Thread: Ivory vs. plastic or bone

Few days ago I recived the razor with Ivory scales (seller told that scales are Ivory) but I want to be sure so I did few tests and inspections.
One of them was with UV light so down is a photo of the white plastic remote control and ivory scales.
Under UV light plastic has dull blue apearance and ivory has white/fluorescent blue apearance. I do not have any bone scales at the moment to take photo but bone apearance is very simmilar to plastic.

That's a pretty cool test, and much less invasive than a hot pin!

Originally Posted by medicevans

That's a pretty cool test, and much less invasive than a hot pin!

If it is real ivory hot pin can not make any damege, if it is not ivory (plastic or substitute) probably it is not worth much so who cares about hot pin damage.

I guess I was under the impression that a hot pin on ivory burns and on plastic or celluloid melts.

ivory CAN burn if you're not careful :/

Hot pin test lasts less than 1 sec. so in that case it can not make any damage.

Ivory will burn like cordwood,will not melt tho,UV test is conclusive if you know what your looking at.
What you see with UV lgt is organic material in the ivory.

Originally Posted by KING2011

Hot pin test lasts less than 1 sec. so in that case it can not make any damage.

I agree - I have done it a lot of times. A hot pin/paperclip/bit of wire - whatever, held in a flame until cherry red and touched on the scales (on the inside in a not too evident place unless you are brain dead or don't care if you deform the unknown material) will not mark ivory but will melt plastic. If it begins to melt you pull it away. Most everyone has access to that sort of gear. Not everyone has a UV source.

Regards,
Neil