Thread: Cell rot

Originally Posted by mrbison

Well I hate having to post this but when you have a razor with cell rot is that it? I got a few razors that were my great grandfathers and most of them are great except for one which definitely looks like it has cell rot to me. I put it in a plastic bag for now so it is away from the others but now I don't really know what to do with it. Can it be spared perhaps? Or does my razor have a terminal condition?

If you have cell rot the scales are out gassing acid vapors.
A plastic bag will protect the other razors but not steel
in the bag. Once the scales begin to go there is no turning
back, they will continue to out gas corrosive vapors and
get fragile. One tell is that the corrosion is worst on
the part of the blade covered by the scales. If another
razor in the box has bad scales the corrosion on other
razors will not be as bad on the part of the blade covered
by the scales.


Protect the steel with something even Vaseline or mineral oil
from further damage.

If the steel is not beyond help, some of the vendors have
inexpensive plastic replacement scales. Some have brass
pins, some have micro screw fasteners.

You can postpone replacing the scales long enough to
cleanup, hone, strop and shave test. If the blade is
gone -- it is gone. The important part for shaving
is the 3/16 of an inch near the edge (or less).

Always oil razors well before putting them up
for a longish time.