Vintage Steams Irons

[alr2903]

Very nice iron's.  There were many off brands peddled with trading stamps from grocery stores. I remember a "Mobey".  alr

 

[retromania]

Pat

In your photo of the four irons on the chest freezer, I have the Hoover in the back right hand corner. Like to never figured out how to put water in it. It heats up, but sometimes it steams and sometimes it won't!

 

[retromania]

A Question

On my Sunbeam Ironmaster iron. It works great. Steams great, but like a couple of vintage electric skillets I have had, the plug get very warm. Is this anything to be concerned about?

 

[retromania]

Pat

I take that back. I believe it's a Westinghouse. I just went and got mine out of the cabinet where it has been for some time. I thought mine was a Hoover, but it's a Westinghouse. It's exactly like the one in your photo.

 

[appliguy]

If the plug is getting warm

according to my appliance guy that is an indication that the plug needs changing. Of course you can still get the old style attaching plugs or you can just replace the cord. BTW Andy I am sorry I have not got back to you yet with the shipping charges for the cords but I have been ill. I will be able to let you know what the costs are tomorrow ok? PAT COFFEY

 

[retromania]

Thanks, Pat

For this information. Also, I sent you an email that I won't be needing the cords. Please see one of the emails I sent you. Thanks. Hope you feel better.

 

[appliguy]

Hey Andy I read your email

and I think that is awesome you found a guy who is willing to teach you to do it congrats...oh and thanks for the good wishes.... I'll be fine it is just the pollen........PAT COFFEY

 

[circlew]

Warm plug

Another reason for the plug getting too warm is a defective or poor quality receptacle. Cheap residential grade receptacles lose their ability to firmly grip the blades of the attachment plug, resulting in poor contact, causing them to heat up.

You may want to replace the receptacles with specification (approx. $6/ea.) or hospital (expensive) grade devices.

 

[retromania]

GE Travel Iron

I have a GE travel iron from the 60's. Been stored for a while. Took it out. Plugged it up and it won't steam! It steamed the last time I used it. Does anyone know a trick to getting a steam iron to steam when there nothing wrong with it. Or at least as far as I can tell.

 

[magic_clean]

A Nifty

vintage Hoover find over the weekend. Works nicely and is very 50's.

 

[retromania]

Conratulations!!

Enjoy!!

 

[franksdad]

My Mama had a General Mills steam iron when I was growing up.  In 1974 I bought a Wizard Citation steam iron at our local Western Auto Store.  It is still going strong!

 

[retromania]

I wonder....

Who mfg small appliances for Western Auto. You know, we had one here in Anderson on the west end for a short while, but by the time we got WA there were no more small appliances. Seems almost every major retailer was trying to get a niche in the small appliances market. People could find jobs. Had a little money in their pocket and wanted to make their life a little easier by purchasing a time-saving countertop appliance!!!

 

[retromania]

Interesting about Western Auto. I guess they sold a good many tires. My parents bought Perelli tires for years from an independent retailer here in town. Then some time in the 1980's my mother switched and started buying Cooper tires. When one of our cars got old and was down-graded to a yard or extra car, it got retreads. My mother would say it was not to be driven out n the highway because she didn't believe retreads were road worthy at high speeds. Whether she was right or not I don't know. My parents sure did have a lot of rules and I guess that was a good thing.

 

[franksdad]

My dad bought his tires at Sears until around 1970 when he started buying them at the Western Auto store in Liberty, SC.  He and Mr. Taylor, the associate store owner, were friends and he enjoyed doing business with him.  When I started driving and needed anything I would go in to the WA store and Mr. Taylor would put anything I needed on my dad's bill.  When I got my first job my dad told Mr. Taylor to set me up my own account!  From 1973 until Mr. Taylor retired and closed the store in 1983 anything I wanted or needed, including tires, batteries, car parts, iron, radios, whatever, I would just tell Mr. Taylor to add it to my bill.Not like today when you have to fill out a credit application, get a credit check, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Oh well, those days are gone forever!