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Before I broke a scale.
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After my first try at scales from scratch.
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The blade is off center so much so the edge would hit the scale when closing. I managed to get it over just enough to clear the scale by using a spacer on one side of the blade. Not happy with the result.
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The scales look nice, but a bit thick.
What are the scales made of?
Did you drill the pin holes with the scales glued together?
Nice work on the blade and the pinning looks pretty good for your first pinning job.
I wish my first set of scales looked that good.
I agree with Rez. My first set didnt look that good. Nice job. Bjt as Marty said they do look a little thick. Did you check the blade to see if it was straight when it was apart?
I felt thy were a bit to thick that could also be why I felt like the original lead wedge was to narrow.
thy were not glued together when I drilled them but thy were taped.
Scales are made of black buffalo horn.
The blade did have a twist on one side witch I found odd. I did see in another thread a way to move it to the center by manipulating the pins but I just cant seem to figure out how to make it work.
I think most people make them thick the first try or even few tries. I have sets I thinned out more than once.
Nice work on the scales. Try tapping the pivot pin on opposite side that hits. It may bring it closer to center.
You have done a good job. With a twist it takes some special details in pinning. Some times even setting one scale higher than the other to un align the pin holes a touch. Just watch tapping the pin too much as you dont want the pivot too tight or crack a scales.
The wedge also looks like it does not have enough taper. The angle should match the angle of the tang. But because the scales are so thick, they may not flex enough.
Horn is very easy to work. If you do not have a set of calipers, good plastic ones are available from General for a few dollars. Even the Harbor Freight calipers digital calipers are good enough for this level of accuracy in making and thinning scales.
Did you drill the holes when the scales were flat? If not, then you pin holes may not be square to the inside of the scales and the pin hole in the blade. It does not take much to throw the tip out of alignment.
If you drill the pin holes a bit large, (5/64 for a 1/16 pin, not all rod is the same thickness, measure) and the wedge is not glued in place you can adjust the scales and wedge and move the pivot pin by tapping the in the direction you want the blade tip to move.
For example, in the photo, tap the left pin on the back side to move to the right (Blue Arrow) and tap the right pin to the back (Red Arrow). It does not take much movement to move the blade tip.
But if you glued the wedge or if the holes are too tight, you will need to unpin and redrill to center the blade.
This is why you mock-up with bolts before you pin. You also may want to leave your wedge a bit large, and drill the wedge hole larger, so if you need to move the pins and spacer you have enough material to trim to fit the scales once the scales are adjusted.
I do not trim the wedge to size until the razor is completely pinned and I am happy with the fit. This also makes the wedge fit to the scales with no gaps.
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That helps a lot I was trying to tap the top and bottom of the pins and not the front and back. The wedge has almost the same taper as the original lead one just a bit larger.Quote:
Originally Posted by Euclid440
I would have done a mock up but did not have bolts to fit. Anticipation would not let me wait for them..lol so I had to wing it. I do have a set of digital calipers but did not think the size was that critical.
I am not apposed to un pinning them and shaving them down a bit so that may be my next move.
Thanks for the help
John
Just for reference I post thickness's on just about every restore I do
The scales MUST flex doesn't matter the material
Horn scales I usually send home with a Thickness between .105 and .115 inches
ps: Get your scales contoured while they are stuck together, drill the holes, then yank them apart
Sand them from the insides to Thickness then once you have them where you want them finally make the Wedge and fit it doing final sanding...
Doing it in that order ESPECIALLY on Horn eliminates most all of your Horn warping issues..
pps: Check the razor on a Flat surface BEFORE drilling the Pivot Hole
Just place it on a flat surface, put your finger on the pivot hole and look at the spine in relation to the surface, flip it over and check the back side
You are going to find three issues
Spine Warp, Blade Warp, Tang grind angle uneven front to back, knowing this BEFORE drilling the pivot hole allows you to adjust the scale build more than one way
I only sound smart because I made the mistakes before you did :p
These were never glued together I shaped and thinned them them separate from each other Then taped them together for the finale shaping and drilling.Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
Hind sight being 20/20 I see I took the path of most resistance. :aargh:
What glue should I use to be able to pull them apart?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audels1
Some use thin two sided tape, I have used Rubber Cement since I started and still do
Either way works
I like a piece of paper with a few drops of Elmer's glue, between the scales. Any mess can be cleaned up with a spritz of water and a rag
I am a double sided tape user and use an aluminium block for shaping if I am planning on making more than one set. It’s a long story. My slabs all start at 0.125” and thin as I shape and sand. I typically don’t measure after I start. I probably should.
Double sided scotch tape for me. Its thin and will peal off eazy enough.
When I have a razor that refuses to center, I generally find that the easy way to make it do so, is to spot sand the inner face of the scales at the pivot. On the scale that is being hit, I sand the area between the pivot hole and the small and of the scale, so that the tang can swing a tiny bit toward that scale. On the other scale, I sand from the pivot hole toward the central part of the scale, so that the shank and thus the blade can swing a little bit toward that scale. Easy does it. You don't need to remove very much material at all.
I like using size 0-80 brass bolts, nuts, and washers from www.microfasteners.com . Easy to apply for test fittings, easy to remove for more work.
Don't get in too big a hurry. You got a nice project started and you will have reason to be proud of the results if you don't cut corners.
I thinned the scales and got the blade centered by manipulating the pins it works but is not pleasing to the eye. the scales look like thy are trying to twist around each other.
It's all a learning experience. If you are not happy with them, try again another day. It seems easy enough in the beginning but there is a little more to it. I'd get another and try again. Then come back to the first one.
LOL got plenty to go to. I am just undecided which one to do first. I go it narrowed down to 4. I guess another topic is in order.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gasman
With horn, you can heat the scales. Then bend or twist the scales to center the blade.
So to speak
thy are not twisted but I had to tap the pins so far that on scale is higher than the other and one even sits back further just don't look good. I am going to unpin them again and try Crescent city's suggestion.Quote:
Originally Posted by outback
So, just to be clear about centering blades in scales. In the photo posted if you tap the pins as suggested by the arrows, will move the tip to the right.
Moving the pin a few thousands, tip movement is multiplied by the length of the blade. If the pin hole is larger than the pivot pin, the pin can be moved, and if both sides of the pin are moved, one forward the other back, movement of the pin is doubled, as is blade tip.
If the wedge is not glued, the scales can also be moved, the scale on the left forward and the right to the rear again doubling the movement. Wedges were never glue on Vintage razors, probably for that reason and there is no need to glue a wedge.
The scale and wedge alignment will be slightly thrown off where the scales meet the wedge. The scales and wedge can easily be aligned by filing or sanding, it will also make the gap between the scales and scales seamless if the scales and wedge are flat.
If you glue the wedge to the scales, you give up that adjustment. Just leave the wedge a bit large and shape to final dimension once the razor is completely pined and you are happy with the alignment.
It worked just like you said it would but it had to move so much that I am just not happy with the with the way it looks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Euclid440
I use low temperature hot glue. It holds tighter than dick's hat band, puts no space in between to speak of and peels off usually in one sheet once you break them apart with no residue to clean up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Audels1
