That is what makes celluloid doll repair so hard. Celluloid is very fragile and doesn’t like water, so I used a barely damp cloth to wipe most of the dirt off the arms and legs. Then I tackled the puzzle of putting the leg together with super glue one piece at a time.
Full Answer
How to repair celluloid plastic at home?
Celluloid is one of the oldest plastics. While the material is fragile, you can repair celluloid plastic at home with the right technique. Clean the surface of the celluloid plastic with isopropyl alcohol applied with a cotton pad. Do not use acetone, as this will dissolve and damage celluloid. Tape the interior side of the celluloid plastic.
Why is celluloid doll repair so hard?
That is what makes celluloid doll repair so hard. Celluloid is very fragile and doesn’t like water, so I used a barely damp cloth to wipe most of the dirt off the arms and legs. Then I tackled the puzzle of putting the leg together with super glue one piece at a time.
Is there a book on celluloid repair?
I just wanted to see it all together. I recently discovered the book “Celluloid Dolls Toys & Playthings” by Julie Pelletier Robinson that has references to celluloid repair throughout the book and a chapter on celluloid repair.
How do you clean celluloid?
Celluloid is very fragile and doesn’t like water, so I used a barely damp cloth to wipe most of the dirt off the arms and legs. Then I tackled the puzzle of putting the leg together with super glue one piece at a time.
How do you fix a cracked celluloid?
Re: Celluloid Crack Fusing Repair a good adhesive can be made by dissolving celluloid in 100% acetone. ... make the adhesive with scraps of the material you use for the repair and it will then act as an invisible joint filler.More items...•
How do you fix an antique celluloid?
0:1718:57Restringing a Celluloid Doll - Vintage Doll Repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut it's not that difficult to do so let's get started to restring a celluloid doll you just need aMoreBut it's not that difficult to do so let's get started to restring a celluloid doll you just need a few simple supplies.
Can you glue celluloid?
Celluloid is easily glued using epoxy, cyanoacrylates, and traditional animal glues. It may also be solvent welded with acetone, MEK (methyl ethyl ketone), or THF (Tetrahydrofuran). Celluloid can readily be patched in case of damage or porosity using a paste made from scrap shavings dissolved in one of these solvents.
What is a celluloid doll made of?
It is a plastic created from wood products that include cellulose nitrate and camphor. First created in 1863, it was a popular material to make items as diverse as jewelry and dolls from the 1870s through the 1930s.
What is the difference between celluloid and plastic?
Although Celluloid is brittle, it weighs less and can be formed into thinner pieces than other plastics such as Bakelite. Celluloid proves to be unstable in confined spaces such as plastic bags or tightly closed storage boxes; it can be damaged by temperature extremes, chemicals, and is flammable.
How do you identify celluloid?
2:5411:19How to Tell the Difference - Testing Bakelite Celluloid Lucite, - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOr some people describe it as a vicks vapor rub moth ball kind of smell or even a little vinegary.MoreOr some people describe it as a vicks vapor rub moth ball kind of smell or even a little vinegary. So these ones smells really strongly of camphor. Or kind of like a mothball smell.
Can you use super glue on celluloid?
Re: Glue for sticking things to celluloid finish super glue works fine if the item is not celluloid , it will not react with the celluloid in any manner. If the trim is celluloid , or the metal trim with celluloid on the back , I use clear nail polish as a adhesive.
Will acetone melt celluloid?
It is well known that celluloid is soluble in acetone. Acetone can easily be purchased here in Italy. It is important not to use acetone that is used as nail polish remover: it contains additives that make it unsuitable for celluloid repairs!
How do you glue celluloid to wood?
For wood bindings, any of the typical wood glues can work: Tightbond, hide glues or fish glues, etc. For plastic or celluloid bindings the usual recommendations are non-water soluble glues available at the luthier supply websites (like StewMac “Bind-All”), Weld-On, good 'Ol Testor's model cement, etc.
How do you clean celluloid dolls?
