# Talc - Why do we call it that?



## Redeye (4 Jun 2008)

This is something that has bothered me for years even though it's so mindless.

Why on earth do we call acetate or mylar trace film "talc" in the CF?  I'd love to know how that got started since there's no real connection to talc (foot powder)?

If anyone happens to know the origin of this I'm actually really curious.


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## McG (4 Jun 2008)

Prior to acetate & the Staedtler marker, Talc paper was used for map overlays.


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## Redeye (4 Jun 2008)

Aha.  I've never heard of talc paper - off to Google I go, then!

I figured there was a simple explanation.  Now I'm not so curious!


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## Old Sweat (4 Jun 2008)

What we used to call talc was clear plastic, either stiff for use on map boards, or fairly flexible for use as overlays. We could draw on it with grease pencils and stadlers, but not with ball points. Pencils worked on some types. (This was also before the introduction of the felt tip.)


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## Roy Harding (4 Jun 2008)

Old Sweat said:
			
		

> What we used to call talc was clear plastic, either stiff for use on map boards, or fairly flexible for use as overlays. We could draw on it with grease pencils and stadlers, but not with ball points. Pencils worked on some types. (This was also before the introduction of the felt tip.)



And we used moistened paper towels or rags dipped into cigarette ashes to erase the grease pencil.


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## Blackadder1916 (4 Jun 2008)

Roy Harding said:
			
		

> And we used moistened paper towels or rags dipped into cigarette ashes to erase the grease pencil.



Yes, but in the fd amb we were smart enough to 'borrow' a bottle of rubbing alcohol or acetone from med stores.


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## Old Sweat (4 Jun 2008)

Grease pencil could also be cleaned off talc by some stuff that I think we used to call type cleaner.


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## Haggis (4 Jun 2008)

"Back in the day" rolls of this transparent overlay film used to be infused with talcum powder to prevent the layers from sticking together.  Perhaps this is how the name came about?


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## McG (4 Jun 2008)

Surprisingly, talc has been used as an additive in the production of both plastic transparency sheets & paper.


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## Franko (4 Jun 2008)

Seems that there are a plethora of things in the CF that don't resemble the things that they are...talc is a great example.

How about chits? Where did Leagers come from? Harbours don't look like a body of water....buchshee, what the blazes?

Something to ponder.

Regards


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## Fishbone Jones (5 Jun 2008)

Buchshee or buckshee was originally (IIRC) Egyptian _baksheesh_, for gratuity or bribe,  and /or Persian _bakhshish_, for gift or present. It fits in with what we call buckshee - 'It's free'


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## Michael OLeary (5 Jun 2008)

Chit was also picked up by the British Army in India:



> chit
> "note," 1776, from Mahrati *(Hindi) chitthi "letter, note,"* from Skt. chitra-s "distinctively marked."



http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/chit


And our usage for leager (laager) comes from the South African War:



> Laager
> Laa"ger\, n. [D., also leger. Cf. 2d Leaguer, Lair.] A camp, esp. one with an inclosure of travelers' wagons for temporary defense. [South Africa]
> 
> Wagons . . . can be readily formed into a laager, a camp, by being drawn into a circle, with the oxen placed inside and so kept safe from the attacks of wild beasts. --James Bryce.



http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laager


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## Bzzliteyr (5 Jun 2008)

smarty pants...


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## TrexLink (16 Jul 2008)

'Harbour' can mean a body of water, but the important thing is that it is a sheltered or safe body of water. One can also 'harbour' something or somebody, the connotation being that of making or keeping safe. Given the strong naval ties to armoured terminology, an armoured harbour is a place which has been so chosen and arranged as to be as safe as possible.


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## Hawk (16 Jul 2008)

Are heated canned tomatoes for breakfast still called red lead in the Navy?


Hawk


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## Harley Sailor (16 Jul 2008)

Hawk said:
			
		

> Are heated canned tomatoes for breakfast still called red lead in the Navy?
> 
> 
> Hawk



MMmmmmm they were 7 years ago when I last sailed.


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