Thread: Election Day Top Flight

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

Lovely razor, Tom!

If the scales are celluloid, which they look to be, then they were made in the same way as the ivory effect celluloid scales. These consisted of poured layers of alternating layers of ivory-coloured and milky-clear coloured celluloid, and the pouring went on until a reasonably thick block was produced.

While still wet and 'green' it was sawn into strips at an angle, then pressed back into a block again and seasoned. It was then re-cut and you got all the ivory patterns in it depending on how the first cut was made and how the green block was pressed back together.

Striped celluloid was done a similar way - the layers poured in the same quantity one on top of the other either sliced while green and pressed together again, or sawn into thin strips after seasoning.

One fountainpen maker, Vacumatic, I think, exhausted their stock and since it is no longer available artisans who fix these pens have resorted to cutting thin strips of different coloured celluloids and gluing them together to make a sheet - a very time consuming and costly exercise.

Candy stripe celluloid was used on a number of razors and knives - Case Bros made some, for instance.

Real cellulose - cellulose nitrate - is a very problematical material as far as long term life and storage is involved, but the candy stripe pattern was used with this version first. Later, it was used with Cellulose Acetate. Some people can tell the difference just by feel - cellulose nitrate is slightly warm to the touch and feels like it is slightly wet or oiled as the fingers slip over it with ease, giving it a really nice feel. Cellulose Acetate on the other hand feels like most modern plastics, slightly cool. shiny and smooth but not with that same oily feeling that the cellulose nitrate has.

Both break down over time. Cellulose Nitrate releases a vapour of nitric acid, while celluloid acetate releases a vapour of acetic acid (vingar smell) both of which corrode metal.

Regards,
Neil

Thank You, Neil!
I suppose there were as many formulas for Celluloid as there were makers. Some seem to me to be much better in the long run as others. For instance as in the old Case striped ones you referred to. Those things crumble if you look at them. I am thinking they are of Cellulose Nitrate. Adversely, these on two Genevas I restored a while back are rock-solid with no signs of shrinkage or warpage and feel like modern plastic as do the ones on this Top Flight (Which were originally on a Cattaraugus). From your description, I am supposing these are of Cellulose Acetate.