Camillus handles removed, reddish liner brass

[PringleTree]

Given their condition and my suspicion that they were celluloid, I decided to remove the handles on this Camillus that I recently picked up. See pics. The company advertised is the Wasson Radiator Shop, Beaumont, Texas. During the subsequent cleanup, I found the liner brass to have a strong reddish tint. Would this be due to the copper within the brass?

Thanks for looking,

Chris J.

[Ripster]

Given their condition and my suspicion that they were celluloid, I decided to remove the handles on this Camillus that I recently picked up. See pics. The company advertised is the Wasson Radiator Shop, Beaumont, Texas. During the subsequent cleanup, I found the liner brass to have a strong reddish tint. Would this be due to the copper within the brass?

Thanks for looking,

Chris J.

You got it cleaned up pretty good. The Celluloid would have ate up the liners . The reddish color was probably the chemical reaction of the Celluloid and the brass. It would have destroyed the liners if you hadn’t removed the Celluloid covers.
Good save.

[knife-nut]

Brass is a alloy of copper and zinc.When brass corrodes, it can undergo dezincification, a process in which zinc is lost and copper is left behind.

[PringleTree]

Given their condition and my suspicion that they were celluloid, I decided to remove the handles on this Camillus that I recently picked up. See pics. The company advertised is the Wasson Radiator Shop, Beaumont, Texas. During the subsequent cleanup, I found the liner brass to have a strong reddish tint. Would this be due to the copper within the brass?

Thanks for looking,

Chris J.

You got it cleaned up pretty good. The Celluloid would have ate up the liners . The reddish color was probably the chemical reaction of the Celluloid and the brass. It would have destroyed the liners if you hadn’t removed the Celluloid covers.
Good save.

Thanks, JP. I think that I was fortunate that the corrosion hadn't advanced further than it had. Overall, I think it turned out pretty well and may be worthy of a nice rehandle.

Chris J.

[PringleTree]

Brass is a alloy of copper and zinc.When brass corrodes, it can undergo dezincification, a process in which zinc is lost and copper is left behind.

Thanks for the info, KN--much appreciated.

Chris J.