Thread: Shumate

Rescaled the Shumate, hoping to eliminate a slight offset in how the blade closed between the scales. I blamed the 3/32" tang hole for some possible slop in the angle, so I shimmed the tang hole with brass tubing and made new canvas micarta scales with sunspot kirinite wedge. It does look a lot better than the maroon linen micarta, but I have to admit that the blade still is less than absolutely dead center. I should have tested the straightness of the blade. Anyway, as my son said, nobody is going to notice the slight imperfection but me. OCD alive and well. I tried moving the blade by the directional peening method written about on this forum, but no improvement. I can live with it, I can live with it.................

Some of my old Sheffield blades have been challenging to fit scales too. If I know the tang or the hole is crooked, I don't put the wedge pin hole in right away. I screw the pivot and then adjust the closing and double tape the wedge. Once it is closing nice I mark the wedge hole and drill it then. It is a bit of monkeying around but solves the centering issue on problem razors. Completely redundant if everything is straight. Check first and sometimes the long way is the short cut. They do look nice though. It's a little blurry in the picture but the pinning looks like a two thumbs up.

[QUOTE=RezDog;1353294] I screw the pivot and then adjust the closing and double tape the wedge. Once it is closing nice I mark the wedge hole and drill it then. It is a bit of monkeying around but solves the centering issue on problem razors. Completely redundant if everything is straight. Check first and sometimes the long way is the short cut.


Thank you. I will give that a try next time. Any trouble drilling perpendicular to scales that are already shaped? Or do you mean, the scales are drilled already, just not the wedge hole? Thanks for the help. Sounds like I need to find some 1/16" screws/nuts somewhere.

There is no issue for me. I tape the scales with masking so my marks show easily and press the scales up to the drill bit in the drill press. I go through into the wedge from each side. I use a compass to lay out the holes. After you have done it a couple of times it is super simple.

Originally Posted by RezDog

There is no issue for me. I tape the scales with masking so my marks show easily and press the scales up to the drill bit in the drill press. I go through into the wedge from each side. I use a compass to lay out the holes. After you have done it a couple of times it is super simple.

Thank you. You just changed my technique for next time. I appreciate the help !

Originally Posted by RezDog

There is no issue for me. I tape the scales with masking so my marks show easily and press the scales up to the drill bit in the drill press. I go through into the wedge from each side. I use a compass to lay out the holes. After you have done it a couple of times it is super simple.

Can you explain the use of the compass to lay out the holes? I ordered some microfasteners and already have the double sided tape and masking. I want to make sure the next rescale comes out dead center. Thank you.

Originally Posted by RezDog

Some of my old Sheffield blades have been challenging to fit scales too. If I know the tang or the hole is crooked, I don't put the wedge pin hole in right away. I screw the pivot and then adjust the closing and double tape the wedge. Once it is closing nice I mark the wedge hole and drill it then.

"and then adjust the closing": could you say a little more about what it is you are adjusting? How are you compensating for the crooked tang or hole?

Joe

Originally Posted by Berthold

Can you explain the use of the compass to lay out the holes?

I'd like to hear more about that, too.
Joe

Originally Posted by carrolljc

"and then adjust the closing": could you say a little more about what it is you are adjusting? How are you compensating for the crooked tang or hole?

Joe

With the scales attached at the pivot and the wedge double taped on one side I use a small clamp to tighten the wedge end. I observe which way the blade needs to move and then life the scales back and forth to get the blade dead center. I mark the scale alignment, usually with a mark on masking tape, sometime a fine felt pen. I release the clamp take the pivot screw out and double tape the wedge on the mark, put the blade back in and double check it. if all is well I take the blade out and drill the wedge hole. Disassemble everything and start my final assembly.

Originally Posted by RezDog

With the scales attached at the pivot and the wedge double taped on one side I use a small clamp to tighten the wedge end. I observe which way the blade needs to move and then life the scales back and forth to get the blade dead center. I mark the scale alignment, usually with a mark on masking tape, sometime a fine felt pen. I release the clamp take the pivot screw out and double tape the wedge on the mark, put the blade back in and double check it. if all is well I take the blade out and drill the wedge hole. Disassemble everything and start my final assembly.

Thanks for that explanation. I wish I could see you doing it! I'm being a little dense, not quite able to visualize what you mark when you mark the scale alignment. It isn't the place where the pin hole will be drilled, is it?

Joe