Thread: Material question.

I received my latest ebay razor today and I have started in cleaning it up. It has faux ivory celluloid scales on it. No there isn't any cell rot (at least not yet).

Anyway I was sanding the inner side of the scales to clean the crud off of them and I noticed they smell very strongly of camphor. It smells like I opened a jar of Vics Vapor Rub. That is exactly what it smells like.

Is that the natural smell of he celluloid or is that from setting in a jar of something like barbasol and it soaked up that smell?

OK that's my first question.

My second question is should I risk putting the cell scales back on? The blade is in decent shape. It has a little etch to it but nothing that will keep it form being a good shaver with a little rubbing with some semichrome. If I go to the trouble of cleaning the the blade up how much of a risk am I taking putting the cell scales back on? Would I be better off to really give the thing a good polishing and make new scales for it?
Ray

Cell scales do smell of camphor when rubbed or sanded. No reason not to reuse them if the razor doesn't already show corrosion from cell rot.

Ray, celluoid is an interesting compound. Technically it's cellulose dinitrate. What you're smelling is the outgassing of one of the volatile components. It's next over cousin is cellulose trinitrate, aka gun cotton. One reason for the celluloid being associated with rust is the potential for the volatiles to form nitric acid in the proper conditions. Like gun cotton, but without the same vigor, is it's tendency to burn.