Marian Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 How do you know if they are steelies or ball bearings? Just keep them all together away from others or pitch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 Keep them away. Save or not. Ball bearings were sold as marbles. I had an old newspaper ad or story about kids going to the bike shop in the very early 1900's to get ball bearings to use for marbles. And ball bearings were sold as steelies. There's a more special kind of hollow metal ball which some like to think of as the only kind of steelie officially made as a marble. But bearings were sold as marbles. And of course they were used as marbles. But they're brutal on glass, so keep them away. You might not have any but there are also some cute little metal balls which have figures etched into them, which are used in Pachinko games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Posted February 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 Interesting...I hate getting them in my marbles!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 Put 'em in a jar in some out of the way place and forget about them until you find someone who goes gaga over steelies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 They guy who invented the marble rollers which have been used for the past 115 years first invented a machine to make steel bearings inexpensively and reliably round. That was a BIG deal back in 1902. He was Martin F. Christensen. He sold his patent for a lot of money but retained royalty rights on the production of bearings. It let him retire in comfort. And THEN he switched over to making marbles. Which has nothing to do with your question! But it's interesting, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Posted February 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 Yes! I'm learning a lot of information! Plus I got Marble Mania book the other day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Oregon Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 For history and marble making information on all the US companies, American Machine Made Marbles is a great book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 Will add it to wish list! Thanks! This site is awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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