Cloth-covered appliance power cords.

[g3bill]

This is full of info on wires from the time of edison to date ; https://www.dli.mn.gov/ccld/PDF/eli_GFCI_history.pdf

I forget what page its on but states early on they used gum rubber insulation that was covered with cloth bucause the rubber alone was too soft.

The electrical wiring in our house from the 50's is cloth covered. Remove a fixture and the ends are crumbling. I'd have to splice new wire to attach to fixtures.

I have a very old candle stick phone which has cloth covered wire. Nothing to do with heat, maybe a sign of the times. They might be remaking that wire now but did't when I bought it decades ago.

 

[cfz2882]

interesting link-i had wondered why the copper was tinned in the really old household wiring.I have a 1937 zenith radio with it;s original cloth cord still in decent shape.

 

[brib68]

Thanks, Kevin and Dustin

It was indeed a Sunbeam toaster--now that you say it, I can totally see the Sunbeam logo above the sliding lever for the darkness.

 

[davey7]

My grandmother had one of those toasters - my parents gave it away before I could get my grubby paws on it "oh, it didn't work right, did you want it...?"