Thread: Shimming Scales to the Extreme

I too am confused.

Is the OP saying the maker sent him a new set of scales and he put them on and the razor closed perfectly… but the OP want the original scales, not the New ones that fit?

So the original scales are defective?

Confused

The OP may not have done what Glen said but then again he doesn't have too. He can do whatever he wants including checking his way which worked just as well. He put on the new scales which hart sent. They worked fine from the OP's post. So therefore that shows that the original micarta scales are to blame not the razor.

OP-

So you talked to Hart, and they sent you nice new scales. But they sent you different material scales then the ones you paid for. That is the weird thing. You wanted and paid for micarta scales you should have gotten new micarta scales in replacement. My advice for your best fix is call hart and ask if you can get replacement micarta scales and send back the ebony or whatever.

Originally Posted by cosperryan

The OP may not have done what Glen said but then again he doesn't have too. He can do whatever he wants including checking his way which worked just as well. He put on the new scales which hart sent. They worked fine from the OP's post. So therefore that shows that the original micarta scales are to blame not the razor.

OP-

So you talked to Hart, and they sent you nice new scales. But they sent you different material scales then the ones you paid for. That is the weird thing. You wanted and paid for micarta scales you should have gotten new micarta scales in replacement. My advice for your best fix is call hart and ask if you can get replacement micarta scales and send back the ebony or whatever.

Thank you. YES..That is exactly the issue at hand. I asked for a replacement set of scales just like the one that are obviously not right. They sent a set of Bocote scales. They're quite nice, but not the custom Micarta scales i paid for. Ok. The Blade fits perfectly into three different types of scales made by Hart. It doesn't fit in the one set of Micarta scales, those being the point of contention. I'm good here. I can make the "defective" scales work via extreme shimming. I guess they cannot or will not send me a set "exactly" like the ones that aren't right. OK..They did what they thought was correct. I'm good here. Maybe I'll learn to like Bocote.

Either the pivot hole is wonky, or the inside of the Micarta scale panels are wonky, both can be fixed so that the shim is not needed...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Didn't we just see this problem from somebody else with a Hart ????

I guess the fix depends on whether it is the Razor or the Scales that are "Off"

Easy enough to figure it out, take the razor out and put it on a flat surface press on the pivot hole with a finger and note the difference that the spine sits from the surface, flip the razor over and compare side to side... If the razor is off the distance will be off, if the razor is straight then the scales need tweaking...

Even if the razor is not 100% straight, this is not a big issue (as long as you cannot see it of course) when you make a pair of scales dedicated for that blade because you can easily adjust the scales. But I suspect that HART just have a bucket of blades and a bucket of scales and just put them on in a production line.

Originally Posted by Phoenix51

Thank you. YES..That is exactly the issue at hand. I asked for a replacement set of scales just like the one that are obviously not right. They sent a set of Bocote scales. They're quite nice, but not the custom Micarta scales i paid for. Ok. The Blade fits perfectly into three different types of scales made by Hart. It doesn't fit in the one set of Micarta scales, those being the point of contention. I'm good here. I can make the "defective" scales work via extreme shimming. I guess they cannot or will not send me a set "exactly" like the ones that aren't right. OK..They did what they thought was correct. I'm good here. Maybe I'll learn to like Bocote.

I would hazard a guess that they don't actually make them individually. Either they make a fixed size run themselves, or perhaps they buy them. If they don't make them individually, it just may be that they were out of those scales.

I have had to tweak a lot of scales, especially on older razors. I have had to disassemble some of them to get the scales right but on some that have collapsed together, I would put the scaled portion of a razor in boiling water for a few seconds with welding gloves on my hands & I have used a wedge I made out of a piece of bone to spread the scales apart many times to get them to the shape they were originally in. Most of the time, the are put back to the original shape they were in when new. The first set of scales on Phoenix51's razor he got from Hart had to be drilled wrong in the pivot area in order for them to be off, especially when the next set worked out perfectly. Another possibility is if the opposite end where the wedge goes were drilled incorrectly. That too will make the scales be off. I have made scales before that I accidentally drilled the pivot holes off & had the blade be off which was my fault when the scales shifted. I did not have both scales secure together enough to drill the pivot holes correctly. I also noticed that if the blade was pivoted all the way around where the tail passed between the scales, one side was closer to one scale than the other. I accepted my faulty work & never drilled them like that again. That was when I first started making scales. Now when making scales, they are usually secured together with double sided carpet tape & they don't come apart until the scales have been drilled & scales forming completed. Once done, I usually separate them, sand them down & polish them. Of course I will have to use some Goo Gone or some rubbing alcohol to get the sticky off the insides. I usually work with horn or bone but I do have some G-10 I haven't used yet. I also haven't tried Micarta yet. All that aside, I'm willing to bet his first set of Hart scales he used were not drilled correctly for the pivot pin fitment.

Hart and Bruce Gregory decided they wanted to see this razor up close and personal so it is scheduled to be delivered (on my nickel, hmmm) to the good folks at Classic Shaving who in turn will send it up to Mr. Gregory in Michigan for inspection and repair/replacement. I have no doubt things will turn out fine.