My first straight razor. Real tortoise shell?

[Spartcom5]

Hey everyone, I posted this on a straight razor forum and someone brought to my attention the fact that this may be made from real tortoise shell. It's a Johan Engstrom, Red Devil razor from 1900-1904 or so. I know it's damaged but can be fixed up so they told me. I only paid $4 and got the original box. However, I really want to know if this is real tortoise shell because if it is then I got something real special! Someone mentioned that Swedish made straight razor indeed did use tortoise shell sometimes way back. When I hold it up to the light it looks like it has lines going through it like growth marks, I read about online. I can imagine plastic wouldn't have that... Also, I read real shell is very light and this is very light as well. Does anyone know anything or have any input? Thanks a ton!

 

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[ethanfez]

You can do the hot pin test. Also since shell is too thin to use by itself they would laminate layers of shell together so if it is real you should be able to see some sign of that at the edge.

 

[villagenut]

More than likely it is faux tortoise shell. I believe that during the 1870s they started fazing out real shell due to the endangerment to the turtle. The faux product looks a heck of a lot like the real.

 

[diggummup]

Here is a good reference thread... http://straightrazorplace.com/razors/97893-primer-genuine-tortoiseshell.html

Tortoise shell wasn't banned until the 1970's.