Thread: Frederick Reynolds Wedge

As discussed over here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/aucti...-just-won.html

I just received my frederick reynolds wedge purchased on the bay.

I unpinned it, removed the active rust, cleaned and polished the mottled horn scales and repinned.

Here's the pic. Feedback is HIGHLY welcome, especially on my pinning.

(Please ignore the crack in the scales. It wasn't there before unpinning the razor, and is fortunately no structural)

It actually looks good Steve, the only hint I could give and it might not make any difference is the higher the polish is on your Ballpeen hammer the higher the polish will be on the pins...

Sometimes scales crack and you didn't do a thing wrong, they can be bent they can be crud locked or rust locked to the scales and when you pop them they just crack....

I snapped a scale last night in fact, the Crushed Emerald ones I did on one of the guy's Fillys... Was putting in the pivot pin and just one tap in the wrong place and snap, I had to make a new one today it happens to all of us...

I have a couple of sets of those same FR scales if you want to try cleaning one of them up they are not in great shape but with some work they could be....

i like it

All Right!!!

Glad to see you put that doming block to use, and also took the plunge to make your own pins! Those domed washers really look cool.

Love the tortoise-shell look of those scales, even if it isn't tortoise shell.

In conjunction with Glen's tip about a highly polished hammer (that tip helped me too - thanks Glen!) my very limited experience has shown me that once I get the razor pinned tight enough to hold together, many many many light taps while moving the hammer head around all sides of the pin while you work will make the pin heads even smoother. It also helps to rest the other side of the pin in a drilled depression (it doesn't have to be deep) on your work surface rather than on a dead flat surface when you are smoothing out those pins.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

....the higher the polish is on your Ballpeen hammer the higher the polish will be on the pins...

...I snapped a scale last night in fact....

I have a couple of sets of those same FR scales if you want to try cleaning one of them up they are not in great shape but with some work they could be....

I've thought about the polish on the hammer. This one is new, but not very even. I think I better ball peen might help. In the mean time, perhaps some love from the dremel.

I would take you up on those scales, but I've got a brand new set of shapton hone that should be on my doorstep tomorow. If you still have some laying around after the new-toy-joy wears off from the hones, I may take you up on it.

Originally Posted by mrbhagwan

All Right!!!

Glad to see you put that doming block to use, and also took the plunge to make your own pins! Those domed washers really look cool.

What's funny, is that I bought a few sets of these: Straight Razor Maintenance & Repair Needs for my first attempts at pinning because I was a little intimidated by pinning.

For anyone else considering them, my vote is not to bother. It only took a little longer to do it myself, and I think they turned out MUCH better.

Very nice ! & I like the hammered look on your pins.
Shame about the crack but as Glen said it happens. Just enjoy it as is.
Will likely hold together a long time & if not, Super glue sticks to horn pretty well.

I really like it, need to get me one of those Sheffield wedges...

Regards

I like the work and the use of original material. I can't seem to find any of those scales that are in good enough shape to fix, so great job! For me the trick to smooth pins is a norton 320 grit sanding block. I use the block and run it gently over each pin after pinning is complete and then use a dremel felt pad with jewelers or white rouge that you can get at Home Depot made by Ryobi. You can also carefully use a dremel sanding disk and go over the pins quickly and lightly to avoid heat.
I only say this if you want the pins to look polished. With those original scales and the age of the razor, I think hammered pins look better.
You can see some of my pins in my albums, but Max and Glen do the best and most consistent pin jobs. I think what you have is great, and I love the domed washers.
Again, great job!

It looks quite nice,

I like it too Steve. You did what you had to do and proud you should be.

You could easily take a small piece of high grit sandpaper and carefully sand the brass mushroom pin flush. Lay the sandpaper flat on a surface and carefully in circle movements try sand your way on the brass peened mushroom. Make sure not to touch the scales on the sandpaper. A 12K micromesh puts a final high mirror polish on those babies.

Enjoy your Reynolds!