Thread: Is this cell rot?

It doesn't look like cell rot to me.

It's hard to tell if it's Ivory or not. There are some good imitations but it's true the Heljestrands often did come with Ivory. I used to have one.

Originally Posted by kyriakos

Thanks Peter for your answer.
The point is that the yellowing is on both sides at the same height. That is where the scales close

Yes sure. But if you oil the razor with a non-resin-free oil and store it for a long time, the oil that is on the spine and the free blade is drying and dissappears or is whipped-off. I recently acuired a large collection of old razors where the collector does good withoiling.... The blades were hardly to move out from the scales, so thick was the resinfied oil. And above the scales there was blank iron on the blade.

So I think a good chance to get a great razor if the price is right to capture the risk of being damaged in any way.
Regards Peter

Thank you all of you gentlemen.
You are a wealth of knowledge!!!

You might want to try wiping down the blade with WD-40 or use OOOO grade steel wool and some WD-40 to see if it will remove the staining. If I was a betting man, I would wager good money that those are original Ivory scales. They appear thin enough and are peened without collars. Then there is the schreger lines in the scales themselves.

Bob

Could have been stored near a set that were off gassing.

If there is some unknown material transferred on the steel, dried oil or other foreign matter, acetone might be a good option. I don't know if acetone would affect the scales , but I would ensure the acetone only contacts the steel. It is a bulletproof cleaner for steel. Like to see it when you get it cleaned up.

To me that looks like a trick of the light. Sometimes blades can get those little spots that are visible by not drying the scales inside thoroughly and closing the razor before it is completely dry.

Those scales are thin like ivory but the flat face doesn't really look like it to me. Again, that could be a trick of the light. I lean towards saying that they are ivory mainly because of how thin they are. Here's a tip though. You will hear people say, "It is ivory because the pins have no collars." Often that is true but not always. I have 2 razors in my collection that are ivory but have collars on the pins. Also I just restored a razor for another member that has collarless pins on the scales and they definitely are not ivory. Don't go by that. It is a hint but not conclusive.

I hope it turns out well for you. Give us some good pictures.of your own when you get it.