Cleaning a used straight razor with a bad smell

So I got my first straight razor. It's got one rust spot on the head of the blade, not on the edge or side (can't remember the proper term) but it also smells bad. I think the smell is coming from the scales. They're some kind of plastic but when I smell the razor, open, the smell seems to come from the scales. I've left it to sit for several days but the smell hasn't gone away. I was thinking of soaking the whole razor in 91% alcohol. Scales and all. Is that a bad idea?
When it comes to cleaning a used razor, google turned up a lot of folks simply saying "use barbacide" or "use alcohol" or something like that. They seem to only refer to the blade, not the scales, and no one has complained about a razor that smells, quite frankly, like farts and butt hole How should I handle this? Does it come down to getting it rescaled? Has anyone experienced this before?
All your help is appreciated. Thank you

Does it smell like vinager? It could be celluloid rot. Here is a link. You could also google celluloid rot. I personally don't know anything about it, I have just read about it here. Good luck and someone smarter than me should chime in.

Here is a thread about stinky scales.

New scales are relatively cheap and easy, I would sweat it if they are stinky, and just replace them with new ones as part of the restore. If they are celluloid, that way you remove the chance of them rotting the blade completely.

Yeah perhaps it is celluloid rot. Doesn't smell like vinegar but that's the only thing I can think of. I don't know if celluloid rot can occur in transit from the seller but I'd like to think he didn't know about it when selling it to me. Looking around it seems like it will cost as much as the razor itself ($40) to get it rescaled. The seller said he honed it. Maybe at this rate I should send it off to be honed at the same time? All the tutorials for rescaling make it seem a bit out of my reach. I have no tools or experience with tools, really. Learning sounds fun but what are the chances of destroying the thing?

thanks for the replies and for the links. I think rescaling is in order. Now the question is, do it myself or pay someone to do it?

Well, any way to post pics and some details of the razor? That can help those give advice on how much investment various members think is worth putting into it. I've seen (somewhere), basic premade scales and you can just slap on with micro-fasteners that were pretty inexpensive.. not the greatest looking or feeling scales, but completely functional and safe for the blade.

Don't get discouraged just yet. Post a picture, may not even be rot. What size is the razor? If I had an old set I would give them to you but I'm sorry I don't. If you find something I have a couple micro screw I can send you.