How can you tell if it's bone?

**Doc** · 04-11-2009, 10:46 PM

lets see a pic!

**Casey302** · 04-11-2009, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by ben.mid

You can hot pin test it too. Get a pin red hot & touch it to an inconspicuous area (inside the scales). If it melts, it's synthetic. If not, it's either bone or ivory. Then you need to look at the structure to tell these two apart. As mentioned, bone will have pores. If you've got a loupe or something that will make them easier to see.

Good tip, but please don't try this if you even think you may have celluloid scales. Celluloid is highly flammable!

**Quick Orange** · 04-12-2009, 12:26 AM

I'll try for the pic, but I'm having camera issues at the moment.

**onimaru55** · 04-12-2009, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by jakoblah

Are there no awesome tricks for cleaning discoloration from bone scales?
Also, once you have bone cleaned (as much as you can) and sanded smooth, should one finish it with some sort of sealant or leave it natural? Seems like finishing would prevent further soiling, but would take away from the feel bone has...

I use neatsfoot oil as a final conditioner on animal based scales. Not a sealant but its made from horn & hoof etc so seemed a good idea

**ben.mid** · 04-12-2009, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by Casey302

Good tip, but please don't try this if you even think you may have celluloid scales. Celluloid is highly flammable!

Yes, it is.
Here's the little used "Flame Test" I'm not sure a hot pin can induce it though!

YouTube - Celluloid Scales Flame Testing

**jamesbeat** · 05-08-2009, 02:48 AM

That's my video

I wasn't performing a flame test, rather demonstrating why flame testing is a bad idea.
Celluloid is nitrocellulose, which is the main propellant used in smallarms ammunition. I really wouldn't be too sure that a red hot paperclip wouldn't ignite it, it might not, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it did.
Watch the video again. The lighter I used was almost out of gas and the flame was very feeble. I barely put it near the celluloid and it caught so easily that it made me jump/

The scales that I did this heinous thing to were from a razor called 'The Velvet Glider'. It was a travel razor with unusual scales that formed a self contained case for the razor.
Luckily they were splintered and cracked way beyond repair. I say luckily because they were absolutely hideous, but if they had been in salvageable condition I wouldn't have been able to do this to them

The blade is now restored and sitting in some nice conventional (and non flammable) scales.

On a side note, shirt collars used to be made of celluloid, imagine how serious an accident by a careless smoker would have been. Celloloid is pyrotechnic, meaning it creates its own source of oxygen during the combustion process, it is very difficult to extinguish.

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