# Is this carboy safe to use?



## Stressbaby (Jul 19, 2013)

A friend gave me 2 5-gallon carboys. One is unribbed, but it has a strange series of circular cracks in the bottom. It holds water. Has anyone seen this before?


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## Julie (Jul 19, 2013)

It's good, my Italian carboys are like that, can you see where it says Made in Italy?


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## djrockinsteve (Jul 19, 2013)

Time to start fermenting. 

I have some carboys like that too.


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## the_rayway (Jul 19, 2013)

Purely decorative. I've got a few like that too.


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## pjd (Jul 20, 2013)

I have several just like that one. All in regular use.


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## Stressbaby (Jul 20, 2013)

Excellent! 
It doesn't say Made in Italy but it has a diamond with an "I" in it on the bottom.
Thanks, everyone for the replies!


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## jamesngalveston (Jul 20, 2013)

was made 1915 up to 1929 by the Illinois glass company. They often added either a pattern to the bottom, so as to make it less slippery. Some double fired them, making a crackle bottom to give the bottom extra strength. If your scared to use, ill pay shipping, you can send to me..
Use it.....


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## Stressbaby (Jul 21, 2013)

Thanks James. It is, indeed, from the Illinois Glass Company, the markings match up. Almost 100 years old!

I wasn't worried about the crackle bottom but rather these cracks which make a circle roughly 3-4" in diameter around the diamond-I. Pretty sure it is not decorative, though.


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## jamesngalveston (Jul 21, 2013)

they had all kinds of markings, depending on what was to be put in them.


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## BernardSmith (Jul 21, 2013)

Whoa Nelly! I think Stressbaby is perhaps referring to the circular pattern of cracks and not the dimples that are part of the design. If the cracks are on the outside and don't go through to the inside that may indicate one possible source of weakness in the integrity of the glass. If the cracks are on the inside they may harbor dirt and other microbial material not to say fine shards of glass. I would suggest caution.


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## WI_Wino (Jul 21, 2013)

Stressbaby said:


> A friend gave me 2 5-gallon carboys. One is unribbed, but it has a strange series of circular cracks in the bottom. It holds water. Has anyone seen this before?



I have several with that same circular pattern. I've never worried about it before. Scratching my finger nail across the bottoms, mine appear to be cosmetic scratches to me, not structural.


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## jamesngalveston (Jul 21, 2013)

if those are cracks, as in not mfg made, i would toss it...no since in putting yourself in harms way just for a batch of wine


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## vacuumpumpman (Jul 21, 2013)

Stressbaby said:


> A friend gave me 2 5-gallon carboys. One is unribbed, but it has a strange series of circular cracks in the bottom. It holds water. Has anyone seen this before?



Yes I have the same exact carboy - the date on mine is 1974 and it has the identical circular cracks like yours has as well as the crackle bottom. Mine has been in use and I have no intention on not using it because of them.I have several of these - I believe it must be a manufacture marks or such as there are too many similar carboy markings out there.


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## Julie (Jul 21, 2013)

Stressbaby, I have a couple of these and like WI_Wino says they are cosmetic.


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## cedarswamp (Jul 21, 2013)

Likely something similar to this...







"Suction scar or mark - The suction scar is the diagnostically distinctive mark on the base of a bottle produced by the Owens Automatic Bottle Machine. The mark was caused by the mechanical blade or knife which cut off the glass being drawn upwards into the parison or blank mold via a suction process"


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## jamesngalveston (Jul 21, 2013)

cedarswamp..I was hoping the bottle expert would pick this thread up
,so there man made marks, not cracks..
by the way, do they have cedar swamps in new jersey


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## Stressbaby (Jul 21, 2013)

Thank you, Bernard for the clarification. You are correct, I'm asking about the cracks.

Thanks everyone for the reassurance, and thanks cedarswamp for the explanation.


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## cedarswamp (Jul 21, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> cedarswamp..I was hoping the bottle expert would pick this thread up
> ,so there man made marks, not cracks..
> by the way, do they have cedar swamps in new jersey



I dabble in glassblowing on a torch, they looked like chill marks to me so I googled, got lucky. 

The Jersey pine barrens are loaded with white cedar swamps, not to mention being the home of the Jersey Devil.


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## kevinlfifer (Jul 22, 2013)

If those were stress cracks they would head off in any and every direction. Even small temp. changes would worsen them quickly. I think your quite safe to use it.


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## ammymorcle (Jul 26, 2013)

Yes, these are good..


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## Thig (Sep 18, 2013)

I didn't notice this ding until I had already vacuum racked this carboy full of fruit cocktail wine.


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## dralarms (Sep 18, 2013)

I'd get that out NOW. A flaw is one thing but that's taken a hit from sokmnething. You are about to loose that batch. IMHO.


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## vacuumpumpman (Sep 18, 2013)

It is only a matter of time - like a windshield - all of a sudden the temperature changes and bam !!! You have a full blown crack instead of a dimple. When will that happen ???? How's your luck been lately ?


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## Thig (Sep 18, 2013)

dralarms said:


> I'd get that out NOW. A flaw is one thing but that's taken a hit from sokmnething. You are about to loose that batch. IMHO.



Going tomorrow to get a new 3 gallon carboy, my other 3 are full.


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