Do you think this is cell rot?
Evening Gents,
I found myself on Jon's Swords site tonight, and came across a very nice-looking pair of Friedr. Herder abr. Sohn razors for $130. One of them is a square-pointed stainless with reddish scales, likely cellulose (photo #1). The other one is not stainless, and has tortoiseshell scales. The page says the blade is rusted due to a previous owner not caring for the razor properly. However, the blade appears pitted rather than rusted, and this pitting looks like it's on the part of the blade that's inside the scales (see the pictures #2 & 3 below - it's clearest on #3). There's another photo (#4) showing the scales being held up to the light, and I think I can see some cloudiness inside them, suggesting to me that it's cell rot rather than rust. The pitting on the tang matches up somewhat with the pattern of the scales too (picture #5), further suggesting cell rot to me.
Questions: 1. If it's cell rot, is it too late, or can that blade be restored? Its twin looks almost NOS, so it would be a shame if it couldn't be.
2. Should someone contact the seller and tell him about cell rot and let him know what he needs to do to stop it spreading?
Picture #1
http://www.jons-swords.com/images/st...zors/sr1cp.jpg
Picture #2
http://www.jons-swords.com/images/st...zors/sr1ip.jpg
Picture #3
http://www.jons-swords.com/images/st...zors/sr1jp.jpg
Picture #4 (cloudiness is easiest to see at the right end of the scales)
http://www.jons-swords.com/images/st...zors/sr1np.jpg
Picture #5 (note the blotchiness of the marks on the tang and how they coincide roughly with the darker parts of the pattern in the scales)
http://www.jons-swords.com/images/st...zors/sr1lp.jpg