Thread: Barlow & Sons shoulderless in Mopani

Greetings everyone,

Here is one that I just finished up. It’s a James Barlow and Sons shoulderless razor. It’s also marked ECHO, but I’m not sure what that refers to. It’s my first shoulderless razor and, believe it or not, it’s my first round point blade.

The original scales were just crappy yellow plastic, so they had to go. The blade was pretty gunked up, but there was not much actual rust. This is what it looked like;

I actually like blades with a patina on them, so I was mostly concerned with getting the black crap off the blade. I ended up taking off more of the graying than I wanted, but it really couldn’t be helped. My local Woodcraft store is now stocking a wood called Mopani, so I decided to give it a try. It came out pretty well, except that some damn fool (me) cut the scales too thick. I didn’t notice until it was too late. Of well, at least it easily stands on its back for pictures. I forget what kind of wood I used for the wedge.

Here is the finished product. I still need to hone it up and try it out;

Looks good, nice work. But are you sure that those scales were plastic?

Thanks. The old scales are still on my workbench, so I checked them again. I would say either plastic or Celluloid. I don't believe they are bone or ivory, if that's what you were thinking.

Bone and ivory have a unique feeling to them. If you know what plastic feels like, bone does not feel like that. Your probably right, they look like plastic to me too.

Great job btw. At first I thought, wow, how in the world did he save that!!! But then I read that the rust looking stuff was gunk. Still, the transformation looks great in the pictures, gunk or no gunk. Sometimes gunk can be as hard to get rid of as rust. Just doesn't penetrate the steel. :lol:

Great looking results! What kind of fasteners are those?
-Kern

Thanks, they are barrel pivots that I get from Tracy Mickley at USA Knife Maker Supply. I switch out the screws that come with the pivots and use Tracy's gold plated screws.

Those scales aren't too thick! I like'm! Good job!!!

Chris, thanks for the links and the spec on swapping in the gold plated screws instead - I really appreciate the resource!

I kind of like the visible screws aesthetic, too. Modern. I wonder what a Wapenica or anything else metal scaled would look like with screws in...

Chris! and the washers are? 1/8 teflon?
Amund.

Amund,

Yes, I these are the 1/8" .010 washers I used. They also sell the Nytralon washers I sometimes use. USA Knife Maker Supply sells washers in Nytralon (black), Teflon (white), and bronze.