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