Thread: The French Love of A Mouton Rouge (by moutonrouge)

I thought of sticking to a thread that will contain my experiments, alterations and other "loves" rather than having these dispersed / scattered in various threads. It will offer a more continuous and homogeneous outlook, easier to critique, explain and exemplify for whoever might be interested into my twisted ideas.
Because I brushed shoulder with various alarmed /outraged / distressed opinions, I feel obliged to introduce a disclaimer:

* * * this is not restoring but experimenting, any resemblance with authentic collector items is purely accidental * * *

Just to get quickly through my last experiment: this made the subject of recycling some previously made scales to make fit better a French blade into a French style (objective - the use of some forgotten end caps and inlaying shields of a rather complex shape into MOP). Grade of complexity - not very high but close enough

It started from here



Got through here





To end up there

Wow beautiful scales.

Thank you. Happy to see there is interest and at least the curiosity. What I'm enjoying is not restoring but merely the play with various materials and get the most out of them.
It has been my interest / preoccupation for the last couple of years with a gradual learning curve. Surprisingly but only here and on the French forum (I felt obliged to share, because I peeped through the window into Thaeris' work) I met feed-back and / or been asked "how to" questions. I hope you'll find at least some techniques and approaches useful for your own projects.
Anyhow, this is another old project I intend to refurbish. I cannot correct the misalignment of the pins (due to a badly calibrated drill press) but at least I can redefine the contour, the shields and inlay them - and I'll show how to, by hand, without the use a two legged parser.
The blade, shapes of scales, the concept of ornate dividers, combination of silver and MOP, minus the twisted ideas are all French inspired.





Today I managed to dismantle the parts to be corrected.



Next will be to redefine the contour of the shields (shape inspired by a French coat of arms) - rather badly cut and one slightly larger than the other - required before inlaying.

Managed to progress further - I redefined one shield and adjusted the other simply by superimposing and filing the overcontour with a jeweler diamond file (half-moon shape).



I have left just a finishing touch because the pointy ends are very slightly out of centerline



The desire for another carving project is getting itchier than ever. I need to try something like this and this week-end I get the things started (I have the lining already cut from another project, I need only to give it a slimmer contour)



The pinning will be tricky as I prefer 1.5mm thick pins for sturdiness. I think I'll go for flush end silver pins; as silver is softer I'll carve the lines to integrate the pins in the overall design

Inlaying now - I have to mention my hand is mainly used to "feel" the bone; MOP is harder and the carving feels a bit "blind" so I get minor imperfections I need to work on a bit.
I secure the shield with a drop of superglue and outline/scratch the contour; I remove the shield after with a utility knife or anything similar



The contour after I removed the shield (I did make a few markings with the pencil to help positioning the shield)



I outline the contour further so I won't get across when carving



I plane the surface little by little



...and I'm pretty much done



The shield in position, some finishing touches are needed as MOP feels weird to my hand



In bone I can inlay a such shield in 20 min or less but in MOP it took nearly one hour, I still need a finishing touch.
The idea is the concept works and with practice it will get better.
Next will be to flatten the shield's surface (is convex - it was the best way to make the transition with the surface at the time I would simply pin the shield), get it flush, pin and polish it - tomorrow maybe

That's one sweet looking razor!

Impressive work

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk

Almost nailed it - I changed the angulation of the graver so one edge will rest against the shield and be perpendicular on the surface, used the reflection of light on the surface while planing it and got there - simplicity in itself

Your doing a great job

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk

In this episode - Pinning (or what I call "the cold technique")

I bevel the hole's margin



After pining (silver wire 1.5mm - it has to be the same material, same purity, otherwise the pin will show even after polishing)...



...filing the pin's mushroom...



...and polishing



One of the shields still has some light scratches but for experimenting is just fine

Overall view



The technique is easy and straightforward, suitable for plain surfaces. To inlay ornate pins require soldering the pin to the inlay ("the hot technique")