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I agree. A file card is nice and as was said, the bigger the file, the better. I take the file and tap it on the concrete floor on occasion too. Sweep it up.
For me, I push the end of the wedge first with a finger or two on the end and thumb pushing.
Seems to keep/make the taper and make it more controllable. I think?
I like to shape lead wedges with a chasing hammer, then clean it up with a file. The lead is so thin at that point anyways usually peening the scales together takes care of small irregularities.
You could make a wedge jig.
Attachment 304193
Makes it a lot easier on your hands, and let's you control the pressure, to keep the proper angle to the wedge.
When filing aluminum and lead, chalk on the file helps to keep them from sticking. I keep a stick of thick sidewalk chalk, (Dollar Store) in the drawer with my files.
Also a Card File with a stiff brush, helps. Some have the wire side and the brush side.
For making wedges double stick tape the wedge to your finger, the foam backed tape works best, WD40 removes glue residue. Or tape to a wood paint stir stick and use a belt sander. Either way works.
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Jelly, nice work, Polish your collars before you pin. Bolt on to a Dremel mop mandrel or use a bolt small washers and a couple of nuts. Then chuck in a drill or Dremel and run on a piece of 600 wet and dry then 1k, then a paper towel and metal polish or green greased compound until you get the finish you want. It will also make them nice and round.
It is much easier to do now, or you run the risk of burning or marring your scales on the buffer. I still buff the peen smooth and polish on the buffer but, make a mask with a piece of plastic, a thick water bottle, (HDPE) liquid soap container or aluminum soda can, with a hole punched in it the size of the collar to protect the scales.
The taper on the wedge should be about half the thickness of the thick side. You also want to make sure your scales are flat on the inside at the wedge end, (looks like the top scale may not be). If rounded you will have issues. I always leave the scales and wedge a bit long, file and sand smooth once pinned tight, then buff.
When I peen the wedge end, I use a small piece of rubber eraser as a wedge, (cuts easily with razor knife) to keep the scales in position. Once pinned, you should have gap on the pivot side of ¾ to 1 inch.
I peen one side of the pin, lightly in a Jacobs chuck, so you only have to fight one side.
Your thrust washers should be very thin, just smash a brass washer with a hammer and anvil. The thrust washers should not affect the position of the wedge.
Attachment 304196
Here is a Gold Bug I was working on. Got the scales finished today. Olivewood with CA. Before and after pics...
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Nice save on the Gold-Bug, Jerry! Great shavers!
Man, you guys are spitting them out.
Back on my 4 F. Herder French-points finally.
2 to go, a short 22 and a full-figured 26....
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I decided that since the scales would be more work than the blades, I would tackle them first.
If you want slick-black, there is no substitute, I suppose.
You gotta go old. This took a long time!
As Bakelite gets good and black, some work has been done.
Just like bone and ivory, scratches, names, initials, numbers are a pain to be rid of.
You think you have them gone and the buffer brings them back!
I reckon it is impossible to get some perfect, close will do.
Strange progression because I am lazy! :p
1500 micro-mesh, steel-wool, scotchbrite, damp Barkeep's Friend and a toothbrush.
Buffer and then Maas by hand. Austin's collars are awesome!
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Now, as I finish the blades I can have instant gratification! :cool:
I know what your saying on finding names and numbers scratched in them. As soon as you hit it with the buffer they jump right out at you. Looking good Tom.
Here is one more Tom might find familiar. I was in need of some razor work and Mike helped me out by sending me a few. Sorry, Tom. I guess a couple of them were from you to Mike so they have been pasted around a bit. Wish this one had some info anywhere. Its an odd one for sure and now dressed in Rosewood...
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For all I know its an RSO, but I will figure that out when it goes on the stones. I have a bag of blades to send ya in the future Tom. Not worth fixing kinda stuff.
I'm been fighting off the Flu for the last 3 days so I haven't been working, and Honing doesn't sound fun at all right now. So my "Needs Honed Cup" is getting full again.
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Hope to be feeling better soon as I saw the Doc and got some drugs. My wife, Son, and Grandaughter all had it first and it lasted a solid week. I'm hoping to get it under control sooner. Watching TV and sleeping is not my thing.
Dang, Hope you get better, Jerry!
That blade is an enigma! Only the hones will tell!
First and Foremost, Jerry, get on the mend!
With that said, one of my buddy Ski's boys gave me two straights he'd picked up while competing in a pool tournament. (Hell if he'd just of asked I'd have given him some) Anyway they weren't in the worst shape but the one's scales had shrunk to where the blade would be hitting the pin at the toe so I put it into different scales. It did hone up really nice. The second one is done and honed but I'll give it a full shave test tomorrow.
There's oil on the blades and I didn't bother breaking out the light box and my lighting at The Boars Nest sucks. With said here's his new prizes;
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Here's the toe on that one's original scales;
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And the tang stamp;
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Here's the second one;
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And the tang stamp;
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A late supper awaits--
Nice work by Ski! A good Bowdin's Wedge from Minneapolis is an American Icon! I never can find one not honed-out!
The Palmer looks in fine condition.
Great snag!:tu
Kick that flu bug in the butt and get well soon Jerry.
