How Do I Tell Black...From Black?

[PurpleCatJewels]

Hi,
I have a bag of black shorts. All kinds of black, mostly Moretti/Effetre and Vetro.

Problem is, there is some intense black in there too. Is there some kind of characteristic difference between the two?

I can tell on some because there is the slightest chip at the end that shows through as purple, but if there is no sharp bit on the end I can't tell.

Any way to tell short of heating the end and mashing every little bit?

Thanks in Advance :-D

[Cabanlet]

Well, I know that effetre over white and pulled into stringer, moretti is purple and vetre is more of a blue and intense black is, well black. You might try pulling into really thin pieces to see if you can tell the color difference between the effetre and vetro.

Amy

[Cosmo]

Pull a thin stringer from each. Regular black will be transparent purple. Intense black will be black.

That's the only way I know.

[Moth]

Heat the tip and pull a hair thin stringer. Effetre will be purple, vetrofond will be dark blue and intense black will be black.

[Dale M.]

OR hold them up to a real bright light and look at the edge of the rod.... Intense black will really be black.....

Dale

[DesertDreamer]

Or make a white bead (regular white) and make a small black dot, then melt it flat. Regular black will be dark transparent purple, intense black will stay black.

[glasshouse]

Or you could try cutting a very thin slice off the end with nippers and hold it up to the light.
You won't have to light the torch for that. I usually only buy IB in commercial stringer size-
Do most people buy it in 6-8mm rod?

[lunamoonshadow]

I only ever bought two rods of intense black (like an idiot, when I was first starting :roll:) 'cause I had this "I can pull stringers forever" idea....duh....I've still got both of them unmelted somewhere....I scored stringer later on for a decent price & I may *never* run out....:lol:
I can't imagine finding much intense black in a stash of shorts...hades maybe (which is CIM & stays "black-black") but intense in "rod size" would be a huge surprise.

[NLC Beads]

I use intense in rod size - it lasts longer than stringer size, and I just pull thin stringers off the end of the mandrel for pupils. So, it does come in regular size, and could be there.

[PurpleCatJewels]

Thank you all!

I was told that some of the blacks could be IB but were all shuffled into the same baggie.

I think I will pull thin stringers and check them with a light. It's not a problem because,

a) I love mystery glass, and
b) I would never turn down 104 COE shorts, even if they are "all mixed up"
c) Cheggars can't be Boozers

I do have a single full (labeled) rod of IB that I bought at a shop that is 4-5mm that I KNOW to be IB. I'll pull a bit of the rest. No reason why I can't use thin black stringers on ivory or something :-D

[lunamoonshadow]

I use intense in rod size - it lasts longer than stringer size, and I just pull thin stringers off the end of the mandrel for pupils. So, it does come in regular size, and could be there.

Um.....just so you know...I'm NOT checking any of my baggies of black shorts for intense black....they're STILL all becoming bases for silver-glass frits & silver-glass stringers!