Thread: Tortoise scalers, restoration yes/no?

I guess at some point in time the cost of new horn blanks, $18 or less, and the time involved to make new scales starts looking more attractive then messing with old compromised scales..

The actual work involved is just not that different, at least IMHO it isn't so if you have the skills needed to fix those I think you have the skills needed to make new ones


Here is a similar restore

http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...tore-horn.html

Originally Posted by gssixgun

They are "Mottled Horn" and they are De-laminating...

And -- with a little bit of luck -- they will be "De-lovely". Original scales, with original pins and collars, on a 150+ year-old blade that wears its patina proudly, are an unbeatable combination. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" (and if it is, do... but don't be so quick to replace it).

Smooth shaving!

I agree with all of you..

I would like to keep the original scales but especially one is pretty de-laminated, that at 1 point goes almost through entire scale..

using the epoxy and vacuum.. vs getting the new ones: I have fairly liquid epoxy, with 30' window (maybe a bit more) especially in lower temps ... I've never done it before but have access to desiccator (not sure if this is the right expression) and vacuum pump. When impregnating woods (especially thin pieces as scales) no "severe" vacuum is needed as I was told from a antiques restorator... if I'm going to do it I'd mainly do it in order to learn a new technique, on the other hand I'd like to make it nicest possible so a new pair of horn scales would be nice (although I have to find horn in my part of the Europe). Another con for this fixation of scales is that if not mixed with ex horn dust epoxy will be translucent and wil probably be still visible in the delaminations cracs? .....sooo to sum this part up, I will probably end up with making a new pair (can anyone share a link or few links of preferred vendors, friendly priced, of horn scale blanks, if in EU even better)

flower collars: I like them just as you, and can be sure that I'll try my best, but have in mind that I have no workshop (still learning, although this will never stop anyways) and usually have normal looking nothing special collars, so I don't really take care not to damage them... I was thinking of first drill the pins (handheld) and than try to take them off, any other suggestions? (if I'll manage to ruin them I'll just be quiet, to avoid cryings)

here are some more (midnighty) pics of the scales to get a better picture..

Originally Posted by Tarkus

I would throw my jugular in harms way before those collars.
If you hurt them I will cry!!!

Love it. I can see Tarkus, head down, happily following a glinting line of little rosette collars, fiiling his pocket as he goes, eyes all shiny, a big smile on his face. Too late does he see the huge wedge of a blade raised at a 45 degree angle, the little line of precious collars has led him precociously under it.

HAR! He exclaims, for no particular reason as the blade falls with a swish. Then all is silent save for the zephyr breeze blowing the fine desert sand over the precious collars. Tarkus sees this with his disconnected head. His lips form the HAR word one last time, but the playful breeze, along with his breath, has gone. Darkness descends and dreams of the collars fade away into the gentle night of oblivion...

I feel like crying now as well, Tarkus...

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

Love it. I can see Tarkus, head down, happily following a glinting line of little rosette collars, fiiling his pocket as he goes, eyes all shiny, a big smile on his face. Too late does he see the huge wedge of a blade raised at a 45 degree angle, the little line of precious collars has led him precociously under it.

HAR! He exclaims, for no particular reason as the blade falls with a swish. Then all is silent save for the zephyr breeze blowing the fine desert sand over the precious collars. Tarkus sees this with his disconnected head. His lips form the HAR word one last time, but the playful breeze, along with his breath, has gone. Darkness descends and dreams of the collars fade away into the gentle night of oblivion...

I feel like crying now as well, Tarkus...

Neil you have know one to blame but Tom (Sharptonn) It's all his fault, he beat it into my brain. Never never destroy a collar they are worth more then gold. He uses them as currency

HAR!!!!! You guys are NUTS! collars? Where?

Originally Posted by sharptonn

HAR!!!!! collars? Where?

I rest my case Your Honor....

I repaired a set of horn scales once. After I did it I thought it would have been easier to make new ones.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...le-repair.html

I feel it would cost nothing to carefully unpin the razor (saving the collars, of course!) , and trying to smooth out the scales by heat/steam after sanding and steel wool.
Then, Fully dried and if desired, a layer of the bartop epoxy to encase and preserve what is left! A very, very long drying time after and reassembling the restored blade and original collars and wedge, would be the best thing, ever. Or not?

@gssixgun and onimaru55: thanks for the links, will sure come in handy
@sharptonn: I will most certainly try to keep the collars and do a scale restoration (am probably use clear epoxy mixed with scales dust), can you please explain a bit the part with heat/steam smoothing

I must confess I am a bit nervous about how am I going to manage to save the collars since I don't have a drill press, if I'm going to drill it's going to be with a hand held dremel, I will probably try to make a "lead punch hole, a cross with a Dremel will probably not be an option since the peens are fairly deep in the collar) any tips on un pinning maybe?

I would also like to know what is your workflow on cleaning a collars like that,.. do you try to clean them to some extent while still on pinned on the scales or do you do the entire cleaning after you removed them,... if you how do you fix them, do you use "motor driven" eg polishing or do you do everything by hand, I think that polishing alone is not going to do the trick (check the pics in my previous post)

and for the end,.. can someone recommend a fair priced vendor for horn scales (all scales I did so far were wooden) if possible European one or at least one that doesn't want another pair of scales amount of $ for shipment