The four topics for this episode are (1) hockey goalie pads; (2) lapel pins; (3) cardboard boxes and (4) crystal wineglasses. All of these were somewhat interesting but none of them were what I'd describe as "fascinating."
As a sports fan, the hockey pads drew most of my interest. It was way back in 1896 that a goalie first thought of wearing pads to protect his legs. (Can you imagine playing goal without some padding?) By the 1920s, wider pads that are more in line with today, were beginning to get a lot of use. In this segment, the CCM company was featured (although they never name companies, you couldn't help but see the big CCM on the pads). This company redesigns its pads every two years and uses over 100 components in each design.
Lapel pins don't cost much to make but some can be worth thousands. You see them by the millions everywhere. Just check out the employees at Wal-Mart! The only surprise to me here was that much of the painting on them is done individually.
The cardboard box, we learn in this show, was another great invention that was "discovered" accidentally in the 1870s by an American. Speaking of painting (see above), the way they color these cardboard boxes was interesting and showed some really beautiful designs. This company had 5,000 different colors it could make.
Finally, the wineglasses which, at least with this company, was done individually and featured some beautiful craft work. The narrator used so many chemical names in the process of explaining what's done that he lost me.
As a sports fan, the hockey pads drew most of my interest. It was way back in 1896 that a goalie first thought of wearing pads to protect his legs. (Can you imagine playing goal without some padding?) By the 1920s, wider pads that are more in line with today, were beginning to get a lot of use. In this segment, the CCM company was featured (although they never name companies, you couldn't help but see the big CCM on the pads). This company redesigns its pads every two years and uses over 100 components in each design.
Lapel pins don't cost much to make but some can be worth thousands. You see them by the millions everywhere. Just check out the employees at Wal-Mart! The only surprise to me here was that much of the painting on them is done individually.
The cardboard box, we learn in this show, was another great invention that was "discovered" accidentally in the 1870s by an American. Speaking of painting (see above), the way they color these cardboard boxes was interesting and showed some really beautiful designs. This company had 5,000 different colors it could make.
Finally, the wineglasses which, at least with this company, was done individually and featured some beautiful craft work. The narrator used so many chemical names in the process of explaining what's done that he lost me.
