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Have you heard of this unique, colorful, polished, gemlike “stone“ called Fordite? Also known as “Detroit Agate”.
Born in Detroit’s auto factories.
About Fordite
Fordite, also known as Detroit Agate, is a unique automotive enamel material. Paint. The original layered automotive paint slag "rough" was made incidentally, years ago, by the now largely extinct practice of hand spray-painting multiples of production cars in big automotive factories. Like Ford. Thus the name Fordite.
Prior to the 1980s, lead was commonly added to paints to accelerate the drying process, maintain durability, and add moisture resistance. It was a cheap, effective way to make paint.
This Fordite comes with a warning…”Don’t eat the jewellery’”.
The paint over-spray in the painting bays gradually built up on the tracks and skids that the car frames were painted on. Over time, many colorful layers built up there.
These over-sprayed paint layers were hardened repeatedly in the ovens that the car bodies went in to cure the paint.
Some of these deeper layers were baked 100 times. Eventually, the paint build-up would become too thick and heavy, and had to be scraped away and removed.
As the story goes, some crafty workers with an eye for beauty realized that this unique byproduct was worth salvaging. It was super-cured, patterned like psychedelic agate, and could be cut and polished like stone. Wow!
As word got around about this remarkable material, it's been said that rock hounds started showing up at auto factories, offering to help remove that problematic paint!
There is not any affiliation with The Ford Motor Company. But the name is pretty close.
A few places sell this as jewellery on the internet. Even raw blanks for you to create your own jewellery.
Etsy has a nice collection of various jewellery for sale, at seemingly reasonable prices: https://www.etsy.com/ca/market/fordite_jewelry
They have items made in a Kenworth factory, Mopar (Chrysler) factory, Corvette plant, and many more.
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Speaking of Automobile Factories
Back in 1977, I worked at the Windsor, Ont. Chrysler assembly plant. My job was to drive Chrysler Cordobas off the end of the assembly line, and take them to a holding area to get ready to add the interior etc, and some accessories.
The Cordoba’s claim to fame was a made up material called Corinthian Leather. It was conceived in an advertising agency. There is no such material - Corinthian Leather - in real life. Ricardo Montalban was probably one of the reasons I went into the Advertising program in College!
Here is a rare picture of me driving one of the Cordobas off of the assembly line (not true):
We were supposed to brake torque them to test the braking system. (true).
While working at the Chrysler plant, I never did see any paint drippings resembling rare agate stones. I was probably just never that close to the paint department.
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I can’t read “rich Corinthian leather” without doing it in Montalban’s voice.
On a far less glamorous note, there’s a bustling market for used safety cards from airplanes. Years ago, Northwest switched over to a new style, and we were told to get rid of all inventory… so we did. Some went to dumpsters, and some went to eBay.
Loved all the photos, Paul! Not to mention the peek behind the scenes into the auto world! Now, I wonder if we ever could've believed ANYTHING that came out of Montalban's mouth!😁That's advertising for ya!
I suppose, if the ad execs were lifting from the New Testament, that fake car interior element could've just as easily been called "Ephesian Leather"! But, "Corinthian" has an easier flow, I suppose! Fun Monday read! Thanks!