Thread: Cell Rot Project

Originally Posted by cmsessa

Interesting, I thought it was the environment which caused the rust. I will be googling for the next hour

Environment does make a difference.
Cell rot is about the type of material used to make scales at one time, and found on countless vintage razors.

Its not a "IF" they break down and start gassing, because they all will "EVENTUALLY".

Originally Posted by outback

No its not touching the blade, its in there to see how fast, fresh steel reacts to the gas being given off by the scales. It too is a hardened steel. It's a project that may help folks understand the effects of cell rot, and how it will effect other items/ razors around them, and how fast it can do it. Also how to identify it in its earlier stages.

Here's one caught early.
I keep it separate from all my others, even a different room. I check it weekly, and keep the scales slathered in pure silicone, and the blade coated in mineral oil. You can see the discoloration in the scales at the wedge pin, and near the heel of the blade. By doing these things I've kept the gasses from attacking the blade, but eventually they'll have to be discarded and new scales installed.
But for now, its all original.

A little silicone on a Q-Tips or pipe cleaner, and rub off the haze, but it won't remove the discoloration.

Might have to do that every two months, good thing you made me look.

Thanks
Mike

Keep an eye on that wedge! Those scales like that often have a wedge that blows up quickly.
~Richard

Originally Posted by Geezer

Keep an eye on that wedge! Those scales like that often have a wedge that blows up quickly.
~Richard

Thanks for the Intel Richard.
I just restored it a bit over a year ago, and had B52 replate it. (Genco Gold Seal). At that time, the wedge felt good.
But I'll keep an eye in it. [emoji6]

Mike,
This is a very interesting post.
I wonder if there were different grades of celluloid back then?
It seems that some razors are much more prone to developing cell got than others. E.g..Otto Deutsch
I have a Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett - Rev-o-Noc with what looks to be the same translucent yellow scales. I've had it for a couple of years with no I'll effects. Might have to put it in quarantine!

Pete <:-}

Originally Posted by petercp4e

Mike,
This is a very interesting post.
I wonder if there were different grades of celluloid back then?
It seems that some razors are much more prone to developing cell got than others. E.g..Otto Deutsch
I have a Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett - Rev-o-Noc with what looks to be the same translucent yellow scales. I've had it for a couple of years with no I'll effects. Might have to put it in quarantine!

Pete <:-}

It is very important you mentioned the yellow colored celluloid scales as yellow and clear (the clear scales on some Double Duck razors) seem to have the main problem with cell rot. A while back I had a Sansoucci that had tortoise shell looking scales (see pics) and they left the pattern of the clear part of the scales on the blade. I gave the blade a good cleaning and a new set of scales.

Originally Posted by DoughBoy68

It is very important you mentioned the yellow colored celluloid scales as yellow and clear (the clear scales on some Double Duck razors) seem to have the main problem with cell rot. A while back I had a Sansoucci that had tortoise shell looking scales (see pics) and they left the pattern of the clear part of the scales on the blade. I gave the blade a good cleaning and a new set of scales.

I restored one of those for AlanQ, for the very same reason. Cell rot was creeping in. He tried to unpin it, but the scales broke. He sent me all the pieces, and I made new shoes for it, and cleaned up the blade. BTW exact same scales as yours.

Awesome thread and experiment outback. Nice work leading the charge in Cell Rot Awareness! It will be interesting to see that fish hook later on.

Is that hook blued Mike?
It would be interesting to see is bluing changes how fast the hardened steel react to the cell rot.

FWW/YMMV...yes there were various grades of celluloid.
The quality was, and is, determined by the final removal of the acid and an aging process. The cheapest was the white inside of the krackle scales and much of the lighter colored wedge material. The clear used in some of the tortoise scales was probably rushed due to the popularity of the scales. (FWW...celluloid I'd still used in the finest of ink pens, with manufacturers bragging rights for years of aging. Some designs cannot be duplicated by other materials.)

IMO, the faux tortoise and ambers are the worst. Green translucent, some yellows, can be horrendous as well. I have a few which have it, waiting to get some acrylic Faux Tortoise ones done for them.

Still, the things involve inlay transfers .
I keep the blades open, Tufglide on them...And Silicone slathered on the scales with good ventilation (KEY!).

I stored them for a few months closed recently. Two of 6 has a misting of light rust as I unpacked them. Came off, but lots was learned!
Had I left them and the others packed in a plastic tote for a few years...It all would be sprinkled..
Like the guy with the pink ruler on the fleabay.....

Think I will take the worst one (Craftsman), and fine steel-wool the scales, and mist them with clear wheel-coating as I have done to others. They might not gas out if totally sealed?
Oh.. That would involve total disassembly and coating the wedge as well.....

By and large, my celluloid is holding-up well in a decent environment.
Extreme hot, cold, inadequate ventilation, and humidity changes are bad.
Eliminate that on nice ones and they seem happy.

Anyway, no substitute for the cool things they did with celluloid, no doubt!