Thread: Pins and scales questions

So I've recently picked up a pretty solid Fredrick Reynolds from ebay in the original scales. The scales are not cracked or chipped, and say "The Old English Razor" or some such. First, I haven't seen a whole lot on them on the forum. Are they decent brands? I didn't see them under the "Good Brands" on the wiki.

Anyway, are there ways to figure out what they are made of? Or if they are rotted through? I'd like to save them if possible, but it is more important for me to remove the stains/rust that may exist under the scales. So is it possible for me to remove the scales without destroying them? Or is it possible for me to clean the steel under the scales without removing them? I looked through the guide of the wiki, and it wasn't as descriptive as I'd like, so if you guys can give me some pointers, that would be great!

Thanks in advance.

I am a firm believer that if the scales are not damaged in some way, don't pop the pins, keep the razor as original as posible... You can clean even under the pivot with some careful work with some 400-800 grit sandpaper oil and dental floss....
The scales usually can be cleaned with 1000 and up sandpaper and some plastic polish.... MAAS also works very well on most scales....

I always start with an old toothbrush and hot soap and water, you would be surprised what that actually does sometimes...

Take it slow and easy and you will be very happy with the results...


BTW yes FR razors are great shavers and very high quality...

I maintain that all vintage razors are good, even if the name on them is obscure. They were too heavily relied upon for manufacturers to be producing rubbish. Fredrick Reynolds are fairly common.
I have to agree with gssixgun here. I never remove scales unless they are shot. There's just too much chance of them getting destoyed either un-pinning or re-pinning. You can still do a fairly thorough job with them on, & without the stress of removing them.

Sounds great. I'll pick up a toothbrush and go to work. I really don't want to remove the scales. But how can one dectect something like celluloid rot?

Here's a link. It's the best i could find. It's Bill Ellis's blog, so he ought to know!
Bill's Straight Razor Info: Celluloid Rot

That's a great resource. We should ask permission if we can upload a similar themed article to the wiki.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

Here's a link. It's the best i could find. It's Bill Ellis's blog, so he ought to know!
Bill's Straight Razor Info: Celluloid Rot

That certainly illustrates the problem well. Shame such a fancy set of scales is ruined.
Does anyone know what causes it / how it spreads to other razors / how to stop it? It reminds me of fungus that can affect camera lenses and spread between them. (Exposing lenses to strong sunlight is said to kill off that fungus.)