Scales snapped... almost took off a toe

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08-07-2012, 03:34 AM
djlewis

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Scales snapped... almost took off a toe

My new razor that I got just over a week ago from straight razor designs had a major malfunction after my shave today (my second ever). I had just completed my shave, stropped the razor, and was just folding it to put it away and then *crack* the end of the scales just split and the razor dropped down onto my foot, luckily not on the sharp side... I either got a defective product, did something horribly wrong, or the universe doesn't want me shaving with a straight razor! I'm going to contact SRD but I have included a picture here in case anyone else has experienced this or is interested.

EDIT: Heard back from SRD and they're going to re-scale it for me. Have not figured out what the problem was, but possibly a combination of bad acrylic, pressure on the scales when stropping, and a stiff pivot.

Attachment 103059
08-07-2012, 03:46 AM
mapleleafalumnus

I'm sorry to hear about your bad luck! But at least you had some good luck and avoided having to post pics of a dismembered tootsie on the "Cut Of The Day" thread!
08-07-2012, 03:50 AM
djlewis

Indeed! It's too bad, I was feeling great since I didn't cut myself this time..
08-07-2012, 03:52 AM
mapleleafalumnus

I think I'd be more grateful (at least initially) that I didn't cut my foot off than I would be upset that my razor broke. After that, I guess I would be pretty dismayed that it did!
08-07-2012, 04:37 AM
onimaru55

No offence but gotta ask. How heavy were you stropping ?
08-07-2012, 04:43 AM
earcutter

Wow, knowing you are ok - that's almost hilarious!! I doubt many can say that's happened to them before!!

It's not a sign. Stuff happens. Glad you are ok.

Bummer about your new blade though! Custom scales??
08-07-2012, 04:49 AM
djlewis

Quote:

Originally Posted by onimaru55

No offence but gotta ask. How heavy were you stropping ?

Hey Onimaru, no offense taken! I watched all the stropping videos people here suggested and I don't think I'm stropping very hard. I have Lynn's DVD as well. I'm just letting the razor rest on the strop basically, making sure I don't get much sag to ensure I don't press too hard. I guess I really have no experience for comparison but I don't feel that I'm putting much pressure.
08-07-2012, 04:51 AM
djlewis

Quote:

Originally Posted by earcutter

Wow, knowing you are ok - that's almost hilarious!! I doubt many can say that's happened to them before!!

It's not a sign. Stuff happens. Glad you are ok.

Bummer about your new blade though! Custom scales??

I was really surprised when it happened, definitely not something I expected! Scales are the standard ones that came with the blade. I'm gonna take the blade into work tomorrow and have a look under the microscope to see if it cracked or chipped from the fall.. hopefully I can just get the scales replaced.
08-07-2012, 04:54 AM
earcutter

Quote:

Originally Posted by djlewis

I was really surprised when it happened, definitely not something I expected! Scales are the standard ones that came with the blade. I'm gonna take the blade into work tomorrow and have a look under the microscope to see if it cracked or chipped from the fall.. hopefully I can just get the scales replaced.

Seriously - i am glad you are ok. That does sound a bit freaky. Though you may not know it, re-scaling a blade is easy. Doing a good job of it is an art. Note to that you'll more than likely need to have it re-honed as well though.
08-07-2012, 04:55 AM
onimaru55

I had a pair snap at the pivot during the shave but it was old bakelite that I had repinned. Brittle stuff.
Only thing I can think of is if you got some alcohol or AS on the scales & they were heat polished acrylic. I don't know what materials Dovo uses.
08-07-2012, 05:01 AM
djlewis

Quote:

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I had a pair snap at the pivot during the shave but it was old bakelite that I had repinned. Brittle stuff.
Only thing I can think of is if you got some alcohol or AS on the scales & they were heat polished acrylic. I don't know what materials Dovo uses.

I wipe down the blade after with alcohol to sterilize and help evaporate any remaining water but if any got on the scales it would have been a very small amount. Do you think it would cause them to crack so severely?
08-07-2012, 05:09 AM
onimaru55

Quote:

Originally Posted by djlewis

I wipe down the blade after with alcohol to sterilize and help evaporate any remaining water but if any got on the scales it would have been a very small amount. Do you think it would cause them to crack so severely?

Not in one spot like that. Usually alcohol on flamed acrylic will craze the whole piece.
08-07-2012, 05:25 AM
Magpie

Quote:

Originally Posted by onimaru55

No offence but gotta ask. How heavy were you stropping ?

