Thread: Classic example of Celluloid Rot

I had this razor sent to me recently. Opened it up, and whew. Yeah. Thats cell rot.

Check it out:

Regrinding is an option?

Originally Posted by Dimitry

Regrinding is an option?

Yes, but only if you take it out of those scales permanently. Otherwise, the rot will spread to the blade once more.

A real shame. Beautiful scales, and was a nice blade.
Please post pics after clean up.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Yes, but only if you take it out of those scales permanently. Otherwise, the rot will spread to the blade once more.

This brings up a question that's been running through my head for a couple of years now!!

I understand what Celluloid Rot is, I've seen many nice looking scales that are causing this kind of damage to the blade!

To save the scales could they either be 'sealed' such as with clear epoxy that's used on wood or perhaps a thin inside 'liner' glued to them to save them from the trash can?

I'm wondering about this as I cleaned up a good friends razor that was his grandfather's and it has nice looking celluloid scales that haven't started to breakdown yet!!

If there is a way to preserve his heirloom scales before they start to damage a very nice shaving blade I'd like to know of it!!

Thanks!

Roy

Indeed I was thinking the same thing, my wife and I are pretty crafty with meany different types of epoxys and sealers laying around the house, could they be epoxyed and not degrade the scales?

Sealing them wil more than likely lead to two things: the gasses coming off will create bubbles that you will never get out, and the problem continues, or the gasses are traped causing the epoxy to haze up if youare lucky, or it will eventually eat its way through. The off gassing is nitric acid or acetic acid... I forget which right off the top of my head.

Scary stuff! I literally have nightmares about cell rot lol.

Lucky that's a nice thick blade there Brad!

Some pretty things are tolerable, even desirable. Celluloid ain't one of them.

I just got my first cellrot case fixed up. It took breadknifing to clear the edge, a week* to re-establish a bevel (hey it's only my 8th honejob, yes i've seen all the vidyeas).

*felt like.

Then a dip in boiling water to center the blade, a lot of peening to tighten things up.

It gets a test-shave tomorrow, then I'll take some pics and de-scale it and make some new ones for it. I'm keeping the steel oiled all the time.

Three days ago I had no idea what cellrot was. Now i know the smell the effect and the cure. Thanks for the info.

Looks just like this one, but with less polish and corrosion yet around the hinge. American Products Co "Marked "2912" on reverse of tang" 5/8 - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Wow that's nasty! Well at least it's going to be fun seeing it come back together after the fix.