It does look mighty stylishly serious sailing across the board like a regal sub conning tower at sea.
Question For Those Who Still Iron.
- Thread starter chuffle
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SORRY, but no vintage iron for me...I used a newly purchased Black & Decker Classic Iron for years and loved it until I got my first Rowenta - AND you know what they say - Once you go ROWENTA you never go back...At least in my case. I LOVE IT.
AND LOVED those vintage Rowenta a few posts above...
I know this is a vintage site, but I like that there are a few modern appliances that seem to be quality IMHO - My Rowenta Iron, Miele Vaccuum, Speed Queen Washer, and don't hate me, BUT I like my new(about a year old) Kitchenaid Dishwasher - I know there are better, but I couldn't afford the Miele dishwasher...
AND LOVED those vintage Rowenta a few posts above...
I know this is a vintage site, but I like that there are a few modern appliances that seem to be quality IMHO - My Rowenta Iron, Miele Vaccuum, Speed Queen Washer, and don't hate me, BUT I like my new(about a year old) Kitchenaid Dishwasher - I know there are better, but I couldn't afford the Miele dishwasher...
passatdoc
Well-known member
Client: "Who does your ironing?" Answer: "Fri
My vintage iron died and now I use a late-model Rowenta, only if necessary. As shirts and trousers wear out, I replace them with wrinkle-resistant all-cotton shirts and trousers from LL Bean. They fit me (average height and weight) well, and if one uses Permanent Press drying cycle (starts out warm, then cools down before the end of cycle, clothes are cool to touch when done) and promptly removes the clothing onto hangers, they look as if they just came from the cleaners.
The clothing is not expensive ($26-40 for shirts, for example) though not cheap. I have to wear office casual at work (khakis and button down shirts, no ties) and for me LL Bean is perfect. Cuts laundry cost and hassles way down. It's not trendy, there are no designer labels, but the flip side is that you don't spend money on stuff that will become dated or out of style.
Their button down Oxford cloth shirts (if that is an acceptable style for you) also go well with ties and suits, in particular their pinpoint Oxfords (about $38). There is no (as yet....) sales tax if you live outside of Maine, and if you sign up for their credit card, shipping is free on any order, as is monogramming.
I have a lot of older all-cotton shirts (the kind with the horse, etc.) that I either spend 15 minutes on each to iron, or send out to the cleaners when I am lazy. As these shirts wear out, I just replace them with an equivalent from LL Bean. Some of the older wrinkle-free cotton shirts in my closet are four years old and have not lost the wrinkle-free finish.
I have been asked by customers "who does your ironing?" and my answer is always "Frigidaire"
My vintage iron died and now I use a late-model Rowenta, only if necessary. As shirts and trousers wear out, I replace them with wrinkle-resistant all-cotton shirts and trousers from LL Bean. They fit me (average height and weight) well, and if one uses Permanent Press drying cycle (starts out warm, then cools down before the end of cycle, clothes are cool to touch when done) and promptly removes the clothing onto hangers, they look as if they just came from the cleaners.
The clothing is not expensive ($26-40 for shirts, for example) though not cheap. I have to wear office casual at work (khakis and button down shirts, no ties) and for me LL Bean is perfect. Cuts laundry cost and hassles way down. It's not trendy, there are no designer labels, but the flip side is that you don't spend money on stuff that will become dated or out of style.
Their button down Oxford cloth shirts (if that is an acceptable style for you) also go well with ties and suits, in particular their pinpoint Oxfords (about $38). There is no (as yet....) sales tax if you live outside of Maine, and if you sign up for their credit card, shipping is free on any order, as is monogramming.
I have a lot of older all-cotton shirts (the kind with the horse, etc.) that I either spend 15 minutes on each to iron, or send out to the cleaners when I am lazy. As these shirts wear out, I just replace them with an equivalent from LL Bean. Some of the older wrinkle-free cotton shirts in my closet are four years old and have not lost the wrinkle-free finish.
