Camphor Smell In A Celluliod Pen

[H. Lime]

Hi,

 

I have recently bought a celluloid pen (omas autunno). Now, I have read that celluloid pens should have some smell of camphor about them -- but how much of it should I expect? Is the smell related to a breakdown in the material / incorrect handling?

[framebaer]

The smell will vary. It really has nothing to do with improper handling.

 

On vintage pens usually (but not always) one can rub and heat the plastic to draw out the smell, we use it as a test to see if a pen is celluloid. Don't overheat!

[H. Lime]

Thanks.

 

Well, the cap has a bit of a smell, but that's about it. As for overheating -- I'm keeping it safe.

[LedZepGirl]

A celluloid pen cap smelling like camphor is normal. I'd be worry if it didn't, then it would be made out of something else.

[MidnightBlue]

I have 4 ranging from 1927 to newish and none have a smell at all, but the camphor smell is known to all. Thanks

Edited July 18, 2011 by MidnightBlue

[dnayakan]

My sense of smell is not that great. I do not usually smell the camphor on pens. However, heat generally seems to release the smell enough that I can detect it. Cutting the material releases a pretty strong camphor smell.

Cheers, DJ

[H. Lime]

Hm. Thanks, people.

[eric47]

I have recently bought a celluloid pen (omas autunno). Now, I have read that celluloid pens should have some smell of camphor about them -- but how much of it should I expect?

 

In my experience, vintage celluloid has a much stronger camphor smell than modern celluloid. With Omas in particular, the modern celluloid isn't that strong -- could be do to a difference in raw ingredients/materials.

 

The gases tend to vent/disperse rather easily and quickly, which is why people tend to sniff the inside of the caps, which tend to "trap" the gas.

 

If you stick the pen in a closed pen tube for a day, then the gas gets trapped and you should experience a stronger camphor smell. I do that with vintage "borderline" pens that were produced during the move away from celluloid. N.B. for long term storage, celluloid needs to breathe and shouldn't be stored in an air-tight environment. A day in a closed pen tube isn't a big deal -- that's often much less than it takes for pens to arrive via post.

[H. Lime]

Hi Eric,

 

Thanks -- I take it that mine is made of modern celluloid, then.

As for storage -- most of the time I keep it either in my pocket or in one of those Waterman pen cases. The one time I did store it for a longer period, I had kept it in its original box.

[hbquikcomjamesl]

If it's definitely made of nitrate celluloid, and there isn't any detectable camphor smell, then it's probably not stable. Camphor serves as both a plasticizer and a stablizer in nitrate celluloid.

[H. Lime]

If it's definitely made of nitrate celluloid, and there isn't any detectable camphor smell, then it's probably not stable. Camphor serves as both a plasticizer and a stablizer in nitrate celluloid.

 

Thanks -- so my pen is not about to go 'boom' just yet. Good.

 

I did think that the smell had something to do with the degradation of the material.

Edited July 19, 2011 by H. Lime

[vickiehof]

I think that I finally have a celluloid pen (Ebay listing 330591222281). I just bought an old multi-color "camo" green pen by Lifelong that has been reconditioned. It's a "third-tier" pen with a durium nib but I liked the color and it writes very well.

 

I did the "stick the cap up my nose" trick and it definitely smells like Vicks Vapo Rub. I'm glad that no one saw me do this. They just wouldn't understand.

[jslallar]

Camphor is one of the ingredients used to make celluloid. I remember having read someplace that Italian companies store the raw material for a year to let it 'age' properly before cutting out pens - one from each block only. So camphor smell should be normal.