Thread: Dovo Super Bismarck 112 Rescale; or, Desperation Meets Frustration

A little while back I got my hands on a Dovo Super Bismark 112, I believe from just after Dovo acquired Bismark. It has always been a nice little razor but nothing fancy and the cheap white plastic scales it came with were a bit of an eye sore so obviously I needed to switch them out! I had been working on a pair of cocobolo scales with a CA finish for my Red Imp but just as I finished them I managed to split one of the scales just as I was doing some touch-ups; unfortunately, in my enthusiasm I had already pulled the scales off of the Super Bismark, to the effect that, of my 4 razors, 3 were sitting bare and the 4th was in the mail.

I really didn't want to deal with a CA finish just yet (beautiful but tedious) so I made a new set out of some desert ironwood I was recently gifted. There is no finish on the scales; instead, they were hand sanded up to 3000 grit and fitted with a wedge made from an old brass key. Frustratingly, when I put it together the blade consistently pulled to the right (looking down from the heel) and I couldn't figure out why. I ended up pulling the scales apart, sanding them thinner, and drilling the pivot hole to a slightly larger size so that I could do some directional peening. I managed to get it to not hit the sides at least, but never completely centred. It wasn't until my wife looked at it that she pointed out that the tang wasn't even: it isn't bent, exactly, but the left side is tapered but the right side is perfect straight and inline with the the spine!

It still feels a bit rough, and I have less than zero skill with a camera to show it off, but for the moment I'm happy with it. I'm looking forward to seeing how the desert ironwood will age.

The scales look good. My wife is very good at pointing out things I may have missed. Which actually means she is somewhat of a participant in my razor hobby. It sounds like perhaps your wife is also a participant. I find it very handy.

That tang geometry is not unusual & perhaps why scales were traditionally made with flexible materials.
You may be able to make adjustments by strategically sanding or using a thrust washer but if it's not fouling you're ahead.

Nice job for being one of your first. Congrads.

Tangs are often "Off"

I check them first gives you the opportunity to build around the problem

Like this, Flat surface and press down on the pivot hole

Yes, my wife is definitely involved though more because she can't escape me. I actually even knew that the tangs are frequently off but for some reason it just never occurred to me to check until after. I good lesson for me! It's been a lot of fun though.

Nice work. The brass key for a wedge is an interesting idea...hmmmm. Thanks for sharing!