looking to do full restore now where should i buy supplies?

Hello I have started doing restores as most of you know now. Well I am ready to take them to the next level and restore vintage scales, replace scales, and tighten pins/repin razors. I have a razor currently that has cell rot so I need to replace the scales on it, as well as replace one scale on another, and also I have one that just needs to be repinned on one side. However my newborn son is soon coming, and we are tight on money so I don't have a lot to spend. When I moved last I lost all of my tools and now I only have a smaller hammer as well a file my dad gave me to help with some tools I will need. Other than this I have nothing. My dad and I tried repinning one a few days ago when I was outta town at his place and it didn't go too well the pins and washers a member helped me with got all messed up and I didn't have the right tools to get the job done. This being said I don't have a lot to spend but I need to get started restoring completely so I can make some cash and sell and refurbish razors for my fellow students and barber friends when my baby comes, plus I also need to get the razor that's cell rotted into new scales before it ends up in worse shape. Where is a good place to by the rest of the tools I need online as well as washers and pins and scales that are good quality but wont break bank? Thanks for any help guys and I wish I wasn't so low on funds its no fun.-john

and I want pre cut scales don't have money to buy tools to cut horn bone etc. and would I need to buy certain sizes of scales or are they pretty universal?

Ebay and craigslist, if you need pins and such go to ebay, if you need tools you can get the min for cheap at a harbor freight, if you need a sander or drill press look on craigslist. I picked a drill press there for $40 and a sander from harbor for $60, If you look around you should be able to get everything you need for around $200. I know its an upfront cost but you will have it all for a long time. For pinning get a block of scrap metal, smooth one side to use as an anvil and i suggest to drill a 1/8 in hole to put your pins over when you unpin, it gives them a place to fall and you wont break scales by trying to pull on them.

Good luck.

I have to use my online cc to buy them. cant afford drill press belt sander etc just need stuff for simple pins. will a cheap little table vice work to pin? I could put the pin in the vice to mushroom one end the put through scales flip scales and cut other side of pin to desired size then use the top of the vice to do the other side of the pin I would assume?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jdoc

Ebay and craigslist, if you need pins and such go to ebay, if you need tools you can get the min for cheap at a harbor freight, if you need a sander or drill press look on craigslist. I picked a drill press there for $40 and a sander from harbor for $60, If you look around you should be able to get everything you need for around $200. I know its an upfront cost but you will have it all for a long time. For pinning get a block of scrap metal, smooth one side to use as an anvil and i suggest to drill a 1/8 in hole to put your pins over when you unpin, it gives them a place to fall and you wont break scales by trying to pull on them.

---

+1 on the 1/8" hole in the home-brew anvil. From my experience, I'd like to suggest another two modifications: Drill a second hole that is deeper than the length of a pivot pin you would cut from 1/8" stock, but not all the way through, like the first hole. Then, drill a third hole that is only as deep as the head of a pin that has been peened and filed.

Hole #1 is as the OP described it. Hole #2 is used to set the initial length of the pivot pin, and then peen the exposed head. Hole #3 accepts the peened pinhead from Hole #2, permitting you to trim the pivot pin to its final length, before peening its exposed head. Then -- if you so choose -- you can file/sand each peened pinhead flush with the collar.

I discovered this from a tattoo-artist buddy, who's got world-class experience as a fine machinist: "Once you've got the tools, it's all about the jigs."

Tbh im good with restoring metal thats y I tried to get into doing restores plus it helps since im going ti barber school. However I didnt expect taking apart and putting the scales back together to be so complex... these tools are way out of reach for me to be able to afford and I live far away from family to be abke to borrow them. I cant afford much more than 30 at most for everything so theres no way I can afford a vice wire cutters neatsfoot oil and scales plus pinning supplies plus not to mention a drill to drill like 2 holes to help pin. I expected to only need a few things. I am extremely bummed because I love doing these restores its fun to me and a great experience but being unemployed and in school full time with a kid on the way just prevents me from being able to buy this all plus I get confused easy and am horrible with using tools. Unfortunately I think im going to just sell the two razors that I cant complete on my own and cant afford to send out. And the one that needs to be pinned on just one end I will send out when I gather the 10 or 15 bucks to get it repinned and I think im done with straight razors. Everyone has been a great help on here though and I truely appreciate it all thank you guys. Expect to see my razors in the classifieds tomorrow sometime.-john

Where do you live? There are a lot of area mentors here that may be able to help you get started. There are hand tool ways to do what you want to do - they just take longer that working with power tools. If there is a member near you that has a shop, he may be willing to trade shop time for hair cuts - I'm in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area, and I'd be up for that. Don't give up yet. Good luck.

