We have several correlle sandwich plates, that were stackedo on their edges in a cupboard, and when pulling one out two other fell down and broke, but I was sure they couldn't break, and there used to be a comercial where one floats across the ocean. They're probably 5 years old, and get microwaved quite a bit.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Corelle can be broken, but it takes determination, a freak accident, or excellent luck.
I have had instances of each.
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
I think they're resistant to chipping and can withstand hits from spoons and stuff, but will break if you drop them on the floor.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Not usually, unless the floor is stone.
They shatter rather impressively when they hit stone floors, though.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I'm sure I'd dropped them before, and it's practically rubbery linoleum.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Then it was probably the angle. Or the particular piece had a (probably too small to see) scratch or crack from previous use.
Corelle is glass, don't forget.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
two pieces! I know it's glass, and the bits weren't sharp, but they were everywhere.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Corelle is hard. It's possible two are more likely to break when dropped together than one.
Posted by Brian J. Hill (Member # 5346) on :
I know of only one case in which Corelle was broken, and that was the other day, when my dad dropped a bowl on our kitchen floor. It shattered quite impressively. They may not break often, but when they do, brother, look out. They mean business.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Maybe this week they're all going to break? Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Not usually, unless the floor is stone.
They shatter rather impressively when they hit stone floors, though.
::nods::
They do the same thing on stone walls. Even when the corelle bowl is filled with leftover spaghetti.
In my defense, when I was swinging it around I didn't know that my lunchbag had developed a small tear.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Noemon!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Oh, I'm very good at breaking dishes, and I can attest to the fact that, while not as breakable as stoneware, Corelle can be broken. Into wickedly sharp long pointy shards. Like the devil himself has just possessed the soul of your salad plate.
And I break wineglasses so often, they might as well be disposable.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
I broke a plate today. I tripped on the stairs and fell and hit my face on the edge of a table and shattered the plate, getting the pieces all mixed up with the last of the mushroom burgers my mother left in the kitchen for me.
I would like unbreakable plates.
-pH
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
And we usually found shards of French White in the groutwork for weeks and weeks to come...
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Corelle is 3 layers of glass, with different tempers, to create a tension in the outer layers which resists chipping. When it does break, the internal tension causes it to shatter spectacularly.
Corning experimented with a 7 layer version, which they thought would be virtually indestructible. The story I heard from one of their engineers was that they asked a major league pitcher to throw a cup into a hallway made of stonework, to prove that it wouldn't break.
If fact it didn't, at first. But the guy kept trying it, until he managed it. The cup went off like a fragmentation grenade, leaving small pieces in all the crevices in the hallway, which continued to crackle and throw off shards for another week. Corning decided that even though it was really hard to break, the fragmentation effect was too dangerous to allow them to sell the product.
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
quote:Originally posted by pH: I would like unbreakable plates. -pH
I believe your wish can be fulfilled. Look for plates in either plastic or paper. Or be really cool, and use chunks of bread.
When my brother was about 7 (gee, over two decades ago), he broke a lot of dishes. Consequently, mom brought the supposedly unbreakable Corelle.
He proudly showed his best friend the new, unbreakable dishes, and lifted a plate up and threw it down to the ground to demonstrate. It shattered.
Mom got a complete new set free of charge out of the bargain, however. Posted by DSH (Member # 741) on :
My parents bought their first Corelle dishes back in the early 80's. I remember a very few of them breaking, into 2 or 3 pieces; they never shattered.
After we began using a microwave oven (mid 80's) the breakage rate went up and the dishes began to shatter into thousands of tiny shards. My parents are convinced that the microwave oven caused a fundamental change in the Corelle that caused them to shatter.
They bought a new set of Corelle a few years ago, and they still use them in the microwave oven but their breakage rate is virtually zero now.
I think it's due to the fact that their 5 kids no longer live at home!
