Thread: 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?

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.

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...