Thread: A sure test for ivory scales

Originally Posted by Louis

I have a razor that I picked up off the bay for cheap, and the seller (who had tons of odds and ends for sale but only one razor) said that the scales were celluloid. I'm not sure if they are ivory or celluloid, so this thread interested me. I did the pin test on the inside of the scales and it didn't melt. I couldn't smell anything as I'm getting over a cold. I can see that there are very FEW small spots of what I guess you could compare to wood fibers after rough sanding with high grit, fraying on the inside of the scales. I haven't tried the "clanking on teeth" or shining up tests yet. The pins do not have any washers, and there is a hairline crack at the wedge end on one side. The wedge is metal of some type. I'm hoping that they are Ivory but if not no love lost for this razor, considering it only cost 13 bucks shipped and it will be a good shaver once I get it cleaned up & shave ready. I know that you guys can't be certain looking at pics but would love to hear your thoughts. Also if anyone has any info they can share with me about this Bingham razor I would appreciate it. Bingham is the only mark on the razor, & I couldn't find anything except info on tally ho razors when searching.

Thanks
Louis.

That is almost certainly ivory. Celluloid is too perfect. This isn't perfect. Bone is all gritty, this is nice and smooth.

It's ivory.

That is ivory. I had the exact same razor but one side of the scales was broken beyond repair.

well, everyone here seems to know a lot about ivory, so here is my razor, i believe it to have either ivory or bone, though i cant tell which (if it is even one of them)
i have a bone hook necklace (i know it is bone) that i ahve tapped against my teeth, and the scales have been tapped against my teeth as well, they make different sounds
one of the pins has a washer, one of the pins have no washers
there is a crack in the scales
the wedge in the scales is made of metal
there are no markings of any sort on the razor except for a number scratched into the handle
i can give any more information that is asked for

here is some pictures of the razor, the pictures have been "enhanced" so they are not the true color, they seem to be a little lighter than the pictures portray.
what do yall think?

For a minute I thought they were bone by the pivot pin having a washer but now I see that the spacer pin doesn't have a spacer. Because the pins are different I would guess that this razor was re-scaled. Because of the washerless pin on the spacer end, the crack on the same end ant the thinness of the scales my guess would be ivory.

I'm not going to lie.

I think the photos are terrible. If you take better photos with the razor against non-clashing background (blue, white, etc) that would help immensely, and try and do something about the lighting.

Based on what I can see, I suspect they ARE ivory, but without clearer (and preferrably, closer) photos, I wouldn't be entirely sure. They certainly look like it. They have the characteristics of ivory, but the colour looks wrong. If they are ivory, that's the yellowest ivory I've seen in years. The first photograph is uncertain. The secon photograph, maybe. The last photograph, they look like plastic.

The simplest, non-destructive test I've ever come across for determining genuine ivory came from an ivory specialist on Antiques Roadshow. Hold the scales horizontal to the floor and look for the Schreger lines. Then, slowly rotate the scales as if they are hands on a clock. The Schreger lines will fade in and out, appear and disappear, at every quarter hour. (The quarter hour is my own estimation.) Celluloid won't do this.

That's my favorite ivory trick.

Christopher

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Very nice,You need to see the end cut to see the Lines,but as others have said,once you hold a pce, you will know real ivory.

Beautiful examples, Bill!

Some ivorine celluloid can have a pretty convincing-looking fake grain, but it tends to be larger-scale and suspiciously regular. Ivory is also (one of the reasons for its desirability) slightly less slippery when wet.

In the first pic the markings on the scales towards the top of the scale is not characteristic of Ivory, more of bone. But, it's hard to tell.

Originally Posted by Geezer

they also may crack if you try to re-tighten them.
Respectfully
~Richard

oops
later learned