Thread: These scales cannot be original... right?

Hello Forum!

I have a razor which I quite like, marked 'Ramon, Paris':



However, the blade seems too big for the scales:



In fact if you look at the underside of the wedge, the wedge overlaps the end of the blade by several millimetres"



The bottom of the wedge extends much further between the scales than the top of the wedge, and the blade rests against the wedge when between the scales:



These are replacement scales which are too small, right? Razors were never intentionally fitted with scales of a size where the blade rests against the wedge, right?

The pins are steel, with no washers, and match each other. I'm double checking, before I start to consider finding a pair of scales which are a better fit.

Thanks, Ed

There is always the possibility that the scales have shrunk from their original size.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

There is always the possibility that the scales have shrunk from their original size.

Hmmm... would that explain the asymmetrical shape of the wedge, longer at the bottom than the top?

Is this a known phenomenon? What materials would shrink? If so, we are talking about a good 10-12mm shrinkage.

You can do a 'Hot Pin Test' to help identify what material the scales are made from

Use a pair of vice grip pliers to hold a straightened paperclip then heat the end of the paperclip till it is red hot--then touch it to the INSIDE of the scales out of sight.

If it smells like burning plastic they are probably celluloid, if they smell like burning hair then they are probably horn and if they smell like burning rubber they are made of rubber.

I've seen celluloid shrink quite a bit and the same with horn/however horn seems to want to twist and bend more than shrink, I haven't played with enough hard rubber to say.

I don't think that the scales have shrunk anywhere near 10mm just saying

Some celluloid scales like the infamous Red Imp are notorious for shrinking.

I don't know the maker off hand for your razor but those don't look original at first impression to me.

Scales get replaced commonly with straights and many times it was with what you had on hand not what was perfect

Originally Posted by cudarunner

You can do a 'Hot Pin Test' to help identify what material the scales are made from

Use a pair of vice grip pliers to hold a straightened paperclip then heat the end of the paperclip till it is red hot--then touch it to the INSIDE of the scales out of sight.

If it smells like burning plastic they are probably celluloid, if they smell like burning hair then they are probably horn and if they smell like burning rubber they are made of rubber.

I've seen celluloid shrink quite a bit and the same with horn/however horn seems to want to twist and bend more than shrink, I haven't played with enough hard rubber to say.

I don't think that the scales have shrunk anywhere near 10mm just saying

These scales are not horn or hard rubber. They seem to be celluloid, but I can't get any camphor smell (or any smell, which also precludes galalith) from them by holding under hot water and rubbing them, so at the moment they are 'celluloid?'.

Anyway, shrunken scales would make me consider the planned scale change in a new light.

Here in the states, the Red Imp, by Case, was notorious for shrinking. So much so, that some would break the blades while in the closed position.





Good part is, you can make shorties out of them.



So no, its not uncommon for some earlier plastics, to shrink.

Looks like they are shrinking and a bit warped. If Celluloid and beginning to kick off, might explain the dark patina on the razor.

Either way will have to be rescaled. Keep an eye on it if you don’t rescale it. I would not store it with other razors. Off gassing takes many forms and aggressiveness.

Originally Posted by outback

Here in the states, the Red Imp, by Case, was notorious for shrinking. So much so, that some would break the blades while in the closed position.

...

So no, its not uncommon for some earlier plastics, to shrink.

Wow! I would never have imagined that the shrinkage could be so severe. I think that is plausible for my razor. The wedge might just have been slowly worn away as the scales shrank. The thing that looks right is the pins, they don't look like they have been replaced.

I've had many vintage razors with this phenomenon, filing a bit off of the wedge with a flat file fixed it in most cases.