First attempt at resto - Red Imp

SO, as I get into straight razors and word gets around to my in-laws, it turns out that my wife's grandfather was a barber in the 50's, and her father still has his old straight razor. So, he mailed it to me for Christmas, not knowing a thing about it. So, it's a Red Imp 133, in rough shape. Lots of pitting, but the blade edge seems salvageable. Here's the before and after, just working on it for today. I used a die grinder with a 3M scotch brite pad and then a Dremel with a buffing wheel and some valve-lapping compound. I could do a lot more with it, but I just want to see if I can get this thing to shave first! Pretty cool that he was a barber for just about the same years as these were in production. This one may be from the first run by Case, in '52-ish?

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/7/...226_103426.jpg

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/7/...226_103445.jpg

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/7/...226_210258.jpg

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/7/...226_210323.jpg

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/7/...226_210349.jpg

Looks good! It cleaned up nice with the rust that was on it. I have an old red imp here (needs to be restored) and and it seems that the scales have shrunk over time. The blade actually hits the wedge so I had to be careful with it when I looked at it. Same blade too, the 133. It's not mine though, but I do like it.

This one has the same issue! Blade hits the wedge! Not sure what's up with that, but the spike point certainly isn't very forgiving of it. I straightened the scales as much as I could but they are pretty flimsy. A couple of taps with a 40oz Snap-On ball peen dead-blow hammer tightened the pins.

I wonder if there's some trick to stretching these scales back out? Maybe some mild heat and a bungee-cord jig?

The celluloid used was a poor grade and had poor quality control. I have seen a couple that the blade would not enter the scales at all due to a bad twist to one side with a really shrunk scale on that side.. A rescale seems to be the best answer. Then there is no future worry of celluloid rot of the blade.
~Richard

I forget where I heard this but it worked for me.

If you don't want to dismantle the razor take a hacksaw blade and insert it between the scales. Teeth towards the wedge! ;)

I was able to shorten the wedge enough for the blade to clear.

great looking razor!
I've also had luck just angling the wedge slightly towards the blade to allow the tip of the razor pass.

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Originally Posted by Geezer

The celluloid used was a poor grade and had poor quality control. I have seen a couple that the blade would not enter the scales at all due to a bad twist to one side with a really shrunk scale on that side.. A rescale seems to be the best answer. Then there is no future worry of celluloid rot of the blade.
~Richard

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Needs repeating,, the shrinkage is the first sign of Celluloid Rot, Cell rot is BAD !!! :p The scales cannot be "fixed" the wedge being cut is a good quick fix for the razor closing but it doesn't fix the real problem...

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Needs repeating,, the shrinkage is the first sign of Celluloid Rot, Cell rot is BAD !!! :p The scales cannot be "fixed" the wedge being cut is a good quick fix for the razor closing but it doesn't fix the real problem...

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So what exactly happens with celluloid rot if I don't change the scales?

BTW, I found that the spine wear was a bit much and the edge had a bad flat spot in the center of the blade. Two layers of tape on the spine a lot of work on the 220 grit finally produced a consistent edge to progressively hone up. (Note to self: If it doesn't look good from the 220, none of the other stones will fix it!) I probably wouldn't fool with such a blade, except that it's an heirloom of sorts.

I have some I have treated with 3M silicone wet type. Seems to hydrate the cell and keep issues at bay. Also, you could store it open. IMPO the Imp issue has not caused gassing but surely shrinkage. I think it is Bakelite with the carbon (black) omitted so colors could be introduced. Dremel drum and sand the wedge to fit, saturate in the 3M, and by all means, the "holy hacksaw blade" will make it close!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Needs repeating,, the shrinkage is the first sign of Celluloid Rot, Cell rot is BAD !!! :p The scales cannot be "fixed" the wedge being cut is a good quick fix for the razor closing but it doesn't fix the real problem...

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Interesting. The Red Imp that I did the hacksaw method to had no signs of cell rot. I have 3 quarantined with cell rot in the corner of my shop and those scales have no signs of warping or shrinkage. I will keep an eye on the Imp.

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Originally Posted by Furcifer

So what exactly happens with celluloid rot if I don't change the scales?

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This is what happens with cell rot.

Attachment 116461

IC... Well, when I got the razor, it was closed and tight in the scales, but as we can see, the rust and pitting was happening only on the exposed areas of the blade. I'm not really seeing a lot of "gas-pitting" from cell rot down on the parts of the blade that was held between the scales. The scale shrinkage is odd; I had initially used a penetrating oil to arrest the rust, and then proceeded with knocking the rust off after about an hour. I didn't soak the whole razor in the oil - I just sprayed the blade and a shop towel, and then just wrapped the blade in the saturated shop towel, but some of the oil did get on the scales. I just wiped it off and didn't think anything of it, but when I got done with the blade resto, the scales seemed smaller and the blade will not clear the wedge at all now. It also seems as though one side had already shrunk more than the other, because the wedge portion was oddly bent. I tried straightening the scales in a vise and while the scales are straight now, the shrinkage effect is worse. I'm not sure I can hacksaw the wedge enough before I'm into the pin! So far, I've just been storing it open with SRD razor oil on the blade.

I understand the heirloom part.

If you have the skills to shine it up and get it sharp you also have the skills to make new scales.

Another thought... I have one of my favorites that I have to pull on the monkey tail to get it to close. It has to have a sloppy big hole for the pivot pin. I am not going to take it apart to find out. At least at this time.