I have been asked by customers "who does your ironing?" and my answer is always "Frigidaire"
cycla-fabric
Well-known member
Vintage Kenmore Iron
Here's a shot of my vintage Kenmore iron that I picked up over a year ago mint in the box. I use for all our ironing needs and works really well, I really like the variable steam function on it. The fore-runner to what today's irons do. The vintage Sunbeam we had bit the dust, and that worked very well too.
Doug
Here's a shot of my vintage Kenmore iron that I picked up over a year ago mint in the box. I use for all our ironing needs and works really well, I really like the variable steam function on it. The fore-runner to what today's irons do. The vintage Sunbeam we had bit the dust, and that worked very well too.
Doug
Here's an interesting iron. The Steam O Matic with a very unique hammertone finish.
There are at least 10 NIB irons tucked into hiding places around here but my favorites are the Reliable steam generator iron and a vintage GE Self-Cleaning.
Oh that pics done give me a kink in the neck LOL
Sorry, stretching that neck will help!
I was trying to photo the board-topper that my mother's cousin makes and sells at quilt-shows (how totally Midwest is that?) The boards are wonderful for flat-work, I love laying out a whole king pillow case and still have room for more. It makes larger items finish almost twice as fast.
I was trying to photo the board-topper that my mother's cousin makes and sells at quilt-shows (how totally Midwest is that?) The boards are wonderful for flat-work, I love laying out a whole king pillow case and still have room for more. It makes larger items finish almost twice as fast.
Ironing Board Topper
Have had one for years (custom made via directions from the Internet), and wouldn't be without it. Though mine now rests across two construction worker "saw horses" for better stability.
My ironing table is about 6'x4', and has have often posted, can do ironing, especially of large flatwork quite easily and often faster with better results than any of my rotary ironers.
By the way, the idea for such a table, being the quilt show thing or mine, is not knew. Long before there were ironing boards, housewives, laundresses, and anyone else who had ironing to do did so on tables. Laundries often had several rows of long wood tables where ironing was done. Homes would likely use the kitchen table, which in some houses could also be the same long table. All one did is cover the thing with several layers of blankets or outing flannel, and then a clean white sheet.
Every single one of my vintage French laundry/housekeeping manuals shows ironing on a table, even items such as shirts, pants, dresses, chemises, etc. Today when shirt laundries hand iron shirts, most do it on flat tables, but they normally are the modern vacuum tables, and the iron is a commercial steam boiler/generator iron, or gravity feed steam iron.
IMHO ironing shirts flat on a table takes some getting used to, and tends to make creases. Also shirts with fancy backs are very hard to get flat from the inside, which is where they are ironed when one does them flat. If you want to see a show, stand in front of a local dry cleaner or place that does "hand pressed" shirts. Those pressers can whip through a shirt in about four minutes.
Have had one for years (custom made via directions from the Internet), and wouldn't be without it. Though mine now rests across two construction worker "saw horses" for better stability.
My ironing table is about 6'x4', and has have often posted, can do ironing, especially of large flatwork quite easily and often faster with better results than any of my rotary ironers.
By the way, the idea for such a table, being the quilt show thing or mine, is not knew. Long before there were ironing boards, housewives, laundresses, and anyone else who had ironing to do did so on tables. Laundries often had several rows of long wood tables where ironing was done. Homes would likely use the kitchen table, which in some houses could also be the same long table. All one did is cover the thing with several layers of blankets or outing flannel, and then a clean white sheet.
Every single one of my vintage French laundry/housekeeping manuals shows ironing on a table, even items such as shirts, pants, dresses, chemises, etc. Today when shirt laundries hand iron shirts, most do it on flat tables, but they normally are the modern vacuum tables, and the iron is a commercial steam boiler/generator iron, or gravity feed steam iron.
IMHO ironing shirts flat on a table takes some getting used to, and tends to make creases. Also shirts with fancy backs are very hard to get flat from the inside, which is where they are ironed when one does them flat. If you want to see a show, stand in front of a local dry cleaner or place that does "hand pressed" shirts. Those pressers can whip through a shirt in about four minutes.
