Thread: Is this Cell Rot ?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Funny you should ask. I actually picked that photo up from an ebay auction awhile back. Guy said the blade had some rust but the 'handles' were good.

Well, they'd be good for destroying another blade if you used them...lol.

Originally Posted by Lemur

Here's a little chem stuff on the subject; JAIC 1991, Volume 30, Number 2, Article 3 (pp. 145 to 162)

No wonder the blades look so bad. They've been steamed in nitric acid.

I often see a haze on the blade where it was near the scales when I store blades for months. This is not cell rot, but is a result of the blade sitting so closely to the scale material that any residual humidity in it or any odd chemical in the scale is beginning to have an effect on the blade. At this stage, it can be wiped right off. I've never allowed it to go further than that and don't think it is a good idea to do so.

So what would be the proper way to store a straight rasor with celluloid scales for long term? As in the case of a collector, or someone who wishes to squirrell them away for say hand-me-downs.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Maybe, maybe just not taken care of. Here is an extreme example .....

Attachment 118792

And still shave ready.

Originally Posted by ace

I often see a haze on the blade where it was near the scales when I store blades for months. This is not cell rot, but is a result of the blade sitting so closely to the scale material that any residual humidity in it or any odd chemical in the scale is beginning to have an effect on the blade. At this stage, it can be wiped right off. I've never allowed it to go further than that and don't think it is a good idea to do so.

I wipe the blade with a towel after use, strop it gently 5-10 times on a soft linen strop and leave it open until the next day. Should be precious little residual moisture then.

Originally Posted by Storsven

I wipe the blade with a towel after use, strop it gently 5-10 times on a soft linen strop and leave it open until the next day. Should be precious little residual moisture then.

A good routine for daily use, however, if stored for months as ace mentioned even the relative humidity of the air can come into play.

Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

That's not caused from not drying the blade...it's cell rot. When celluloid breaks down it emits a gas that is deadly to metal.

Originally Posted by Lemur

JimmyHAD; If i saw a razor like that for a buck, I would buy it and pin it to the bathroom wall as a "note to self, always dry after use".
What's its story by the way?

Apparently you are both right ! At the bottom of the "chem stuff " article is written :
3.2.4 Physical Degradation
"The primary environmental contributor to celluloid degradation, however, appears to be moisture. "

Water is generally what causes the celluloid to break down causing the release of chemicals that have detrimental effects on the metal.
Water is not the only thing that will cause it to break down. Sun light, and the metal itself can contribute to it's break down.
At least that's what I got out of the article. Thanks for posting it Lemur. I had been wondering why some do and some don't and if mine would. I know how to treat mine now. Out of the sun, out of the heat and out of the water.