Thread: Classic example of Celluloid Rot

Lovely, just Lovely!

Wasn't that recently on FleBay with a description of "Minor Rust, would make a great shaver"?

Sorry but I couldn't help myself.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Wasn't that recently on FleBay with a description of "Minor Rust, would make a great shaver"?

Sorry but I couldn't help myself.

near mint condition....

It just kills me when they put them up for sale on the fleabay. You might think they would just bin the things!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

It just kills me when they put them up for sale on the fleabay. You might think they would just bin the things!

What was your final bid?

Let's just say it got away, Roy!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Let's just say it got away, Roy!

Whew! Am I glad to hear that! I had horrible visions of it being resurrected along with other such looking blades and then find it on FleaBay as a 'Vintage Wind Chime'.

The problem with Cell Rot, is there were many different formulations, based on colors or patterns they were trying to achieve. Sadly, the very bright or most unique looking, were the first to go. Some maker’s scales and designs are almost guaranteed to off gas. Clear, Translucent, Cracked Ice and Faux Tortoise are the most common offenders.

A good depiction of the variety, is the cell rot patterns, they produce on the steel, it is not always a fine orange rust pattern.

Add to this, we are often talking about one-hundred-year-old razors, and we know nothing of where or how they were stored, for all that time.

Heat and or moisture, do seem to be kickers, the exact kinds of conditions found in a glass case,(depending on what else is in the case), in a store widow in most antique stores or in a hot attic. So it may not matter, how we store them now, they are just time bombs.

I have had some luck experimenting, coating the insides of a pair of scales, that have started to off gas, with synthetic grease. I also coated the blade with a QTip, and storing separately in a Zip Lock bag, and in a cool dark closet.

But even using this technique, I would never trust it.

One thing most of us omit is checking old celluloid razors at the wedge end. The scales may be ok but the wedges may not be:


Again, HESS and Double Duck seem to be the most likely candidates.These photos are from a friends collection. All his razors are in very nice ventilated shadow boxes.
~Richard

Resurrecting this old thread with a question... This is cell rot in the wedge right?



I have seen cell rot a few times, but usually from the scales, and I haven't seen the celluloid so deformed before. It looks like it has been melted.