Bakersfield california

This is what I started with (short of sand paper, rags, and polish)
The larger hammer was cleaned up and used as my anvil.

Attachment 144253

I think to start off you can do the work without having the power tools. If you have wood or acrylic pieces around there's no reason you can't shape those into scales with a little coping saw and sandpaper. This'll save you a lot vs. buying premade scales. For the pins you just need a small hammer, pair of dikes and a file, just like pfries showed.
Wood is easy - a piece of 2" rosewood or equivalent (and already 1/8" thick) will cost you a few bucks for a few feet. You can make a lot of scales from that. Look for acrylic in clipboards or just about any other plastic item thats long enough for what you need. Someone metioned sign companies have scrap lying around.
At least doing it like this you can practice (as I do) with very minimal outlay in money. Also take a look in the restoration area of the forum and there's a sticky on where to get all restoration related items...

For starting off with hand tools on the cheap start hitting up garage sales, flea markets, and estate sales. Here are some prices I have seen and purchased upon occasion ( I find it hard to turn down cheap tools).

Small ballpeen hammer -$2 tops
Wire cutters ( use your file to make it into a cheap flush cutter) $2
Vice $5 - $10
Files $1 each
Coping saw actually just went and bought one

I usually see an old toolbox full of G.Granndpas old tools that people are more than willing to get rid of. TBH, I have better luck finding these kind of deals in older or more rundown neighborhoods. You may not get this all the first weekend poking around, but it is very viable. Pawn shops, junk shopsand second hand Stores are a great place to rummage in as well. Can get tooling and materials cheap.

Best of luck!

I was showed a way to peen the pins and it works great. Use a big tablespoon. You can't miss and scar up the scales. It is the right weight to get the effect you want which is to deform the end of the pin and not squash it longitudinally. You want to wail on it with lots of light but sharp taps not big crushing blows. If you got to have more weight just put a little blob of epoxy putty or bondo in the spoon bowl. You can wrap the handle with tape for a better grip or dip it in liquid vinyl tool handle dip.

You can cut scales by hand, and finish them with file or sandpaper. You can drill with just a 1/16" drill bit and some epoxy and copper tubing to make a little handle for it. An anvil can be a big hammer, yeah. the bigger the better. A large vice can make an anvil. Brass rod from the hobby shop if you can't afford nickel silver rod. Washers made from brass sheet or buy 50 at a time from microfasteners. You can do it cheap and simple if you want. Maybe your time is worth more than the $ you save, though. If you are not careful you will be working for Chinese gulag wages LOL!

I have noticed a few references to "dikes" are these the flush cut side cutters in the pic?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by edhewitt

I have noticed a few references to "dikes" are these the flush cut side cutters in the pic?

---

Dyke is just another name for them

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pfries

Dyke is just another name for them

---

Thought so, thank you.

So just to follow up, what tools and supply's did you end up getting? Are you all set up with what you need now?

I ended up not getting any

I would call that a sound decision, what with having a baby on the way, being unemployed and in school full time - messing about with razors is pretty low priority, in my opinion.

I think you have shown great wisdom, FWIW.

Regards,
Neil

In my own quest for affordable supplies, I've been combing the Internet for sandpaper sources -- as the SRP Wiki teaches, I searched for silicon carbide sandpaper that can be used wet or dry. Without exception, they're either selling 5- or 10-sheet packages of single-grit 9"x11" sheets (or smaller! often, half- or quarter-sheets) for $10 or more, or an "assortment" of four-or-five different grits (one sheet, each), in small sizes, for $10. Phooey! and not on my poor-man's budget. Then, I found this offering, on eBay:

25 Sheets Sandpaper WET DRY 9x11 Sand Paper any grit 150-2500 Silicon Carbide

For all of $13.50 + $6 S/H

As that satellite-TV ad goes, "I jump in it!"

Have you tried this paper yet, JB?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Have you tried this paper yet, JB?

---

I only pulled the trigger this afternoon, but I promise to report on them... with photos!

My order: 400x2 600x4 800x4 1000x3 1200x3 1500x3 2000x3 2500x3

Thanks JB, I'm tired of being racked over the coals for 1500 & 2000 paper down here.

I was at a Northern Tool store a couple of years ago, the Norton sandpapers were marked $2.00 for a five pack.
I bought out their entire inventory.

There's one of those about 2 miles from the house, I believe,,,something to check out tomorrow while the kid is in school.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pfries

This is what I started with (short of sand paper, rags, and polish)
The larger hammer was cleaned up and used as my anvil.

Attachment 144253

---

Exactly what I still use till this day.. Plus a coping saw for scales