That ironing table is fantastic!!
I have used Greg's ironing table pictured above and let me tell you it is wonderful. I can do napkins, tablecloths, pillow cases, etc along with a steam generator iron faster and better than with an ironer!
I have used Greg's ironing table pictured above and let me tell you it is wonderful. I can do napkins, tablecloths, pillow cases, etc along with a steam generator iron faster and better than with an ironer!
~sudsshane
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
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Ironing is a pleasure..
With my 1958 GE Steam & Dry Iron. Here are a few pics.
With my 1958 GE Steam & Dry Iron. Here are a few pics.
~sudsshane
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,250
pic 2
~sudsshane
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,250
Greg~
I LOVE that ironing board. Where in the world did you find that?
I LOVE that ironing board. Where in the world did you find that?
~sudsshane
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,250
pic 3
~sudsshane
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,250
pic 4
~sudsshane
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1,250
Faultless Hot Iron Cleaner
I keep my sole plate in mint condition by regularly using this product. It will remove any discoloration on your sole plate. Make sure you follow the directions!
Have fun!
I keep my sole plate in mint condition by regularly using this product. It will remove any discoloration on your sole plate. Make sure you follow the directions!
Have fun!
danemodsandy
Well-known member
CASCO:
Aeoliandave:
We had that CASCO iron when I was really small. Ours had the black handle. Mom liked the way it filled. I remember it as early as '56 or '57, in the apartment we were in before getting our first house. I remember it at the house we moved into in the late Summer of '58, too, so it may have lasted a decently long time in spite of my mom's tendency to be very hard on appliances. I was much too young to be using an iron then, so sadly, I don't have any personal memories of how well it worked or steamed. All I really remember is that neat hinged handle swinging away for filling.
Aeoliandave:
We had that CASCO iron when I was really small. Ours had the black handle. Mom liked the way it filled. I remember it as early as '56 or '57, in the apartment we were in before getting our first house. I remember it at the house we moved into in the late Summer of '58, too, so it may have lasted a decently long time in spite of my mom's tendency to be very hard on appliances. I was much too young to be using an iron then, so sadly, I don't have any personal memories of how well it worked or steamed. All I really remember is that neat hinged handle swinging away for filling.
Heating Element Embedded In Cast Iron
Well all this talk prompted one to haul out the Proctor "Never Lift Iron" to get this weeks washing ironed. This particular iron gets *very* hot, so always gets' my vote for heavy linens and making fast work of ironing.
Well one got to thinking as one often does during ironing, that this iron is rather heavy for such a small thing. And the weight is mainly around the soleplate. One is going to guess the heating element is embedded in either cast iron or another heavy material. Either way the iron glides over fabric like "buttah".
L.
Well all this talk prompted one to haul out the Proctor "Never Lift Iron" to get this weeks washing ironed. This particular iron gets *very* hot, so always gets' my vote for heavy linens and making fast work of ironing.
Well one got to thinking as one often does during ironing, that this iron is rather heavy for such a small thing. And the weight is mainly around the soleplate. One is going to guess the heating element is embedded in either cast iron or another heavy material. Either way the iron glides over fabric like "buttah".
L.
Ah, another fan of the cast iron soleplate!
When I got my vintage Rowenta, I first disassembled it for a good cleaning and I found that the heating element was a spiral wire like one sees in electric fires. The wire runs in a groove in the cast iron and can easily be removed as it is not attached in any way to the soleplate. Insulation between wire and soleplate is by means of ceramic beads. The soleplate is evenly heated because the wire runs round and round in ever decreasing circles that cover most of the soleplate's surface.
When I got my vintage Rowenta, I first disassembled it for a good cleaning and I found that the heating element was a spiral wire like one sees in electric fires. The wire runs in a groove in the cast iron and can easily be removed as it is not attached in any way to the soleplate. Insulation between wire and soleplate is by means of ceramic beads. The soleplate is evenly heated because the wire runs round and round in ever decreasing circles that cover most of the soleplate's surface.
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