Thread: Is it ivory or bone?

I bought three razor off ebay for $5 solely for the scales. One of the razors has scales that are definitely either Ivory or Bone, but I can't tell which. The grain is tight and under 30x magnification I can see fine striations running the length of the scales, same direction as the grain. They are vary smooth to the touch and are yellowed. They are in need of cleaning though. Is there a simple way to tell the difference?

Richard,
In my experience with eBay and Ivory and bone razors I have found the following:

If the seller says it is Ivory it is always celluloid

If the seller says it is bone it is usually celluloid but maybe Ivory.

If the seller says it is plastic it is usually plastic but probably cracked.

If the handle is white and the seller says nothing at all about it's makeup it may well be Ivory but is still probably cracked.

If the seller does say it is cracked that defect is likely the least of the things wrong with it.

If it is Ivory and not cracked someone else will snipe it from you anyway so why bother.

Tony....who usually prefers to buy new now days......Miller

Thanks Tony, my experiences are similar. The seller in this case made no claims. I can tell it's a natural material. In a couple of areas it goes from smooth to grain, the way bone and ivory look when you slice through the surface and into the interior layers. The grain looks tighter than the bone I'm familiar with. That's why I think it may be ivory. But I'd like to know for sure as that will affect how I go about cleaning it. The blade on the other hand is a piece of, well you know.

Richard...

This subject was already covered in this thread...

http://tinyurl.com/pl6hl

If you send me a good pic, I will be able to tell you. Just remember, celluloid can fool you.

Sorry for the repeat. Thanks Bill, I'll try to get a good picture to send you when I get home this afternoon.