Thread: Spalted Pecan Scales

Made these for my WM Elliot. I broke the original scales last year while restoring this razor and made new ones from acrylic with a Claytel acetal guitar pick for the spacer. The new scales are from some pecan I found on the ground at work and keeping with my original idea, Dunlop ultex pick for the spacer.
So I went from this:

To this:

Those are great looking scales! How long did the project take you?

Thank you. I started yesterday afternoon. I think it took about 1.5 hours to cut the log down, shape and thin the scales and then seal them with super glue. Then maybe another hour to make the spacer, pins and put it together. My wife even liked it. I'm going to shave tonight with it. It was always my best shaver now it's the prettiest too

Did you stabilize the wood?

No stabilizing. Just sealed with several coats of super glue then buffed and polished

I used to be a wood turner and I loved the look and the way spalted timber cuts, but it is very prone to warping. I have never heard of fixing timber with super glue either. Wont that just trap moisture in?

I love the look of spalted wood - and those scales are no exception!

One tip for the next time if you did not use it for these: with spalted woods the extra runny CA ("Hot Stuff" is the one I use, I'm sure there are many others) is fantastic as it will soak right into the grain and add considerable strength. I have used it on spalted maple and it works great. One that has soaked in you can continue to add coats with the runny CA or switch over to the thicker stuff.

Nice job!

I definitely use the runny stuff. Like you said the first coat just soaks right it. It turned out nice. I shaved with it this morning and am very happy with the results