how to tell if cutting board is Delrin ?

--File a corner and have a sniff: if it smells sorta like spoiled milk it's delrin.

tell ? ( no markings that I can see ... )

It's probable not Delrin unless it's an expensiove "chef quality" board, but then it wouldn't be milky white but gray or other dark color. Delrin/acetal is much more expensive than HDPE, LDPE (which *is* milky-white) and UHMW, and not as likely to be used in this application.

Apart from using a complicated set of test chemicals, you might have some luck determining what kind of plastic is is by burning a very small sliver of it. Each plastic has a unique smell and burning characteristic. Delrin has a definite formaldehyde smell (though other plastics can, too).

-- Gordon

any way to tell ? ( no markings that I can see ... )

application.

Hmmmm. Is Delrin easily glued ? If so, that would separate it from HDPE = and LDPE, if I could glue a couple of pieces together, right ?

JCD

Couldn't smell much of anything except a "standard hot plastic smell" = (to me, that is ... )

So I stuck a match to a sliver of it. It burned for a sec, at which = point I blew it out to smell it. Still not much different - smelled = mostly the match, I think. Got very clear, though, like melted glass. = And retained any shape I molded it into when cooled in water.

This particular stuff is also very strong, even when just a sliver is = bridging a gap; also rubbery - compresses a tiny amount but springs = right back to shape.

JCD

tell ? ( no markings that I can see ... )

harden very smooth when touched with hot pots, etc.

Delrin (acetal) has a formaldehyde odor if burned, burns blue with no smoke and drips.

If it floats, it 's probably HDPE or polypropylene. You can distinguish by burning (acrid odor for PP, paraffin odor for HDPE).

If it sinks and has a burnt hair smell when burned, it's probably Nylon.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Doesn't sound like Delrin to me. Sounds more like a PE plastic.

-- Gordon

--DO NOT breathe fumes from burning plastics!! IIRC Delrin is particularly nasty and does NOT smell like it does when freshly cut with a file.

Good advice! I *did* have a strange dream and robots and peanut butter = that night ... jcd

was supposed to read: "Good advice! I *did* have a strange dream *about* = robots and peanut butter that night ..." I'm blaming it on the fumes ....

way to tell ? ( no markings that I can see ... )

melt and harden very smooth when touched with hot pots, etc.

I tried and it did float. From this info and all of the other comments = posted I'm guessing it's not Delrin.

Good test! Thanks ! JCD