What Straight Razor Did You Use Today?

Kevin, after having my feet put into the fire by some great questions from Neil Miller over on SRP, I looked into the phenomena from the perspective of a chemist.

Short story, there is no perfect prevention, but you can lessen the odds by keeping the scales dry, cool, and dark.

BTW: The scales are straight as an arrow and gorgeous. I should have taken a better photo, they vary wildly from black to blonde.

 

I had one like this, but made the mistake of selling it.

 

Bartmann 86

 

6/8 Sette Bellot # 7 Solingen - I know little about this razor but I believe it to be made in Solingen for the Italian market. I bought it along with a Progress 7/8 which is also a Solingen made for Italian market from a gentleman in Italy
Soap Razorock XXX & Arko Ultimate Comfort with a little glycerin - Lathers don't get much better
Floid blue and RR balm

todays shave left little to be desired

 

Another newly-honed 5/8… the Blue Steel Henckel. Love the feel of the blade; not crazy about the skinny plastic scales. A real candidate for some custom scales...

 

How can I tell if I have celluloid scales?

 

In general, older scales that look like acrylic plastic, usually with translucent portions (though this is not exclusive ie: Red Imps...) tend to be celluloid. Prior to about 1950 "plastic" material was limited to largely celluloid or Bakelite (Bakelite is safe for your steel blades). Bakelite tends to be monochromatic (typically black or red/brown) and opaque.

Specifically, try Glen's "Vigourous Rubbing" method. An odor of camphor is the indicator for celluloid. Burning hair = horn. Burned plastic = plastic (of a "modern" variety).

Now if your Cracked Ice Dubl Duck WonderEdge or GoldEdge scales maintain their milky white translucent appearance, they should be good to go indefinitely if kept cool and dry and in a storage place in total darkness. Celluloid is particularly susceptible to ultraviolet light. If you see one with yellowed Cracked Ice scales, know that this is the sign of impending rot...Dubl Duck never made "Yellow Cracked Ice" scales! What I'm saying is that even the trouble colors, if in serviceable condition to begin with, can probably be maintained indefinitely without rot with good care.

Also note that certain colors of celluloid seem to be much, much more stable than the "trouble colors". Plain black celluloid that doesn't permit any light through its structure is almost completely stable, and probably no cause for alarm. Cracked Ice, emerald green, and Red Imp red should be watched closely for "probable trouble". Other colors of celluloid for "possible trouble".

 

Pretty much any Vintage razor that has Non-Natural scales Ivory, Bone, Horn, are either a type of Bakelite or Celluloid..
Even some of the new production razors are using Celluloid scales..

The best way to be sure WITHOUT using destructive tests is to simply rub the scales vigorously with a rough cotton cloth then sniff

Naturals with give a faint burning tooth (think Dentist Drill) or a burning hair smell
Bakelite /Vulcanite will give a faint burned wire sharp acrid smell
Celluloid et all will give a faint Chamfor smell
Plastic pretty much smells like warm palstic

ps: I have NEVER needed to use a hot pin test to tell what somthing is made of there are way to many other non-destructive clues..
pps: Hot pin + Celluloid can very very very easily result in no more scales, celluloid recipes vary, and some can be EXTREMLY flamable, once ignited they are near impossible to extinguish.. I have watched a sanding belt ignite them, pretty cool really if you are ready for it

 

Does keeping the blade wiped down with mineral oil help?

 

Glen could you tell if my suprej scales are celluloid?

 

Yes they are..

There is no cure or preventative for Cell Rot at least not that anyone has proved, you also have to read that part again about many different recipes for all the versions of Celluloid this is why it tends to be very insidious, as there are no set rules about it either..

You can't really say look for this or look for that because what is true of one recipe isn't necessarily true for another

Basically Cell Rot sux but on the good note there is also no sense in worrying about it because you can't fix it or prevent it just watch to make sure your razors are in good order and enjoy the shaves

 

Thanks Glen so I need to keep an eye on my green lizard and union cutlery also good to know.

 

Yes, lol this is true. I should have qualified this statement by saying "applied quickly and only to an area dry and free of residue". In fact I'll edit the post as your "Vigorous Rubbing" method is far superior. Thanks for the back-check! (..."That entropy a$$hol3 said to hold a hot pin to my scales and they exploded into flames!...)

 

Honestly Mike, I wasn't back checking ya Brother, I was typing at the same time I am at the office so I am typing slow

 

The nitrates from the decomposition reaction are likely to react with some salts in the mineral oil, and thus, your blade. Same problem.

 

You need to keep an eye on all razors, pretty much treat them like your guns, you take them out clean, oil, and check them regardless of how often you shoot them

 

Ok, then, "Looking out for me"! Your method is much better, (mine from my early "wanna-be luthier" days...) if you rub celluloid scales enough to warm them a tad, you'll have no question that the odor is celluloid. Much safer. For your scales, and you!

The other consideration is the low activation energy required to initiate the decomposition reaction. The hot pin would apply much more thermal energy to the system than simple rubbing. The celluloid will store energy for a time according to it's thermodynamic properties, and if sufficient activation energy is attained, discharge it, much like a capacitor and initiating the decomp reaction. If the Ea is not attained, it will dissipate according to the entropy of the system (HEY! "Entropy"!). We don't want to encourage it

But again, I can say with certainty that storing your celluloid scales in a dark, dry, and cool environment will probably provide the best prevention against initiating the decomposition. Minimizing exposure to thermal, chemical, and light energy is your best precaution.

 

I use break free on my firearms will that work for shavers?

 

Mike what does Ea stand for?

 

"Ea" (or "E sub a" in chemnerdspeak) is Activation Energy, the energy required in a system to initiate a particular chemical reaction. The compounds in most materials are reactive so some degree, but will require additional energy to begin the reaction. This required energy could be huge (for example, modern ceramic polymers) or it could be minimal, like those supersaturated heat packs you put in your mittens in winter time that will begin to react and produce heat simply from the mechanical energy added by bending the pack.

Break-free should be good for rust prevention. I use a product called "Eezox" on my blades (works a charm on my guns). Won't help prevent cell rot, but will definitely keep the rust away!

Use caution with chlorinated solvents around scales however. Destructive reactions with non-metals are possible. One of the things I like about Eezox is that it dries invisibly on the blade, and leaves no residue.