Leather scales?

Won this John Barber last night.

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Leather scales? Has anyone seen leather scales before? Think they are original to the razor? :confused:

Finally, a snub tail to call my own. :)

They are rare, but I have seen them first hand, it looks as if you may need to have those replaced.

Yeah, I may see if I can make a set of one piece scales out of oak or something. Ones that could have come on it to begin with, that way I can put the leather up for posterity.

This is the first I'd heard of leather scales and I wanted a John Barber so I pulled the trigger. :)

I have a razor with leather scales. It looks like those may have gotten wet, or something. The one I have looks more like the flat rubber scales that you see on some old razors.

Nice old timer, congratulations! I have never seen leather scales before. Looks like they went through the same process leather luggage used to, for stiffening and toughening of steamer trunks, etc.

I've never seen leather scales before but, having seen a Brooks leather bycicle saddle and just how stiff it is... I think that may be possible.
Good catch!

Thanks, all.

I may try making some replacement leather scales. I'll take the razor up to Tandy and see what they say.

HNSB- Have any pictures of yours?

I reckon the originals were pressed leather - it is quite dense and hard. I believe they boiled it (like they used to do for hard boot sole leather) then pressed it in heated and greased metal dies, often with a decorative line around the edge. They used to do this for the leather in suits of armour in mediaeval times - cuir boulli was the name. The amount of heat meant you could have a hardened or a very rigid leather - with high heats the actual tannins in the leather begin to flow and when set the scales look a bit like hard rubber.

Someone at one time or another tried to emulate those originals with just cut, fairly rigid leather - it looks a bit home grown and battered to me.

There were a copious amount of razors with scales using the cuir bouilli technique - I must have 20 or so sets that I have removed from old razors.

Lovely looking blade, by the way - should look the business in new scales!

Regards,
Neil

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pz93c

HNSB- Have any pictures of yours?

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I will see if I can find it tonight and take some pictures. Someone above mentioned luggage leather; mine reminds me more of the old fire helmets that were made of leather.

The first half of Neil's post sounds about right for the leather that I have.

Pretty sweet buy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neil Miller

I reckon the originals were pressed leather - it is quite dense and hard. I believe they boiled it (like they used to do for hard boot sole leather) then pressed it in heated and greased metal dies, often with a decorative line around the edge. They used to do this for the leather in suits of armour in mediaeval times - cuir boulli was the name. The amount of heat meant you could have a hardened or a very rigid leather - with high heats the actual tannins in the leather begin to flow and when set the scales look a bit like hard rubber.

Someone at one time or another tried to emulate those originals with just cut, fairly rigid leather - it looks a bit home grown and battered to me.

There were a copious amount of razors with scales using the cuir bouilli technique - I must have 20 or so sets that I have removed from old razors.

Regards,
Neil

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Wow! Thanks for the info, Neil. That's some good stuff, there.

Thank you for all of the well wishes, y'all.

Just stumbled across this thread while looking for something else. Strangley I had been thinking of making scales out of leather, just today. I have a blade that says Ben Hur on it, and it had a cheap set of plastic scales on it. I tried to think of a material that would realte to Ben Hur, and all I could come up with was Leather. But I thought it would be too flexible. I am not familiar with working with leather at all, but I'll have to check out that technique refrred to in a previous post.
Does anyone know if the material used to stabilize wood would work on leather? (Acrylizing?)

Nope.

My research says you soak the leather well, heat your water to 180, drop in your leather. It will start to change texture, go rubbery, and curl up. At that point, start counting. 20 seconds is the starting point. Longer than that it will end up harder, shorter and thicker. Pull it out and press. I'm going to press mine flat between two slabs of leftover granite from my counter install.

Your leather will shrink in over all length and expand in thickness. I am going to start experimenting tomorrow with a belt blank I picked up at Tandy leather. I may have to go with thinner stock though.

Run a Google search for making leather armor. Lots of DIY tips.

Best of luck, chief.

Keep me posted on your progress pz. I'd be interested to know how it comes out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by souschefdude

Does anyone know if the material used to stabilize wood would work on leather? (Acrylizing?)

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Nope, does not. Tried that using Minwax wood hardener & soaking and also in a pressure pot. Neither worked, there was no penetration to speak of. Next step is to try a vacuum pot to keep the leather pores open. Drying them warp free would be a challenge. I would really like to see a set of leather scales stamped and carved. Another option would be to use a thin metal/wood liner and some thin leather.

that is something you don't see everyday

(for posterity)
Attachment 50293

Thanks, chief. :tu

I like the look. I like it a lot.

Perhaps a home made leather+(linen || graphite || fiber glass) micarta
if you are making replacements.

Fit the razor with some temporary scales, hone it up and
see how it shaves.