Thread: Middle pin found on some razors

Some razors have a middle pin through the scales just under the shank.. I would imagine the pin could be aesthetic; a stopper that hits against the shank to keep the blade from going in too far; a spacer to secure less rigid scales from breaking?

Any of the above?

All of the above?

Here are some thing I know to be true you have to make up your own mind as to why

The Tang doesn't hit the pin ie: it is not a rest or guard. at least it doesn't in vintage razors that are in good condition

Some of us use a 3rd pin to adjust the scales around and overly large tang when making custom scales

It can open the area around the tang which seems to make sense when the tang is special ie: Gold, Blued, Hammered etc:

It actually makes the scales more prone to Breakage/Warping rather then less, especially in the old Celluloid stuff

We are just not positive why they were done, as it seems that when you think you find a reason, along comes a razor that negates that idea

Another case of YMMV or similar...

Thanks.

Leads me to another question.. I seem to make this error often.. what differentiates the tang from the shank?

I thought tang and tail were synonymous.. or shank and tang?

Great videos by the way.. thank you.

Semantics

To me it goes Spine Tang Tail

Shank I guess would be correct too I am willing to bet if you wanted to get technical you could find either to be correct or incorrect with Google

Wikipedia for example calls the Tail a Tang

I'm under the impression that the third pin was supposed to indicate a higher quality than one with only two pins. That is just my own supposition and ain't necessarily so. I guess some companies incorporated them and others found it to be a needless expense. Anything that adds material and labor to an item increases the mfg cost.

Personally, I never liked Tang. I never thought it tasted like real orange juice even if they did drink it in outer space.

I always thought the extra pin was a style thing some makers used. The use of it is so scattered, you find them in high end razors and low end ones and you find two pin scales likewise in high and low end razors.

The real question is, are one piece scales the mark of a high end razor or at least high end scales?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Personally, I never liked Tang. I never thought it tasted like real orange juice even if they did drink it in outer space.

I hear it tastes different in zero gravity...

Find a kid and a glass of Tang. Throw them both way, way up in the air. Give the kid instructions to drink it right before he/she start to come back down and... oh, never mind. Tang is really hard to find these days.

My razors with the third pin seem to have more rigidity in the scales. The two pin plastic ones seem kind of flimsy. The three pin models just feel mor substantial, to me.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

The real question is, are one piece scales the mark of a high end razor or at least high end scales?

I like a razor to have a pin at each end. A third pin I can take or leave. I also do not like razors with a squared off wedge end with two pins. I just don't find it pleasing to the eye. YMMV. I never could fathom one piece scales. I've had a few and never liked the look of them. Again, YMMV.

I guess I tend to be a traditionalist. I like the way they did things in the 1800s, as far as razors go. These new customs that look like something out of dungeons and dragons ...... I just like the traditional look I guess.

Personally, I like having the third pin on my razors but could not tell you why they were originally used. To me they seem to take a lot of the flex out of the scales when you are changing grips or honing. Taking the flex out may make for less cracks at the pins at both ends. Hey, it is a guess as good as anybodies. Another mystery is the barbers notch but lets not go there.

Bob