JR Torrey ARMY razor with camo micarta scales and 9mm pins

I wanted to try to make my own micarta so I decided to take a break from making steampunk scales and give this idea a try.

I recently acquired a nice JR Torrey ARMY razor (I think issued during WWI) and I wanted to update the plain black scales.

I took a pair of British bdu's and cut 6 pieces of fabric and glued them with epoxy resin and let them sit clamped overnight. Homemade micarta is fuzzy when sanded so I put 10 coats of ca (or so) over these.

I wanted to try to use 9mm brass cases to surround the pins. This turned out to be quite a bit harder to pull off than I expected. After cutting the cases with a dremel I countersunk them into the micarta. However i needed 5 #0 washers on each pin in order to bring them to the proper heigth. I had to try this 2 different times and I"m still not very happy with the result of my pinning. I flattened them too much :( I still have a long way to go...

The spacer is cocobolo hardwood (used in many pistol grips) sandwiched between 2 pieces of thin brass.

http://www.antiquemilitaryshooter.co...rmy1_small.jpg
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Very cool idea, well done and perfect match for the razor! :rock:

I like the effort,,, the pins brought a smile to my face,, When I was building Custom Rifles I would use the cut down case heads as washers for the sling swivels and Bi-pod studs...Always liked it for the "Cool Factor" This is a great idea and the fact that you made the Micarta just adds more to it :tu :tu

Really nice. Great props as well. You got to love a .45!!!

I like the way the pins and washers look, doesn't look like a spent round. Great Job.

I like it, you do some pretty innovative work.

Charlie

That's pretty darn cool. I love guns and the pins are just too cool. Nice job.

Very cool. I've read about making micarta but never got around to trying it (just lazy I guess) very nicely done.
Grant

Nice job! Looks very "military". Maybe you should have posed it with a Luger. OR pinned it with .45's! (Kidding). Very cool! Reminds me of a tank!

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Originally Posted by baldy

Very cool. I've read about making micarta but never got around to trying it (just lazy I guess) very nicely done.
Grant

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The micarta was pretty easy to make and just as easy to work with. I think the CA finish will be necessary due to the fuzziness of homemade micarta, but that isn't very hard to do either.

Had a first shave with the new scales today! Need to tighten the pins a bit but other than that things worked out well!
http://www.antiquemilitaryshooter.co...d6_13_11_small

Very cool! Definately a fitting combo with the blade and very ingenuitive :)

Excellent, your innovation with fabricating the different parts of this razor make it a real work of art. Love it.

Fine job.:nj

Good idea. Nicely done!

How cool is that! I love the fact you've restored a vintage Army issue razor in such a thoughtful way. Great to see some British DPM on there with 9mm shells thrown into the mix! I'm too lazy to make micarta for knife scales due to the size and time required but you've inspired me to make some for razor scales. Thanks for sharing, if I had that it would bring a smile to my face every time I had a shave with it!

Style in every detail, even in photos. Very beautiful razor.

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Originally Posted by Sasquatch

How cool is that! I love the fact you've restored a vintage Army issue razor in such a thoughtful way. Great to see some British DPM on there with 9mm shells thrown into the mix! I'm too lazy to make micarta for knife scales due to the size and time required but you've inspired me to make some for razor scales. Thanks for sharing, if I had that it would bring a smile to my face every time I had a shave with it!

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It really wasn't hard to make micarta. You should try it!
Im working on a set of "redcoat" micarta scales for a "VR" stamped Wade & Butcher. I collect old British muskets from that era and want a few razors to go with them :)

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Originally Posted by tumtatty

It really wasn't hard to make micarta. You should try it!
Im working on a set of "redcoat" micarta scales for a "VR" stamped Wade & Butcher. I collect old British muskets from that era and want a few razors to go with them :)

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I'm aware of the process but I've never fancied it for a big set of scales to put on a full sized knife. I never even thought of doing razor scales until I saw yours. I could manage that easy enough I reckon, thanks again for the inspiration! Pure laziness on my part, I know a guy that does whatever colours I ask for for next to nothing so I let him make a mess instead of doing it myself. That's fine for big knife scales but it would be cheating for my own razors. I've got 2 pair of olive lightweight trousers set aside for micarta collecting dust, I'll have a go when I get a spare minute. Looking forward to pics of the 'Redcoat razors', they sound interesting! If you're ever after anything British to go with your collection let me know...

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Originally Posted by Sasquatch

I'm aware of the process but I've never fancied it for a big set of scales to put on a full sized knife. I never even thought of doing razor scales until I saw yours. I could manage that easy enough I reckon, thanks again for the inspiration! Pure laziness on my part, I know a guy that does whatever colours I ask for for next to nothing so I let him make a mess instead of doing it myself. That's fine for big knife scales but it would be cheating for my own razors. I've got 2 pair of olive lightweight trousers set aside for micarta collecting dust, I'll have a go when I get a spare minute. Looking forward to pics of the 'Redcoat razors', they sound interesting! If you're ever after anything British to go with your collection let me know...

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I'm always up for something British!
Here's a pic of the VR stamped Wade & Butcher I'm building scales for. I paired her up with my VR stamped Martini Henry Rifle and a .455 Cartridge I cast and loaded.

http://antiquemilitaryshooter.com/fo..._11a_small.jpg

http://antiquemilitaryshooter.com/fo...b_small_bw.jpg