Thread: What are you working on?

Back to "The Improved Eagle Razor." So I got the scales reshaped and filled a natural crack with clear epoxy. I repinned it just for kicks and to make a judgement on the wedge size and angles.


I really love that Southern Live Oak. This has no stain. Hell, this doesn't even have clear on it. It is just sanded smooth. I have to redo the wedge but I think I'm going to hone it up and shave with it a couple of times anyway.

Nice job, Paul-As that oak is not one of the naturally oily tropical woods like cocobolo or ebony, have you considered at least rubbing in some wax coats to keep it from getting water damaged? You can burnish Renaissance Wax to a real nice sheen (or for that matter, even Johnson's Paste Wax). And it really pops the grain without giving that plastic look that some glossy finishes give. Just a thought.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Nice job, Paul-As that oak is not one of the naturally oily tropical woods like cocobolo or ebony, have you considered at least rubbing in some wax coats to keep it from getting water damaged? You can burnish Renaissance Wax to a real nice sheen (or for that matter, even Johnson's Paste Wax). And it really pops the grain without giving that plastic look that some glossy finishes give. Just a thought.

Yeah I did. I was thinking I would try some Ren wax on this one.I've never used it before but I've read good things about what it does for woods. This isn't especially hard wood. That's what old iron sides was made out of. They used southern Live Oak because cannonballs would bounce off of it. I had clear polyurethane on it before I gouged it but then I ground it down and sanded it all off. Thanks Aaron.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Yeah I did. I was thinking I would try some Ren wax on this one.I've never used it before but I've read good things about what it does for woods. This isn't especially hard wood. That's what old iron sides was made out of. They used southern Live Oak because cannonballs would bounce off of it. I had clear polyurethane on it before I gouged it but then I ground it down and sanded it all off. Thanks Aaron.

I recently got my 1st tub of RenWax, and I have started buffing it in to all my blades and scales for added protection. Hey, if it's good enough for the British Museum...

Is that safe to use on a blade that you shave with? I don't really know anything about it. It might just be beeswax with some emollients

I don't really think it's an issue. I rub/buff it in to the entire razor and blade for protection after my final shave with a razor (I generally use a razor 2 or 3 times in a row to be sure the edge is on point after any refining necessary, then put it back into my cabinet until its turn comes around again), carefully wipe the edge with tissue paper, and strop on linen then leather. I doubt any is actually left on the edge when I use it again.

You Workshop regulars might remember me breaking a couple of nearly finished wooden scale sets earlier this summer, both highly-figured and more fragile than I thought at scale thicknesses. Though I was ready to scrap both and start over, I managed to rescue the desert ironwood set by epoxying them both together at the break and on to a G10 liner for stability (some sketchy improvised clamping also helped!). I didn't expect it to work, but it's holding up fine if only because I just made a spacer out of turquoise recon instead of a wedge. I don't think these scales would survive much bending even on G10. I was going for sort of a scimitar look to complement the blade etch on this S. Karam. I'm sure you can see the crack. Maybe next summer I'll make another set without a crack lol!


Meanwhile, I will probably back most future wooden rescales with G10, especially on the highly-figured woods I favor! (By the way, the red mallee burl set I broke is on the bench going through some CA coats and waiting for sanding and polishing-we'll see, but looks good so far).

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Is that safe to use on a blade that you shave with? I don't really know anything about it. It might just be beeswax with some emollients

Here's a couple of links with some info---

https://conservationsupportsystems.c...ssance_Wax.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Wax

Thanks Roy-Waxes and naptha, about what I thought. In any case, like I said I doubt more than trace amounts are on any edge after stropping.

Benzene is the worry but @ less than 0.1 %, mebe not so worriesome