Thread: Step by step restore of a Wostenholm for a member

The holes align perfectly.
Now I need the owner to decide if he would like this period correct, near perfect match, or should I make a matching scale.
Here is material I have on hand.
It is a close match, but dark streaks throughout. I can position it to remove most but not all.

Meanwhile I will practice unwarping a set of black horn scales.

So how about a poll? What do you guys think? Restore the period correct, or match with new?
The owner can respond here, or if he wishes to remain anonymous, pm me.

Hmm. Think I would try to straighten the scales and see the condition form that point. Im not to sure what you can do to fill in the voids and bug bites. Epoxy with some blonde horn dust as filler/color? If that doesn't work, you have some beautiful honey horn that looks to be almost an exact match for a new set.

On closer inspection I see no bug bites, what looked like a bug bite appears to be a slight delamination, or a flaking of a varnish. There is some delamination on the inside, which you can only see when holding it up to the light, nothing coming apart.

The inscription is well worn, it is going to take a gentle hand.

if u think u can use the original scale with inscription and somehow can fix it to where it looks ok and will hold up with use then i would prefer to keep the one with inscription since the inscription on the tang is worn away correct? i want people to know what kind of razor it is in case it ever gets handed down or sold if at all possible. So if u can make the inscripted one hold up and look nicer and less beat up keep it and match up the opposite side as close as u can, a little black is ok. If not then we can just go with new scales on both sides. Lmk what u think man thanks alot - john

Ok, I guess my poll is confusing. What I am asking is for the replacement scale in the back of the razor, the one that was broken. Do I replace that with the old, almost matching, period correct scale? Or make a new one (just the back scale) out of the nonmatching material, still keeping the inscripted one.
I am definitely trying to keep the inscripted scale.
I did find a very small part of an inscription on the tang, but it is incomplete.
Sorry for the confusion.

If u think you can make the extra old period correct scale work and look good then sure try using that. If not I have no issues with u making a new one outta the new material lol.

Always good to have options..

If it were mine, I would go with the 'almost matching' back side scale. Mis-matching the vintage front with a new back wouldn't work for me. Credible patina and wear is hard to duplicate, though possible I'm sure. If for some reason it doesn't look right with the period correct back side, then do a full replacement even if it means losing the inscription. Though, inscription might be easier to have duplicated than the patina and wear.