Recently acquired a pitted and tarnished straight, stamped with makers mark "A. Grissolange, Thiers, France"
Only paid loose change for it - bought with the intention of practicing clean up and polishing of the blade surface, starting out with some coarser wet/dry paper and working through to a metal polish finish. Doesn't really matter if I never get an edge on it because of tbe pitting near the blade edge.
My question relates to the scales. They're plastic, but I don't know what material - maybe celluloid? In the pic you'll see the "bubbling" on the surface. Although random, it is uniform, and occurs on both sides, but not the edges or inner surface. Do you think this is how they were manufactured originally, or is it an age / degradation thing. I've read about "gassing and cell rot" from celluloid scales. Might this be an example?
Only paid loose change for it - bought with the intention of practicing clean up and polishing of the blade surface, starting out with some coarser wet/dry paper and working through to a metal polish finish. Doesn't really matter if I never get an edge on it because of tbe pitting near the blade edge.
My question relates to the scales. They're plastic, but I don't know what material - maybe celluloid? In the pic you'll see the "bubbling" on the surface. Although random, it is uniform, and occurs on both sides, but not the edges or inner surface. Do you think this is how they were manufactured originally, or is it an age / degradation thing. I've read about "gassing and cell rot" from celluloid scales. Might this be an example?