Childhood memory of repairing my agates

[jetrader]

Sixty-five years old, attempting to explain the game of marbles to my grandkids. As a kid in WV, I was quite a hustler in a 5 or 6 foot dirt ring, but was never able to win the city tournaments playing on a hard wooden surface in the '50s. My reason for registering is to ask a question that may seem crazy to others. As a kid, I was the proud owner of two agate shooters. After a day a shooting in the neighborhood, by agates would have numerous small moon-shaped cracks in them. I was told that the cracks must be repaired, or the marble would ultimately crack. To fix the cracks, I would wrap the agates in raw bacon and place them in the refrig over night. The next day, the "moons" were gone. Am I crazy, or can someone substantiate my memory? Thanks.

[That Girl]

Hi.

That's cool. Wrapping in bacon is a twist on what I've heard before. I think I've heard a couple of similar stories. One version was to put it in lard overnight.

[jetrader]

Sixty-five years old, attempting to explain the game of marbles to my grandkids. As a kid in WV, I was quite a hustler in a 5 or 6 foot dirt ring, but was never able to win the city tournaments playing on a hard wooden surface in the '50s. My reason for registering is to ask a question that may seem crazy to others. As a kid, I was the proud owner of two agate shooters. After a day a shooting in the neighborhood, by agates would have numerous small moon-shaped cracks in them. I was told that the cracks must be repaired, or the marble would ultimately crack. To fix the cracks, I would wrap the agates in raw bacon and place them in the refrig over night. The next day, the "moons" were gone. Am I crazy, or can someone substantiate my memory? Thanks.

Thanks for helping me realize that I'm not nuts.

[That Girl]

No problem! :D

[MC Marbles]

I think the grease would migrate into the stone and cover up the faults.

But Repaired???

[lstmmrbls]

A soak in a can of Crisco was another temporary repair for agates