Pete<:-}
Ski's son said he paid $25 for the Bowdin and $35 for the Palmer. Neither has hardly any hone wear and Both ended up with really thin and even bevels. The Bowdin did have some minor chips but probably no more than 1/32 or so of the blade was lost. (Thank you Glen for the guidance).Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
Tom, even though the scales have shrunk if you'd like to have them I'll gladly mail them to you. Perhaps the day will come when you find a Bowdin with little or no hone wear but broken scales or perhaps a toe that has a chunk out of it and could be shortened. :shrug:Just let me know.
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That's very cool. Tim is in Minneapolis.
Without a good blade, would do me no good.
Neat razor history, though!
Nice additions Roy. Gotta like a nice thin bevel without home wear.
Getting a present a ready for work my wife wants me to do. Snapped this pic to show where I am with my first section of firehose.
3 is still a little damp, but I think it still looks a little better than 2.
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Bowdins are super shavers. In 1974, my first razor was a Bowdins, with white cracked ice scales, shaved with it for 10 years daily.
Maintained it on a 6-inch translucent and Illinois strop, till I dropped it, made a shorty and still have it someplace.
I'm fortunate to have a friend with all the right tools and was able to cut some blanks from a burl I cut off my cherry tree. Being as this is my first stab at making scales I wanted to do a trial run. I used a rasp I had on hand and sand paper up to 400 grit. I think the wood is gorgeous (I put some canola oil on them to bring out the color).
Here are the practice scales (figure I can use these to practice the peening and drilling) and a couple of the slabs (dampened for color) I'll probably use for the real deal. I'll probably make the scales a bit narrower than the mock up but I like the shape for the razor.
Question: do the mock ups appear too short for the blade?
Slippery slope.
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Lay the blade over the top of the scale with the pivot hole about where you feel is right. From looking at the pic the length looks about perfect to me, but I like a tighter fit from blade to wedge, if going more like original type fit where the wedge and the gap to blade are generally a little longish it may be a touch too short.
The sizes looks good for the blade from afar. One of the things you may want to consider is that Burl is a little fragile, so a liner may be helpful and the eyelet style collars can take the pin stress away from the wood. There is a guy on eBay that sell nice ones, he is easy to deal with and goes by razor-handles I believe.
Wow! Beautiful work on a great looking razor!Quote:
Originally Posted by outback
Beautiful burl! Did it need stabilizing or lining? I tried stabilizing some a few years ago but it was still way too soft.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbuck
It has not been stabilized. I cut it off in January and it sat for a month in the garage in a paper bag. About two weeks ago I took it over to my friends with the goods and we cut some slabs off of it about an inch thick and let them sit. They didn't warp and the wood is really hard. I hadn't considered the need for a lining but maybe I need to consider that.Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
When you get the practice scales thinned (or thin down a piece of scrap as a test) you'll see if it is hard enough. If it is hard enough as is then that is great.
Love the look of burl woods. The stuff I bought a few years ago ended up scrap because it was so soft.
Well....I am about Herdered-out. Got these 4 done and need to hone the bottom 3.
A pain in the butt for some reason. Glad to move on to something else!
The bottom 3 have never been shaved-with. Should be interesting!
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Those look slick Tom.
Doing a final soak in H20 to get any vinegar cleaned out and make sure there is no foreign particles leeching out of the hose. Been a couple hours and it still looks clean.
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Look great! I'm hoping to get a Herder 25 or 49 eventually. The red lettering with black scales looks great!Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
Thanks! These are off a factory display board.Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
A 22, 25, 26, and 27.
I have some experience with the 25's as I already have 3 shaving.
They are awesome, esp at the price. Best razor going right now.
I have a few 49 blades and have yet to get one going.
Victor and myself have put a few shaves on that long #27 at the top and we both concur it is righteous.
The 25's, 49's and 76's available in NOS are tons better than most any modern new razor.
Tons!
What do you think of the 25 vs 49? They are both nice looking large hollows sans stabilizer.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
I dunno about the 49 yet. The 25 is the bomb, so I expect no less from the square-point 49.
I shave with all sorts of points. Makes little difference to me.
I think I get your point....:DQuote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
That's the point, I suppose!
Downsizing or making wedges of bone, ivory, horn, plastics, is done pretty fast on the DMT 325 or similar. Wash it off and down the drain it goes...Files the nails down at the same time! :D
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I think the file for lead..
So I spent yesterday wanting to finish a set of scales for real and labored diligently for hours.
Now all I see is that dark end on the one scale. Frustrating.
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It's a natural material, Paul! Looks Great to me.
Who can see both sides at once?
I keep telling myself that Tom!Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
Any thoughts on wedge material? Any reason for not using the burl to make a wedge?
Thank you!
Personally, the variation of colours is part of the beauty of wood. It get quite random and widely varied with burl and I expect those sorts of things. You can use all sorts of product all designed to enhance the colour changes. I think they are great. It’s also a cool story that they came from a tree in your yard.
Thank you Shaun!Quote:
Originally Posted by RezDog
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulbuck
I like the wedge to be different than the scale material. I think something dark. Very dark wood or horn would be very nice.
TBH, I think a larger blade would go better with the size of those scales....Just me.
As to my silliness, who customizes a brand-new custom razor?
Me! :eek:
Bruno does a fine job, but I like to round the toe and heel slightly and get an Escher finish on these. I had a few tapping sessions on the pivot, but the heavy blade would not get tight enough for my desires.
Out with the simple brass pin and washers and small, thick pivot spacers and in with some thinner, larger diameter spacers and some of Sorin's brass bigs N littles. There.....
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