Thread: Scale material

I'm sure this in an ignorant question, but how can you tell what type of material your scales are made of? Thanks much.

Is there a particular razor in question here?

Experience. Eventually you can tell what the material is from a quick glance. Most natural material like horn will stink like burnt hair if you touch it with a hot pin. It will also have a grain from the growth of the horn If it has bug bites in it it is horn. Horn will also de-laminate over time which will show as silver pocket around the perimeter of black buffalo. translucent Buffalo/Ox de-laminates it gets a bubble in the scale look and is almost always in horizontal lines along the grain of the horn. Ivory is usually cut thin and has a distinct yellow appearance from time. If you look at it closely you will see a texture in it. That is the growth ring from the tusk, like the rings in a tree. There is also a French Ivory which is an imitation ivory. It will yellow over time and has a grain but looks fake. Bone will also yellow over time but tends to be cut thicker and will have pores not growth rings/grain. Bakelite is brittle and hard where celluloid and plastic are more pliable. Tortuous is quite distinct and you simply know it when you see it although there are some imitation tortuous made from printed horn. The acrylic tortuous looks fake.

I was just wondering in general. Thank you both.