Thread: Scales oxidizing?

I have 8 English razors all with scales made of a black plastic type material. They are all post 1890. Maybe Bakelite. They all after about 5 or 6 months develop a brownish haze. It takes cutting with 600 grit through the oxidation to bring them back to a black color and then polishing. What is happening to the scales? They are all original. It would be a shame to replace them. I've waxed them after polishing but the haze returns. The blades are not effected by this and are still bright and shiny. Most of the razors are stored in pen boxes that hold about 25 razors. Only the English razors are effected. The side of the razor facing up oxidizes and the down side look nice and shiny. 7 are W&B's and 1 is a Wosty.

Post some photos.

It sounds like one of your celluloid razors scales are breaking down and you are contaminating the bunch.
Separate them out and find out which one or ones is the problem.

Check the blades carefully at the edges and between the scales for light rust and smell. Some may have moisture on the insides of the scales where they are off gassing.

Hopefully it is not cell rot.

Vulcanite will also haze. It is the sulfur more than likely. I use abrasive sponges (up through 12000 grit) to clean and polish my scales and then follow with a very mild metal polish.

My metal polish for scales is Metal 300 made by One Grand, based in Ventura, CA. The guys at the KC meet saw the results.

This polish is made for cleaning and protecting plasticized chrome. The stuff they put on the grill of your vehicle.

It works great on scales.

One Grand > Handcrafted Car Care Products Since 1933 800-782-3329

Dave

I expect they are of an old formula of Bakelite. Old bakelite will brown up. Polishing with Maas or other polish will usually bring back the black luster. I have not ever needed to sand them, just polish to bring back the look.

Like Dave says, they are Vulcanite, aka Hard Rubber (although the process used to make them hard does not leave them in the least bit rubbery!). Old car batteries were made of it, as were bowling balls, pipe stems and fountain pens. It isnt used for battery cases anymore - too brittle, but it is still used in the present day for lots of other things.

The vulcanisation process (Goodyear) involves heat and sulpher. This takes away the natural properties of the rubber, leaving it hard and brittle, but cured. It can no longer be formed into another shape by heat.

Over time, the sulpher attacks the surface of the vulcanite, leaving a surface deposit that develops into a lighter stain, typically light brown or greenish. In the early stages this can be removed quire effectively with fine metal polishes, but it will come back.

Unlike cell rot, this process will not affect the metal of the razor. You often see it on one side of the razor, which leads one to consider that if the razor is laid down it is probably the upper side that gets affected first, possibly by sunlight, so revolving the razors you have periodically might help.

You can often tell if the scales are vulcanite (or ebonite, a similar product) by rapidly rubbing your finger on the scale then smelling it - it will often have the characteristic smell of rubber. Using a cloth to polish off the stain may reveal the smell of rubber, too.

Regards,
Neil

If you scroll down, here are some hints for the care of Vulcanite Leica FAQ — Vulcanite . At a guess it might work on razors scales too.

Bob

Indeed, Neil I have seen many old razors with one scale brown, the other still black. As polishing, they look identical.
I suppose what I have deemed as old bakelite must indeed be vulcanite!

All I have use on these browning/oxidizing scales is some headlight lens polish, some glycerine rubbed in and polished off.

Bob

Back in the day when I smoked pipes,Most all my old Dunhills had Vulcanite Stems.Used toothpaste to polish them.

I am convinced the sunlight is a major factor in hazing hard rubber. Had a pipe displayed for many years, never smoked and the sulfur almost made the stem useless.

One treatment that does help Vulcanite is a rubber/plastic reconditioning liquid like ArmorAll. I use ERV from the same supplier as the Metal 300. ERV does not chalk up like ArmorAll.

Spread some liquid on the scale with your finger, Q-tip, sponge, tissue, etc. and let it soak in overnight or a week. This treatment will generally bring some life back to the rubber.

Buff with a cotton cloth and then proceed to shine, sand, polish till the scale looks right to you. As always, YMMVV

Dave