Elastic – Six-Sentence Story #126
175 years ago, Stephen Perry patented the ‘elastic’ band, for the improvement to the rubber band through vulcanisation. The heating of the rubber with sulphur made the band more durable and stretchy; rubber has a tendency to be brittle when cold and over soft when hot.
Originally, the use for the bands was considered simply to hold sheaths of paper together, you know, bank notes, newspapers realms. What little imagination for ingenious engineers of that era!
I am quite sure that you are thinking of myriad uses for the ubiquitous elastic band? Since my hand was operated on last week, I have used this simple, boring brown band to seal a rubber glove, whilst I have a shower, so that the bandages stay dutifully dry.

Rules for the eSix Sentence Stories Prompt if you too would like to join in can be found here by Girlie On The Edge

Elastic bands are the one thing we never can find, when we need one!
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Ain’t that the thing? 🤣
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I love informational posts such as this. It is amazing how many things were invented for one purpose and wind UP serving another. Teflon, velcro come to mind.
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I’m with Paul. I had no idea the origins of the elastic rubber band. So true that with a little imagination, those stretchy things can serve a multitude of uses – as you have demonstrated! Hope you hand is feeling better 🙂
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Thanks for the info. I always keep a supply of elastic bands on hand. Indispensable.
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and… they are invaluable to those of us in the fifth (and maybe third) and sixth grades… an annoyance inflicting of the first water!
cool Six
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That is the first time I realized what vulcanization was. There’s more to rubber bands than I realized.
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It seems like we are never without rubber bands. The clerks always wrap rubber bands around the cartons of eggs so they won’t tumble out on the way back home.
I hope your hand heals quickly. It sounds like you have come up with a good way to keep your bandages covered.
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When my hair was long, I always kept an elastic hair tie close at hand. But with thick hair, they all broke eventually. Fascinating 6! And best wishes for a quick recovery!
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Interesting facts!
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