Whats the best way to deal with scales?

[6Cuda6]

What are guys doing to clean and figure out the true colors of scales? (Obviously not black ones).

I have a set of scales on a couple razors that im not sure if they are yellow, blended colors, clear etc......

Like this razor

 

[Chaloney]

Those look like they are probably horn. They were often used on razors of the age that one appears to be (based on what little can be seen of the shape) and have a wide range of colors from tans to dark browns, sometimes with mixed colors. The easiest way to see the true colors would be to unpin them and clean them up. Without unpinning you could use some MAAS or brasso metal polish to clean the crud off them (and the blade too). Or just start with an old toothbrush and soapy water or toothpaste (just make sure to dry thoroughly when done, particularly the pivot). One of the polishes or toothpaste might take the gold paint out of the eagle, so be careful of that. Plastic scales weren’t used until the early 1900’s if I remember correctly, and at that time were solid black or brown Bakelite.

 

[6Cuda6]

Thanks...ill give it a shot.

 

[Ice-Man]

Dean!!! If they are horn a soak in neats foot oil over night to rehydrate them then a good polish, or a very light sand with 8k wet and dry then polish.
But that looks a beautiful razor.....

 

[6Cuda6]

Dean!!! If they are horn a soak in neats foot oil over night to rehydrate them then a good polish, or a very light sand with 8k wet and dry then polish.
But that looks a beautiful razor.....

Ok ill see if i can find some of that in my area once in get home in a couple weeks. Thanks for the info Ian

 

[Ice-Man]

Ok ill see if i can find some of that in my area once in get home in a couple weeks. Thanks for the info Ian

Not a problem Dean!!! that's what Doc told me and a few others and it sure works, as he put it horn goes dry over time and dull. So soak it overnight then next day put on kitchen paper to soak the excess out, then see how it looks if need be a sand with 8k just to remove light scratches then polish to a high shine....

The polish I use is Novus no 2.