Rosin taken when melting it. It is soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene and chloroform. Rosin consists mainly of abietic acid, and combines with caustic alkalis to form salts (rosinates or pinates) that are known as rosin soaps. In addition to its extensive use in soap making, rosin is largely employed in making varnishes (including fine violin varnishes), sealing wax and various adhesives. It is also used for preparing shoemakers' wax, for pitching lager beer casks, and numerous other purposes such as providing backing surfaces to tin ware, copper ware, or even silver and gold vessels when embossing or engraving them (its
Hanna Rosin She graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1987, where she won a number of competitions on the debate team with her partner David Coleman. She attended Stanford University, and is married to "Atlas Obscura" CEO David Plotz; they live in Washington, D.C. with their three children. Rosin is a co-founder of Slate magazine's DoubleX, a women's site. She is also a writer for "The Atlantic". She has written for "The Washington Post", "The New Yorker", "GQ" and "New York" after beginning her career as a staff writer for "The New Republic". Rosin has also appeared on "The Daily Show" and