Body cleaning You can use a soft sponge for the surface and a toothbrush to pass between the fingers and the toes. Brush with Marseille soap and water. Never fully immerse the body because even if it is a baby doll, it will be very difficult to check whether the inside of the baby doll is dry or not.
How do I clean celluloid?
20:5628:57Cleaning Celluloid Fans and Other Delicate, Fragile Items - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe chain though was a very very easy cleaning job I snapped it off the original fan you have to beMoreThe chain though was a very very easy cleaning job I snapped it off the original fan you have to be careful doing it but once you know how to do it you just pinch the little hook.
Is celluloid still used?
Celluloid film has been around for over 100 years, but it has now largely been replaced by digital media storage formats like DVDs and Blu-rays. There are still some filmmakers who use celluloid, as well as some projectionists who will only show celluloids films due to the superior quality of the material.
How can you tell ivory from celluloid?
1:423:58Is it Bone, Ivory, or Celluloid? Test Your Knowledge! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn it but as you can see on this celluloid. Box those parallel lines are pretty exact. So that's aMoreIn it but as you can see on this celluloid. Box those parallel lines are pretty exact. So that's a dead giveaway that they are celluloid ok mark your answer in the pop-up poll.
What is celluloid rot?
Your Gretsch is showing signs of what is commonly known in vintage guitar circles as celluloid rot. Essentially, this means that the plastic used for the binding is degrading. This is not due to any mistakes in handling, storing, or cleaning the guitar—the problem comes from the composition of the material itself.
What is celluloid ivory?
Celluloid is a brand name. From the late 19th century to the 1940s accessories and collectibles were fashioned from Celluloid. The material was widely popular as a substitute for ivory. The yellow Celluloid accessories with graining often look like ivory. In the past Celluloid was known as French Ivory.
What is carved celluloid?
It is a product of cellulose dinitrate blended with pigments, fillers, camphor, and alcohol to make a unique synthetic material categorized as a plastic.
How does celluloid break down?
The celluloid is actually disintegrating, chemically breaking down. Every film archive in the world keeps their nitrate film (essentially the same stuff) at 3°C to stop that happening and in the worst case spontaneously bursting into flame. I saw a Gibson A in a museum collection a few years ago where the pickguard was breaking down in the same way. What was coming off the pickguard as a byproduct of the decomposition was acidic and turned the frets a corroded green and etched into what was left of the spirit varnish (which was mostly shellac) on the mandolin. I would be careful with that scratchplate
Is Gibson celluloid pickguard more stable?
The earlier Gibson cell uloid pickguards seem more stable than the ones from the 1930s or so. The only one I had that crytallized and deteriorated was on a EM-150 mandolin. I kept the hardware and had Paul Fox create a new one.
Does cellulose decompose?
Yes I agree it is safe to say that it will continue to decompose -- all celluloid will eventually decompose. But the rate of decomposition is highly variable. Almost certainly this relates to the quality of the chemicals used e.g., the state of cellulose nitration and the added chemicals like camphor (plasticizer) alcohol (solvent) and to the chemicals add to produce colors or textures and also to the manufacturing process employed.
Meister Smith
Hello all! I joined the forum a while back but never posted anything. So here's my first post:
FarmBoy
The standard way on the crack thread would be to try a solvent weld. Yours looks to have a pretty good gap so you may need to use a filler and then chase the threads. Knowing which solvent or solvents to use is part of the trick. You may need to experiment a bit. Adding something like camphor or a other plasticizer is sometimes done as well.
Meister Smith
Thanks for the information. I'll see what my local hobby shop carries with regard to your recommendations. And you are correct; the Montefiore is circa 2000. Here's a picture of the whole pen. It's cheap, but it writes well and feels nice in the hand. I've had a few people try to "borrow" it permanently.
kirchh
To be frank, the Montefiore is such an inexpensive pen that it makes the most sense to simply replace it; they can be had new for about ten dollars. I'm not sure a cemented repair would hold; that location is subjected to a good bit of stress during writing. If you got ten years out of it, I think you're entitled to treat yourself to a replacement.
What is celluloid used for?
