Thread: one to work on...

One of my latest ebay purchases. It's quite rough, I think its been stored in some sort of grease, whatever it's covered in I'm not convinced its nice! I think done brake disc cleaner might be needed to clean this gunk off it.

I'm really interested in the scale on this. I'll assume its faux tortoise shell. I'm guessing at some point something has been stuck to the scale and then someone has removed it, badly. There's clearly a rectangular mark and marks all round it where it has been gouged off. The rectangle is badly positioned whatever it was. Any suggestions as to what the scale material is and what the rectangle might have been that meant someone would risk destroying the scale to remove it?

Also any suggestions on saving the scale? One half is badly warped, although that is cosmetic and not causing any issues. Could the chip marks be removed by sanding?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcomed

Even though you like the scales, you might want to consider buying or making a new set. The blade looks to be in decent shape, but with some hone wear. If you have some flush cutters, that is the best way to easily snip the pins to save the scales if you really want to attempt to reuse them.
Good luck and have fun!

Thanks Ernie, I will definitely save the scale, I always keep razors as original as possible unless I have no choice. With this the scale is tight and functional, the only issues are cosmetic, I will unpin and straighten. I want to try and remove at least the gouge marks, and if possible the raised rectangle. My only real concern is if the material is ok to sand without causing issues

You should be safe to sand on those without any issues. I would flatten them first and then try to sand evenly across the whole scale. Should be fine as long as the defects are not too deep. If I were working on that razor I would try to save them.

Unfortunately that looks like the beginnings of Cell Rot. Someone probably coated in Vaseline or something like Rig to try and stop it. You can’t stop it the scales have to go, they are celluloid and have started to decompose and will eventually eat the blade or make it unusable.

That pattern of Celluloid is common to rot. If you look close you can match the rust on the blade to the pattern on the scales when closed.

May have had a silver badge or shield and it was removed for scrap, possibly the previous owner planned to rescale.

Remove the scales, take pics and measurements, make a good tracing and dispose of the scales, they will eat any metal they are around.

WD40 and 000 steelwool, will remove the grease and clean the blade of any active rust. Brake Cleaner can accelerate the rot, but will clean the blade once removed.

I'm not convinced these are celluloid. Please feel free to correct me, but as I understand it celluloid can be identified by a strong vinegar like smell when it's rubbed. This really doesn't smell like other scales I have that definitely are celluloid. Also the first on the blade is mostly in areas that to scale doesn't cover.

Like I said though please correct me if I'm wrong.

I would coat the scales at least in automotive clear coat, cell rot is a real tick off, I have a beauty of a Joseph Elliot that cell rot is just enough to ruin it.