Celluloid shelf life?

Does celluloid have a fixed shelf life? Will these scales *eventually* start to break down and "rot"?

-Chief

They are just unstable making them hard to predict. Some have been around over 100 years and are fine and some, well, their toast. If exposed to sunlight, heat, any harsh or even mild chemicals that can set them off. Also the clearer varieties seem less stable than opaque ones.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

They are just unstable making them hard to predict. Some have been around over 100 years and are fine and some, well, their toast. If exposed to sunlight, heat, any harsh or even mild chemicals that can set them off. Also the clearer varieties seem less stable than opaque ones.

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It has been about three years since I gave this much thought or did any research but I had discovered that in many cases the coloring additive in the celluloid will make a difference in its stability. The swirling yellow and swirling green handles are the most volatile. Black is most stable.