. Lets say couple bucks
for the big box of borateem. 2 bucks for pound of TSP. Boric
acid is sometimes a bit more, but say five bucks for the box of
roach powder… Easily enough material there to make up about a
gallon and a half or so… for maybe ten bucks. So then
kiddies, can we spell PROFIT MARGIN? (grin)
and yes it does say “cover the entire piece for FIRECOAT
protection” and yes, it is a kind of bright orange color. Also
says to use it as a primary flux for soldering. Quote:
Reminds me of another product, the “magic flame soldering
compound” sold by SWEST, among others. Was out of boric acid,
needed some for simple alcohol/boric fire coat for gold work, and
went down the hall to SWEST (in our building, here in Seattle).
They had this magic flame stuff… Claims to be mixable in
various concentrations for various uses, but stirred into
alcohol, it works fine as a fire coat. Guess its mostly boric
acid with a bit of borax. And THEN, some dye, which is either
bright pink or bright orangey pink, depending on whether it’s in
water or alcohol. With use, the dye migrates to the crusty edges
of your container, so what remains in your alcohol is almost
colorless, just like boric acid alone would be. And works just
the same as with the dye, except it doesn’t blind you with it’s
garish ridiculous color.
Our teacher Anthony Lugo says he once met the gentleman.
You probably still could too. I don’t think he’s teaching
anymore, but I’m pretty sure he’s still alive. He taught at a
number of schools over the years, and my info says until 1980 at
Rhode Island School of Design, which awarded him an honorary
doctorate in 1989, just ten years ago. If you like, there’s a
bit more info on him (as well as many other teachers) in Tyler
School or Art’s web site, where Lori Krause, a graduate student a
couple years ago, set up their “Academic metalsmith history
project” to document American metalsmiths in the teaching field.
Find it at:
http://blue.temple.edu/~crafts/mjcc/local/history/intro.html