To Mend China.

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 917, 10 March 1930, Page 5

To Mend China.

Mow to Make Repairs Success frilly Not the least of life’s little diffi culties for the perfect hostess lies in summoning a bright smile to accompany the tactful if mendacious “It doesn't matter in the least,” when some treasured piece of china is smashed by an unfortunate guest! With the aid of the excellent waterproof cements now on the market, however, broken china can be repaired practically invisibly, and the join rei mains firm, even when the article is j soaked in hot water. BEFORE YOU START WORK For successful repairs, it is essential that the broken edges he absolutely clean. Wash and dry each fragment thoroughly before attempting the repair. I if the article is broken into several j pieces do not try to join all together at once. [ First cover the broken edges of j each piece with a thin film of cement, spreading it evenly with the fingertip, or a camel hair brush. (Keep a damp cloth beside you to remove any stickiness or dust from your fingers.) Leave the pieces on a deep tray, covered with a clean cloth, until the cement has hardened. Then join the smaller pieces together, two by two, with a fresh film of coment, which must be allowed to harden as before. Press each piece on to the next so exactly that no ridge can be felt on the surface of the join. WHEN TISSUE PAPER HELPS The cement sets very quickly. If the pieces are held in position for a lew moments they adhere sufficiently to be set aside to harden on the tray. If the object is rounded, the pieces can be supported lightly by rolls of tissue paper, which can easily be removed later, should they stick. Continue joining one piece at a time, allowing time for each to set . h'lrd before adding the next, until [ the article is in two pieces only. If the previous joins have been

carefully made, these two pieces will fit together perfectly, well repaying you for the care you have taken. Any cement which may have been pressed out at the joints can be lightly scraped away with a sharp penknife. A quick method of mending broken articles, such as ornaments, which do not have to be constantly washed, is to use adhesive insulating tape. This can be bought for about 6d from a garage, or, if you have a motorcycle In the family, its owner is sure to possess a roll. Simply hold the two broken edges of the ornament together, and lay a strip of tape over the join on the inside of the vase, pressing it well down. The tape adheres of its own accord, as it contains its own glue.