Thread: Opinion- what to do about scales...

It sounds like you intend to shave with this razor. In that case, I'd replace the scales with something as close to the originals as I could manufacture (and having seen your work, I'm sure you could do a great job of that).

I'd rather risk losing the scales, than nicking or chipping the blade.

Keep the originals as a reference. Who knows - the way you are perfecting your hobby, your replacements may make the razor even more valuable one day!

PS: Does this move me to the top of the customs list?

The main factor here is that you've stated that the probability that you'll sell this razor is nil or close to nil. If you really never change your mind on that and you're firm on keeping it for SHAVING and for yourself, then other than providing YOU pleasure from looking at it's original aesthetics, why wouldn't you rescale it to avoid any future damage to the blade?

Either you love the original look of this razor and would be less satisfied personally if you rescales, or part of you DOES want to retain its value at the highest possible level for a future sale.

If you rescaled and retain the original scales, at worst, in the future you could always repin it and sell it on Ebay. There's at least one very well known well paid Ebay razor seller that repins at least some (I would assume probably most) of his razors but does NOT disclose that in his listings giving IMO, the impression that his razors are original when they're not. Given your experience now, Alex, I would find a listing from you stating that a razor was professionally repinned as accurate and probably would not decrease the value dramatically if you repinned very well.

Chris L

Originally Posted by Chris L

The main factor here is that you've stated that the probability that you'll sell this razor is nil or close to nil. If you really never change your mind on that and you're firm on keeping it for SHAVING and for yourself, then other than providing YOU pleasure from looking at it's original aesthetics, why wouldn't you rescale it to avoid any future damage to the blade?

Either you love the original look of this razor and would be less satisfied personally if you rescales, or part of you DOES want to retain its value at the highest possible level for a future sale.

If you rescaled and retain the original scales, at worst, in the future you could always repin it and sell it on Ebay. There's at least one very well known well paid Ebay razor seller that repins at least some (I would assume probably most) of his razors but does NOT disclose that in his listings giving IMO, the impression that his razors are original when they're not. Given your experience now, Alex, I would find a listing from you stating that a razor was professionally repinned as accurate and probably would not decrease the value dramatically if you repinned very well.

Chris L

Agreed.

You have to determine what your original motivation(s) was for owning this razor. From there, you should be able to figue out the course of action to take.

I voted to leave as is but we don't know what the razor is. If you were to post a photo I might have voted to remove and try to straighten the scales. How much difference would there be in value between original and custom scales if you were unable to straighten them ? I bet it is a Reaper

Originally Posted by JimmyH-AD

I voted to leave as is but we don't know what the razor is. If you were to post a photo...

Well Jimmy, it is one very close to you! I in fact got this razor from Jimmy in a big trade lol. The scales on these Case draw cuts were always striped like this with a matching tang as far as I've seen. It just worries me to shave with/hold such a nice razor with scales warped to the point where it doesn't really STAY closed if turned over, etc. One scaling option that might take some work is to use the material as seen in the second razor and taper it off in a fashion to duplicate lines. I don't know if I could pull it off or not, I'd have to try. Other than that, I was thinking about that Paua but don't know how it would look with the tang covered in stripes. Anyway, I do value Jimmy's opinion since it came from his hands. You may or may not be able to tell from my poor pics, but the scales on this razor in question are not in the best condition that I have seen on these razors. Part of my whole thing with razors is that I prefer durability and stability as I use all razors that I own/restore/make/keep that are in shape enough to do so.