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Glenn Arnold, thank you for that most wonderfully geek answer. Posted by Silkie (Member # 8853) on :
quote:Originally posted by breyerchic04: We have several correlle sandwich plates, that were stackedo on their edges in a cupboard, and when pulling one out two other fell down and broke, but I was sure they couldn't break, and there used to be a comercial where one floats across the ocean. They're probably 5 years old, and get microwaved quite a bit.
Corelle explodes on ceramic tile - I found that out the hard way! I think I remember a casserole breaking on a 'regular' floor once long ago. I also remember dropping Corning Ware (the OLD name for it ) by accident and having it 'bounce' but not break.
The crack theory sounds possible, or dropping it at just the right angle.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
My freshman year of college, my roommate and I bought entirely plastic dishes because they were "drunk proof." Mine were Spider-man.
-pH
Posted by Vasslia Cora (Member # 7981) on :
quote:Originally posted by Glenn Arnold: Corelle is 3 layers of glass, with different tempers, to create a tension in the outer layers which resists chipping. When it does break, the internal tension causes it to shatter spectacularly.
Corning experimented with a 7 layer version, which they thought would be virtually indestructible. The story I heard from one of their engineers was that they asked a major league pitcher to throw a cup into a hallway made of stonework, to prove that it wouldn't break.
If fact it didn't, at first. But the guy kept trying it, until he managed it. The cup went off like a fragmentation grenade, leaving small pieces in all the crevices in the hallway, which continued to crackle and throw off shards for another week. Corning decided that even though it was really hard to break, the fragmentation effect was too dangerous to allow them to sell the product.
Heh, I find that funny. Instead of making plates they made weapons.
Private: General, the shipment of the new weapons has arrived.
General: Good, let me see them.
*opens crate*
General: Sweet monkey beans, they mixed up our weapons with a shipment of china! Private, find out where our weapon shipment is.
Private: Sir, the crates say weapons.
General: What do the except me to do with plates? Eat off them? *Throws plate out window*
*Explosion*
Private: I don't think thats what they had in mind, sir.
I have to go to bed, I let myself runaway with things when I get tired. Sorry about that, night all Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Vasslia, I'm thinking you need to come out and play more often. Tired? Pshaw! Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Glenn, that really is a cool explanation. Thanks!
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
"I also remember dropping Corning Ware (the OLD name for it."
Corelle was always called Corelle. Corning has had a variety of product lines, each with different properties. Corning Ware is a generic name for any of those product line, but dishes marketed as Corning Ware were ceramic, not glass. There was also Futura Ware, and PyroCeram, which was a glass ceramic, which in my opinion was far superior to Corelle.
DSH is probably correct, the microwave won't damage the Corelle directly, but if the food on the plate is greasy, it can cause non-uniform heating, and disturb the temper, which makes it more fragile.
The Corning Ware division in Charleroi Pennsylvania was sold to a company called World Kitchen (I think). Corning Inc. only makes high quality optical glass fiber now. World Kitchen has discontinued PyroCeram, which is a real shame.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
One other item about Pyroceram:
The material was created for the heat shield for the Command Module of the Apollo space program.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Yeah, since they discontinued it, I haven't found an equivalent substitute for my nose cone. Any suggestions?
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Well, they still make Visions, which is about the same material only clear.
So you could have a transparent nose cone, but I don't really want to think about it.
Why is it that every time I see your name I think of Tweety and Sylvester?
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Pirate Prince Rupert's evil eyedrops Wear safety goggles if you have (or make) an opportunity to try these out. Contrary to assertions in the articles, powdered glass is not harmless to the eyes, sinuses, and lungs. Nor is there a surety that the glass will fully powderize during the explosion: larger and very sharp shards can occur with only a slight variance in the forming&cooling process. Do NOT try the "prank" described in the articles. Monarchs also got away with beheading people.
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Noemon!
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I tripped on the stairs and fell and hit my face on the edge of a table and shattered the plate, getting the pieces all mixed up with the last of the mushroom burgers my mother left in the kitchen for me.![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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Mine were Spider-man.![[Sleep]](graemlins/sleep.gif)