Thread: Scale material choice

Originally Posted by rolodave

Lignin vitae and walnut make excellent scales

Yeah, I'm in love with Walnut lately (Bastogne, English, Claro-I love it all!). I've really been wanting to try Lignum-do I need to go ahead and order a new bandsaw blade?

edit: I like to let the razor tall me it wants. I've tried about all the man-made and natural materials at this point (except for ivory). Hard to beat horn on a vintage Sheffield, for instance (though I have a couple in bone and even ALVS abalone). Some of the synthetics are just mind-blowing; check out the British supplier Rothko and Frost, for example.

Bone is nice. Horn can be lovely but it can be a PITA to work with. G10 and laminates are very practical. If it's gotta be wood, it's gotta be ebony. I have used a lot of acrylic for less valuable blades. I have also messed around with PLA and ABS 3D printed scales, but nothing really serious. Ivory? I don't think I have a single razor with intact ivory scales but if I had a supply, I would sure use them.

Originally Posted by rolodave

Lignin vitae and walnut make excellent scales

Lignum might be the single most perfect wood for Scales and Brush handles if a wood can be perfect

You rarely see it used, I have a huge chunk of it and every now and then a customer will choose it

Awesome material

No BS until around the 1960's most ships had propeller shaft seals made of Lignum, that is a serious wood

These are a set of scales I made a few years back, from Lignum vitae, plus I also had this brush and bowl made from a bowling ball also from Lignum Vitae.

I prefer to restore the original scales, if possible. If not, its likely going to be wood of some sorts.

Two of my favorites are African blackwood, and black n white ebony. Both are hard n oily, and need no sealer.

I was thinking about this cedar heart. Not sure I've ever seen scales made of cedar but it sure has a nice color to it.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

I was thinking about this cedar heart. Not sure I've ever seen scales made of cedar but it sure has a nice color to it.

As long as you use the heartwood you should be OK, Cedar is not particularly a hardwood.

Generally speaking, I like my razors to be period (and manufacturer) correct, which means pretty much anything but wood (although ebony is fine in some cases). If at all possible within those parameters, I prefer horn and bone, ivory if I can repurpose old ivory scales.

Funky G10, acrylic and what have you (as well as most woods) rarely - if ever - look good to me.

Originally Posted by celticcrusader

As long as you use the heartwood you should be OK, Cedar is not a particularly a hardwood.

No in fact it is very soft compared to that southern live oak I use. That was my concern. One way to find out though: cut out a pair and see how they turn out.

Originally Posted by outback

I prefer to restore the original scales, if possible. If not, its likely going to be wood of some sorts.

Two of my favorites are African blackwood, and black n white ebony. Both are hard n oily, and need no sealer.

I've always liked the shape of those scales Mike. Not too bulky or too thin and they taper nicely at the pivot. Next time I make wood scales I would like to do something similar, but maybe more box shaped at the wedge end.