Celluloid was also used to develop the substrates for camera film and served an important role as a substitute for elephant ivory in products ranging from billiard balls to hairbrush handles.
What happens if celluloid rots?
Beyond the obvious cosmetic issues, celluloid rot can present other problems. The gases that escape from the plastic will attack the integrity of protein-based adhesives such as hide glue, which means that glue joints adjacent to the binding can open up or lose strength.
Why do guitars rot?
Since the main culprit is the release of gases from the plastic, many believe that the rot can spread and contaminate other nearby guitars. Collectors of other vintage celluloid products—particularly straight razors and fountain pens—seem to widely subscribe to this theory. Others insist that storing the guitar inside a case will accelerate the problem, as the gases are trapped inside the case and not allowed to dissipate into the surrounding air. There is anecdotal evidence on both sides, but not any really conclusive proof for either case.
Can refinishing a guitar cause binding rot?
Thanks to the chemical similarities between celluloid binding and nitrocellulose lacquer, some repair techs have suggested that refinishing a vintage guitar can potentially initiate binding rot, since the solvents in the lacquer will penetrate and soften the binding, making the molecular structure less stable.
Can celluloid be used as a replacement for plastic?
The biggest question when restoring celluloid binding is whether to use celluloid for the replacement or substitute a different plastic that won’t potentially suffer the same fate. Newer formulations of celluloid are most likely manufactured with much better consistency and control than was possible in the 1930s and ’40s. However, if the choice is made to put new celluloid on an instrument, it’s important to keep in mind that it is not guaranteed to be immune to rot in the future.
Can touch up work be done on rotted celluloid?
And, as mentioned above, the solvents involved in doing touch-up work can make the situation worse. Removal of rotted celluloid is fussy. Despite its chalky, powdery texture, it can take careful and precise work to cut it away without damaging the surrounding wood and finish.
Can you clean guitar binding?
Once degraded celluloid is removed, the guitar’s binding ledges have to be cleaned, taking care not to leave behind any little seeds of old rotted plastic that could potentially contaminate the replacement binding. It’s pretty common for people to save the little bits of binding or pickguard that fall off their guitars.
What do you need to know about celluloid?
What You Need to Know About Celluloid. Pamela is an antique expert and the author of three books on the subject. She's written over 400 articles on antique collecting for The Spruce Crafts. Celluloid is a trade name, like Band-Aid or Kleenex, but the term has been generically used for many years to reference a type of plastic material invented in ...
What is celluloid used for?
It was used to make a variety of objects that are now collectibles until about 1940. It is a product of cellulose dinitrate blended with pigments, fillers, camphor, ...
How much is a celluloid bracelet worth?
Some celluloid bangle bracelets decorated with row upon row of colorful rhinestones can be worth several hundred dollars apiece to the right person. This rivals prices being paid for jewelry made of another popular vintage plastic, Bakelite, also known as Catalin. In comparison, celluloid is much lighter in weight and density than Catalin.
Why are celluloids more prone to color?
Why? It is supposed that agents supplying the color to darker celluloid batches act as binding agents making the substance more chemically stable thus thwarting, or at least slowing down, the deterioration process.
Can you store celluloid jewelry in plastic?
Celluloid products have also been reported to emit fumes that can damage metal, specifically that used in jewelry and knife blades, so it is not a good idea to store your vintage treasures made of celluloid in an airtight container or sealed in a plastic bag, especially when they're in proximity to other items you want to keep safe.
Is celluloid plastic good?
Even though the pale yellow pieces are recognized as this type of plastic most often, it took many forms and colors during the time it was being used. Celluloid was inexpensive, easy to work with, and durable when new. If you look around you can find knife handles, holiday decorations, razors, hair ornaments, dresser sets, and even jewelry made up of celluloid, and many of these are still in good condition today.
Does celluloid omit camphor?
Celluloid omits the scent of camphor when heated in this way. Avoid getting old mirrors and jewelry with stones wet; if the foil on the backs of these items has already started to deteriorate, moisture can make matters markedly worse.
