Thread: scales are discolored

Hi all,

So I purchased this razor at an antique shop. The blade looked to be in good condition, and I knew the scales needed a bit of help, but could be salvaged - or so I thought. Looked like just some soap spots, and just old age perhaps. Nothing a little elbow grease can't handle...

Anyway, I got it home, polished the blade, and took a bit of MAAS to the scales. Suddenly, it appears the one scale is way off color. In addition, the scales have an odd smell. Like burnt rubber. I've never had issues with using MAAS on scales before. Now I'm wondering if the scales are off gassing, or if the MAAS affected the one scale. Which would be strange b/c the other scale seems unaffected.

The razor itself doesn't show signs of cell rot. So I'm left wondering what the issue might be?

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I am guessing the scales are made of vulcanite, a hard black vulcanized rubber. The scales probably now have a brownish tinge and smell like Sulphur. I would rub them down with some glycerin and see if that helps.

You can do a site search under "vulcanite scales" for more info and ideas.

Bob

Definitely appear to be Vulcanite. The smell is most likely due to fresh surface oxidation being exposed by the polishing. You can use very fine wet/dry sandpaper if you like (I always unpin and wet sand), or you can keep at it with the Maas polish. Once you are through the oxidation, they will be shiny black and virtually odorless. I use a little carnauba wax after polishing to help protect the surface and slow the onset of oxidation.

Thanks for the advice. I hit them with wet/dry 1000 grit wet sanded. Left with a light/dull finish. A bit of MAAS didn't seem to help. Might try the wax, or keep at it with the 1000 grit for a while

I usually go up to 1500 or 2000 grit and then hit them with plastic compound on an unstitched cotton wheel at medium speed.

If you can find info about buffing tobacco pipe stems, that is the same stuff they used on the older pipes. Some still use it nowadays.

these scales are made from vulcanite/ebonite, a kind of rubber with a very high content of sulphur. when exposed to daylight/sunlight/UV the material oxidizes and changes its colour to a greenish brown.

from wikipedia ("ebonite"):

Under the influence of the ultraviolet portion in daylight hard rubber oxidizes and exposure to moisture bonds water with free sulfur on the surface creating sulfates and sulfuric acid at the surface that are very hygroscopic. The sulfates condense water from the air, forming a hydrophilic film with favorable wettability characteristics on the surface.[6] These aging processes will gradually discolor the surface grayish green to brown and cause rapid deterioration of electric surface resistivity.

the sulphuric acid is aggressive and will eventually damage the steel. so keep razors with ebonite scales in the dark to save them from a slow death...

regards,
hans

In my experience Ebonite does well with sanding up to 1k or 1.5k and finished with some white rouge. The more aggressive rouges leave a kind of cloudy finish but the white gets them glossy black. Keep them moving on the wheel to avoid heating them up and causing more oxidation. They don't seem to like hot water or dish soap either. I would also avoid metal polishes with solvents in them.

Yup, also known as Gutta Percha. 000 steel wool and Mr Clean Magic Eraser, Green and White compound will get them gleaming.

I use a worn 600 grit greaseless on a sewn cotton wheel to remove the oxidized, then buff with green greased and finish on white compound. Also works great on pipes and stems.

If doing by hand, 000 steel wool, rubbing compound or 600 and 1k wet and dry, finish with Novus Plastic polish. They will turn black again once the oxidation is removed.