Thread: First shot a new scales.

I found this Quality no. 33 in a local shop. Scales were warped and broke so I decided to try new ones out of Faux ivory and inlet the bolsters from the original scales. I am fairly pleased. The Faux ivory from Masecraft turned out to be more flexible than I would have liked but it will work fine.

Clean work, great job!

Nice job. Congrats

Nicely done.

Originally Posted by Splashone

I found this Quality no. 33 in a local shop. Scales were warped and broke so I decided to try new ones out of Faux ivory and inlet the bolsters from the original scales. I am fairly pleased. The Faux ivory from Masecraft turned out to be more flexible than I would have liked but it will work fine.

Well my friends, this is definitely a case where holding something in your hand tells you so much more than pictures ever could!!!

I have my friend’s razor here for honing as I write and I will tell you that I am Very Impressed with his FIRST EVER attempt at making scales!!

If I didn’t know for a fact that the original scales were broken I’d swear that this was a Razor in NOS Scales!!!!! YES! They are that good!!!

I’ll try to post some different pictures in a day or two; I’ve got my plate plenty full right now!!

He’s a perfectionist and see’s where he thinks he could have improved, but I don’t see where I’d change a thing!!!

I look forward to seeing great scales coming from him!!! You just watch and see!! :

not to bad at all
weel done

If I am understanding this correctly you marked out the scale material with the shape of the bolsters and removed material so that they would sit flush with the scales? Is this the usual method for transferring bolsters because somehow I had the idea that some guys set the bolsters on top of the scale material and tapered the bolsters so they would not catch on anything.....and a general question, kind of off thread, how were bolsters done in the factories that originally produced them on their razors? I kind of saw dies that a molten scale material would be poured into and the whole works shaped and polished from a near finished state. Anyway, first time or 200th time......looking good!

Yes. First, I contoured the scales to the approximate radius of the old but left about .030" extra thickness. Then I made sure that the bolsters didn't have any strange bends in them (some of the "leaf" ends were out of plane with the main portion). Then I carefully placed the bolster and scribed around it with an exacto knife and #11 blade. Then I used a sharpie to color over the scribe line. A quick trip to the sink and some 1000 grit paper leaves just the fine black line of the scribing.

Then I used my dremel with a 1/16" and 1/32" diameter rotary files and the exacto to relieve the area where the bolster would sit. When I was satisfied with how all the bolsters were lying, I used some slow setting epoxy to bed the bolsters and fill any gaps underneath them.

Finally, I covered the bolsters with masking tape and trimmed to their outline and sanded the scales down to flush. I finish sanded without the tape to bring down the tape thickness mismatch and buffed the finished pieces. Repinned with nickel/silver rod and stainless washers.

I believe the bolsters were originally cast into the celluloid.

You did very well there. Would definately be hard to tell them from the originals.

Originally Posted by Splashone

Yes. First, I contoured the scales to the approximate radius of the old but left about .030" extra thickness. Then I made sure that the bolsters didn't have any strange bends in them (some of the "leaf" ends were out of plane with the main portion). Then I carefully placed the bolster and scribed around it with an exacto knife and #11 blade. Then I used a sharpie to color over the scribe line. A quick trip to the sink and some 1000 grit paper leaves just the fine black line of the scribing.

Then I used my dremel with a 1/16" and 1/32" diameter rotary files and the exacto to relieve the area where the bolster would sit. When I was satisfied with how all the bolsters were lying, I used some slow setting epoxy to bed the bolsters and fill any gaps underneath them.

Finally, I covered the bolsters with masking tape and trimmed to their outline and sanded the scales down to flush. I finish sanded without the tape to bring down the tape thickness mismatch and buffed the finished pieces. Repinned with nickel/silver rod and stainless washers.

I believe the bolsters were originally cast into the celluloid.

Now that I like! Excellent work, great eye for and attention to detail and the result looks very good. I look forward to seeing more (close-up) pictures of this blade.