I agree with you about the cell scales, I have passed on nice old blades because of that material!
I do wonder if there's ever been an attempt at soaking such a material, (celluloid), into some sort of solution that would penetrate it and maybe stop it's phenomenon from occurring.
My having recently purchased a Camillus Marine Raider Stiletto commemorative, I was amazed on reading how the originals, with their cast aluminum/zinc handles, were breaking down and getting brittle. This fragility of theirs has something to do with the material itself, and that they would eventually all wind up the same, (just to some sooner than the others).
But, it being made of metal, the soaking into some sort of solution idea would probably fail. On the other hand, maybe something could penetrate a celluloid handle and stop it from doing what they sometimes do.
I don't know much about celluloid, but the stories of what can happen to them, (the gassing out & even sometimes being a combustible material), definitely keeps me away.
I only have one piece in my collection with celluloid scales, and that's my recent acquisition of a Union Cutlery "Spike" trademarked straight razor. When I brought it home, I knew I wouldn't be comfortable putting it beside any of my other "gadgets", so it got segregated into it's own little display. Not a big deal, but I'm surely not wanting to deal with that issue with any more items
I do hope that someday I'll be perusing the local flea market and stumble upon a nice condition antique straight razor with Ivory scales. This last visit to the local flea market had me picking up two nice deals... One was the straight razor, and the other was a case, (2,000), nitrile examination gloves, (which I use all the time to handle and maintain the items in my collection).
Good deals, and cool finds, are what keeps me heading out on these flea market excursions
