# Odd furniture stripping "blocks" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463 "2017-08-23T14:23:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/1 "2017-08-23T14:23:12Z")
I don’t know if this product still exists (or even if I’ll be able to describe it clearly) but in the late 70s/ early 80s there were “As Seen On TV”- type television commercials for these stiff rectangular blocks of some peculiar abrasive substance one could use to strip paint and varnish off a variety of surfaces. I used them once and they did a pretty nice job. I recall that the material of the block would wear away rather rapidly as you used it and it gave off a skunky odor. Anybody recognize what I’m trying to describe? What were they made of? Are they still available? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/2 "2017-08-23T14:58:18Z")
I know exactly what you mean, but never ordered any. I assumed they were made of pumice, but have no idea how it would stick together in block form. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/3 "2017-08-23T15:13:01Z")
I remember them. I assume that they died out because they weren’t worth the cost compared to regular sandpaper sanding blocks, and the foam sponge sanding blocks. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/4 "2017-08-23T15:17:28Z")
> **[Foam glass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foam_glass)** > > Foam glass is a porous glass foam material. Its advantages as a building material include its light weight, high strength, and thermal and acoustic insulating properties. It is made by heating a mixture of crushed or granulated glass and a blowing agent (chemical foaming agent) such as carbon or limestone. Near the melting point of the glass, the blowing agent releases a gas, producing a foaming effect in the glass. After cooling the mixture hardens into a rigid material with gas-filled closed-c... [http://www.industry.foamglas.com/en/industry/products/foamglas\_one\_insulation/](http://www.industry.foamglas.com/en/industry/products/foamglas_one_insulation/) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/5 "2017-08-23T15:40:34Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > [Foam glass - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foam_glass) > [http://www.industry.foamglas.com/en/industry/products/foamglas\_one\_insulation/](http://www.industry.foamglas.com/en/industry/products/foamglas_one_insulation/) Neither of those links address abrasives. At all. The word doesn’t even occur. Do you have a citation linking “foam glass” and the OP’s remembered application? Because your contribution so far absolutely doesn’t do it. ETA: Furthermore, googling “foam glass abrasive” returns nothing supporting the idea either. I’m very close to reporting your post as subject-irrelevant spam. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/6 "2017-08-23T15:45:37Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Neither of those links address abrasives. At all. The word doesn’t even occur. > > Do you have a citation linking “foam glass” and the OP’s remembered application? Because your contribution so far absolutely doesn’t do it. > > ETA: Furthermore, googling “foam glass abrasive” returns nothing supporting the idea either. I’m very close to reporting your post as subject-irrelevant spam. Oh …Sorry. I base my links because I used that material myself back in the 70s for this exact work, and I lived in the town where it was manufactured. We always knew it as glass foam from Pittsburg Corning and used it to strip wood before someone got wise and realized they could make money from that application. I’m guessing they don’t advertise this use anymore, because the fine glass particles produced are probably an inhalation danger and will rip up your lungs. here is another link, complete with describing the odor and being able to cut it easily. > **[Foamglas – My New Favorite Insulation Material - GreenBuildingAdvisor](https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/foamglas-my-new-favorite-insulation-material)** > > I spend a lot of time studying insulation--which is one of the most important components of any green home or commercial building. I have a new favorite. Foamglas® building insulation has been made by Pittsburgh Corning for many decades and is widely... ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/7 "2017-08-23T15:51:09Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > Oh …Sorry. > > I base my links because I used that material myself back in the 70s for this exact work, and I lived in the town where it was manufactured. We always knew it as glass foam from Pittsburg Corning and used it to strip wood before someone got wise and realized they could make money from that application. > > I’m guessing they don’t advertise this use anymore, because the fine glass particles produced are probably an inhalation danger and will rip up your lungs. > > here is another link, complete with describing the odor and being able to cut it easily. > [Foamglas – My New Favorite Insulation Material - GreenBuildingAdvisor](http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/energy-solutions/foamglas-my-new-favorite-insulation-material) I think you are on to something. The blocks might well have been made of tiny flakes of glass. Maybe I should be glad I only used them once! ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/8 "2017-08-23T15:53:55Z")
heres a patent for using foam glass for removing material from a surface > **[US20150336836A1 - Very low crystalline silica foamed glass and methods of...](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150336836)** > > A method of treating a surface to remove unwanted material therefrom, including providing a foamed glass article formed from a starting mixture including glass, a carbonate foaming agent, and a devitrification agent selected from the group... ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/9 "2017-08-23T16:06:56Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > heres a patent for using foam glass for removing material from a surface > [US20150336836A1 - Very low crystalline silica foamed glass and methods of using the same - Google Patents](https://www.google.com/patents/US20150336836) Thanks for providing the missing link in your chain of assertions. That said, that’s a 2015 patent and I can’t find evidence that it’s been applied yet. Of course, if you were using FoamGlas ™ products off-label, that’s interesting, but I doubt a recent patent would be granted if the exact application had been advertised “As seen on TV!” before that time. (Assuming it was that far back. I don’t remember the advertisements at all, and googling “As seen on TV!” doesn’t return anything resembling what OP described. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/10 "2017-08-23T16:08:29Z")
and prevent getting my butt kicked by Gnoitall > **[fart Blocks \[Archive\] - The WoodenBoat Forum](http://forum.woodenboat.com/archive/index.php/t-198157.html)** > > Anybody know where to get sanding blocks called Fart Blocks? Iam building an Ocean Pointer, the hull is planked and needs sanding. A lot of sanding, and I need all the help I can get. Thanks Tom Mac [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.home.repair/Y0lV0QrgYrc](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.home.repair/Y0lV0QrgYrc) [Milogarage STINK BLOCK body&paint Ops. - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS708AAnBDg) (about 4:30) ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/11 "2017-08-23T16:10:43Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Thanks for providing the missing link in your chain of assertions. > > That said, that’s a 2015 patent and I can’t find evidence that it’s been applied yet. Of course, if you were using FoamGlas ™ products off-label, that’s interesting, but I doubt a recent patent would be granted if the exact application had been advertised “As seen on TV!” before that time. (Assuming it was that far back. I don’t remember the advertisements at all, and googling “As seen on TV!” doesn’t return anything resembling what OP described. I noted the recent patent date too…but I think the focus of this particular patent is in the material manufacture. It looks to be a different process than the original sulfurous blowing agent. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/12 "2017-08-23T16:15:04Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > and prevent getting my butt kicked by Gnoitall > > [http://forum.woodenboat.com/archive/index.php/t-198157.html](http://forum.woodenboat.com/archive/index.php/t-198157.html) > [Redirecting to Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.home.repair/Y0lV0QrgYrc) > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS708AAnBDg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS708AAnBDg) (about 4:30) :o Sorry if I came off hostile. I admit mentioning reporting was a bit douchy; but at least I held off because I figured you had are a reasonable chance of good intentions. > [@Sigene](#): > > I noted the recent patent date too…but I think the focus of this particular patent is in the material manufacture. It looks to be a different process than the original sulfurous blowing agent. Yeah, that’s a good point. Maybe a formulation of foam glass less likely to cause [silicosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis) after a few years. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/13 "2017-08-23T16:35:49Z")
**gnoitall** , you need a chocolate cupcake. With Sprinkles. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/14 "2017-08-23T17:29:34Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I’m very close to reporting your post as subject-irrelevant spam. I’m very close to reporting your post as junior modding. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-furniture-stripping-blocks/794463/15 "2017-08-23T18:48:38Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > **gnoitall** , you need a chocolate cupcake. With Sprinkles. Maybe he needs a Snickers.