I have 5 metal Plate playable One Sided Discs that i acquired from Gary S (Black Knight Records) Many years ago when i went over to purchase Vinyl off him, if i remember rightly he gave them to me. They are 12" Dull metal Discs on Blank side and Shiny Silver on the A side, with the record cut like a 7" single in the Middle. They are in brown card board sleeves all of which have an address and Phone number on and the proposed Record number on each enclosed Disc.

Would love to know if anyone else has come across these on their travels or know the why's where's and when's on them.

They certainly are unusual, A shame i can't take Pics of them so given as much info as i can with what vi have, so over to you Guys for any info or ideas on them.

Thank You In Advance...Rick  

PLASTICS PRODUCT CO.

MANUFACTURERS OF PHONOGRAPH RECORDS AND TAPES

MEMPHIS TENN. 3808 PHONE 276-7160

On Sleeve Disc 1 - Select O Hit 070           PR 070 Scratched on run out + MHC

  ..       ..     Disc 2 - Select 0 Hit 071            PR 071  + MHC

  ..       ..     Disc 3 - Philwood 016        Just 016 scratched on run out

  ..       ..     Disc 4 - Philwood 090        PR 090 scratched on run out + 665 + MHC   +665 Written on sleeve  

  ..       ..     Disc 5 - Philwood 091         PR 091 scratched on run out + 666 + MHC

  ..       ..     Disc 6 - Philwood 093        PR-093 and another + 859 and MHC            + P.P. 859 Written on Sleeve

 

 

 

 

 

This might help identify the recordings - https://www.discogs.com/label/156831-Philwood?page=1
From your description, these sound like stampers or lacquers maybe? 

If they're metal then they'll be stampers made from the original lacquer.

They might look 'playable' at first glance but they're a negative impression and the 'grooves' are in fact raised so they cannot be played.

@Rick Scott

Hi Rick, where ( town or state) did you visit Gary S.?

Gary / Black Knight was based out of Sheffield (if my memory ain't playing tricks on me).

 

Just for the Record 🤣 All these Discs ARE Playable And yes Roburt you are Correct, Gary Based in Sheffield With his Black Knight Record Lists until he became rather ill with MS i believe They are nothing but metal so just a silver looking disc so i only played them the once as wouldn't do the stylus much good.

Edited September 4, 2024Sep 4 by Rick Scott
correction

Just Re Played all the discs mentioned and sound quality is good, all very early 60s soul, all but one are down beat and nothing great bar the Phil - Wood 093     (Pi Pi 859)  Which is a not a too bad up- tempo Gospel type dancer with male vocal with "I DON'T KNOW" sang a lot with  Female singers interjecting ,Some body help me - Sweet Jesus, and the Devil  gets a mention or two

The record starts with twanging lead guitar and male singer singing (Not counting in) ONE - TWO- THREE - FOUR over the guitar with a couple of seconds between each number sang  before getting into the I Don't Know etc Routine, i'm trying to be helpful here as not techi  minded enough to put a sound bite up but somebody into Gospel might recognise it as it best of the bunch,

So still curious about why the discs are cut on this silver plate so that they can be played ?

I did find one record on Discogs On Select O - Hit Label  By The Right Combination (s-o -h 023)

A) Everything i do

B) How can your heart be free (when your love belongs to me

Mastered at Master Craft

Pressed by Plastic Products

B side better side of the two but not great.

 

 

 

   

On 03/09/2024 at 13:54, Rick Scott said:

any info or ideas on them.

 

Disc 3 - Philwood 016
Sons Of Harmony – I Can't Pay The Lord - PHILWOOD 209
https://www.discogs.com/release/12017331-The-Sons-Of-Harmony-I-Cant-Pay-The-Lord

Disc 4 - Philwood 090
Disc 5 - Philwood 091
Noah's Ark - Headline News / After The Rain - PHILWOOD 250
https://www.discogs.com/release/10012130-Noahs-Ark-Headline-News-After-The-Rain-Well-Be-Singing-In-The-Sunshine

Disc 6 - Philwood 093
7 Bros. - I Don't Know What The World Is Coming To - PHILWOOD 251
https://www.discogs.com/release/6717457-7-Bros-Hell-Make-A-Way-I-Dont-Know-What-The-World-Is-Coming-To

Around 1965, 1566 Lookout Drive (address on some Philwood 45's) was the address of the publicity officer for WTGR that broadcast from the studios of WKNO educational TV station (as part of the speech and drams dept) at Memphis State Uni.

Thanks all you guys for your help and contributions.

would still like to know why a studio would make metal tin plate discs that you can actually play rather than say, acetates etc, for what purpose? but i think only the people that made them would have the answer to that one 😕 

I BELIEVE what you have are the LACQUERS made as the first step of going from a taped track to a vinyl record. The lacquers are then used to make the stampers (which are a mirror-image of the lacquer and therefore are not playable. The purpose of the lacquer is purely to allow the stamper (which goes in the pressing machine) to be made. 

They have a very short life if played. In the 'factory' they would most likely be played once to check there were no faults (jumps, clicks, skips) before being used to produce the stamper.

Don't shoot me if I'm wrong, but that's my reading on things.

1 hour ago, Roburt said:

Don't shoot me if I'm wrong, but that's my reading on things.

Wouldn't dream of it Roburt as i think that sounds like it is as close as we are going to get on an answer to my question, so thank you so much for that, most helpful Rick

A video of a Detroit pressing plant ... showing a lacquer in the owner's hand ...

see around 1m 20 secs in ...

 

Edited September 7, 2024Sep 7 by Roburt