Thread: Celluloid/Bakelite repair?

I have a beautiful razor that has a covered tang that's either Bakelite or Celluloid (never can tell them apart). The very tip end of one side of the tang covering is chipped or sanded off. The metal tip of the tang shows and is about 1/8 of an inch long and the width of the tip of the tang. The tang covering as well as scales are in an ivory color with very nice scroll design on the scales but the tang cover is plain.

Is there an acceptable way to replace that tiny bit of covering without resorting to completely replacing the covering on that side of the tang? It's a wonderful razor and I'd like to see it completely restored.

I'd post a photo but I think you get the picture of what I'm talking about. I'll try to get a pic posted soon if needed.

All fixed, always there for a fellow from my old home state

Now let's see the pics !!!!!!!

BTW the easiest way to tell them apart is the smell, just rub them roughly with a cloth and sniff...

A slightly Camphor smell is Celluloid or Katalin

A burned electrical smell is Bakelite

Ok corect me if I am wrong but bakelite smells like burnt electical,celluloid smells like camphor, and heres what I am confused bone smells like burnt hair

Yes and you really don't need the hot pin test, except every now, and then in a very, very, rare occurance...

Horn, Bone, and Shell, though do smell very, very, similar so those are the tuff ones especially between the dyed Horn and the Shell...at least for me they are... YMMV

Originally Posted by wheelz74401

Ok corect me if I am wrong but bakelite smells like burnt electical,celluloid smells like camphor, and heres what I am confused bone smells like burnt hair

I guess each person's "smeller" as I like to call it is a little different. Bakelite and hard rubber both have a burnt rubber smell to me. Celluloid nitrate definitely has a camphor smell, just like a Vicks Vap-O-Rub jar. I was sanding the spacer of a Case Red Imp last week (you know, from those Case razors where the scales shrink so horribly it's almost unbelievable?) and could have used it the last time I had a cold. Horn definitely smells like burnt hair. Bone similar to me but not as much.

Chris L

Originally Posted by AirColorado

I have a beautiful razor that has a covered tang that's either Bakelite or Celluloid (never can tell them apart). The very tip end of one side of the tang covering is chipped or sanded off. The metal tip of the tang shows and is about 1/8 of an inch long and the width of the tip of the tang. The tang covering as well as scales are in an ivory color with very nice scroll design on the scales but the tang cover is plain.

Is there an acceptable way to replace that tiny bit of covering without resorting to completely replacing the covering on that side of the tang? It's a wonderful razor and I'd like to see it completely restored.

I'd post a photo but I think you get the picture of what I'm talking about. I'll try to get a pic posted soon if needed.

You could find the excact same color of material somewhere and carve a replacement piece, but that seems a lot of trouble to go to compared to just replacing the covering completely.

I also suggest moving this out of the forge and into the regular workshop.

Good idea Dan, moved to the correct Forum...

AirColorado;

If the chip is reasonably small and doesn't threaten the structural integrity of the scales, then I would dare to suggest using a filled epoxy. Of course, the trick here is to find the right sort of filler that will give a visual 'match' to the material of the scales. You might have to make a few 'tests' before you commit yourself to applying a potential mix to the scales.

Even so, you would still be responsible for applying the mix cleanly and then sanding and/or buffing to fair and smooth it into the structure of the existing scale.

With a deft hand it could yield very acceptable results.

By the way, dentists do this all the time in order to make their fillings and onlays more closely match the condition of the tooth on which the work is being carried out.

Repairs to damaged ceramic ware also employ these same techniques.

- ignatz

Thanks Ignatz - don't know why I didn't think of that!