Next question would be "How Tightly were you Gripping the scales"? If you were squeezing the scales that could stress out weak plastics, no?
08-07-2012, 05:30 AM
djlewis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magpie

Next question would be "How Tightly were you Gripping the scales"? If you were squeezing the scales that could stress out weak plastics, no?

I do have a bit of a tight grip, but I would really hope that's not enough to crack the plastic that badly. The fact that it did snap though makes it seem like it was weak, though I would say definitely weaker than it should be... Once I hear back from SRD, I'll post an update if they have any insights or have had this complaint happen with this razor before.
08-07-2012, 05:43 AM
mrsell63

Sorry to hear about your near miss.

You say in your original post that>>> "I had just completed my shave, stropped the razor, and was just folding it to put it away and then *crack* the end of the scales just split and the razor dropped down onto my foot".

May I suggest that you not strop after your shave and that you only strop just prior to beginning your shave. Some straight razor purists believe that stropping just "after" the shave damages the edge for various reasons. This idea has been kicked around for some time now. This is just food for thought for when you get your razor back in action again.....

Jerry
____
08-07-2012, 06:12 AM
Theseus

If I'm not mistaken, this isn't the first post by someone on SRP about Dovo scales breaking just by opening and closing the razor.
08-07-2012, 06:25 AM
EisenFaust

Yes I remember reading something very similar lately - DOVO may have a bad batch of acrylic...
08-07-2012, 02:49 PM
djlewis

Quote:

Originally Posted by EisenFaust

Yes I remember reading something very similar lately - DOVO may have a bad batch of acrylic...

Yeah I could have sworn I saw this somewhere while browsing, which is why I posted. Though since I had it honed by SRD and not Dovo, my warranty is void...
08-07-2012, 03:03 PM
thebigspendur

How tight was the pivot? That might be a clue. The fact both scales seem to have snapped says it's not a scale defect or at least makes it more unlikely.
08-07-2012, 03:09 PM
Lynn

I would send the razor back to SRD and they will re-scale it for you I hear.

Some people flip the razor when stropping with all the pressure on the scales vs. the tang.

Have fun.
08-07-2012, 04:22 PM
JimmyHAD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn

Some people flip the razor when stropping with all the pressure on the scales vs. the tang.

Have fun.

That was the same thing that came to my mind. When I strop I hold the tang of the razor between the tips of my thumb and forefinger. The scales are cradled by my middle, ring and little finger. There is no pressure on the scales at all. I've messed with/stropped hundreds of razors, with no exaggeration, and never yet busted scales stropping.
08-07-2012, 05:21 PM
djlewis

Heard back from SRD and they are going to re-scale it for me. Still not sure what the cause was though there are several suggestions in the thread that sound plausible. I really hope it doesn't happen again but if it does I'll at least get an idea of what the problem is =P. The pivot was a bit stiff for opening closing the razor, which may have contributed? In a case like that, is there any easy way to loosen up the pins without drilling and starting over?
08-08-2012, 02:45 AM
onimaru55

Quote:

Originally Posted by djlewis

The pivot was a bit stiff for opening closing the razor, which may have contributed? In a case like that, is there any easy way to loosen up the pins without drilling and starting over?

Basically no. If the pinning is tight only time & wear will loosen it. A small drop of oil may help put generally pins can only be tightened not loosened
12-12-2012, 09:46 PM
djlewis

So very delayed update, but I got the re-scaled razor back from SRD and have not had any problems since then. I'm guessing it was just a bad batch of scales from Dovo.
12-12-2012, 10:08 PM
Lynn

Quote:

Originally Posted by djlewis

So very delayed update, but I got the re-scaled razor back from SRD and have not had any problems since then. I'm guessing it was just a bad batch of scales from Dovo.

I have tried to break about a thousand of these stropping and have not been able to. I have even tried to put a ton of pressure when stropping. The only way I can break them is to hold the scales when stropping vs. holding on to the tang. After talking to a ton of new guys I am finding that most that have had them break were holding the razor by the scales and pressing down when stropping. Once they crack, they are done.

Have fun.
12-12-2012, 10:11 PM
deighaingeal

I know this is old, but when I first saw this thread a couple of months ago, my first question was going to be, "where are the pics of your toe?"
I know its morbid and I realize that it just came close, but we haven't have a good blood shot on here in a while.

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