Scotch tape. That’s one of the trademark names that has become so common that it’s almost forgotten that there was a time without it. Look on every desk in America, or in at least one kitchen drawer, and I’ll bet you find a roll or two. How could we do without it these days? From a child on, we’re taught how useful it is for so many things.

Tapes have been around for hundred of years. Most were made from sticky things found in nature, tree sap, beeswax, etc. Of course they had there limits of usefulness. In the mid 1800’s a pressure sensitive rubber tape was used for surgery, but it did not stay sticky for long. Painters started demanding better tapes in the 1920’s to get sharp lines between colors on automobiles. That’s when 3M got in to the act.

A 3M lab worker named Richard Drew devised a paper-backed tape with rubber adhesive, a forunner of masking tape. When a painter complained that 3M’s stingy Scotch bosses were not putting on enough adhesive, the name stuck (pardon the pun!). They like the name because it signaled an economical product, and thus was born Scotch tape. Nowadays synthetic polymers have replaced the rubber adhesive, and the backing has many forms that give the clear, satin or glossy finish.

I find it funny that people get so particular about the Scotch tape. Some people, like me, like real cellophane tape in the big rolls, 3/4″ wide on the big heavy desktop dispenser. Others like the clear rolls on the little disposable dispensers. Some like the satin rolls, especially when used for gift wrapping. There are many choices and people get as picky with tape as they do with their coffee. Kind of shows how dependent we get on certain items, which I find interesting, especially when it wasn’t too long ago that such a product didn’t even exist.

Thanks again to Vince Staten for the facts on this sticky subject.

-Clark