Thread: Boom! My first custom scales!!!

I finally made my first custom scales!!!
Razor is Wade and Butcher ... Dutcher's choice
Scales are bocote wood with a maple wedge and shellac finish! I have learned alot making these and i cant wait to get into my next scale making project... Here are some pics
Please... If you are very good at restorations! Give me some constructive criticism! I dont mind! Just remember... These are my first!

Looks good to me! Good work!

If that's your first attempt, I think you've got a bright future in restores!!

Thanks! I know its a bit wide for the blade... But i didnt want to thin out the wood too much! Also the wedge could have been thin out a bit more... But i think it looks good overall! My wife was like wtf!? I didnt know u could work with wood... I didnt know either! I took a woodworking class in high school but that was 15 yrs ago... I learned all from this forum and learned alot while doing it! Almost all by hand... Took fore ever! Lol

Came out very nice indeed
Would only wedge the maple more & possibly more coats of shellac to fill the wood pores and get a bit deeper polished look to it maybe
But it does look great as is

Originally Posted by Substance

Came out very nice indeed
Would only wedge the maple more & possibly more coats of shellac to fill the wood pores and get a bit deeper polished look to it maybe
But it does look great as is

Noted!!! I got really anxious! I did 3 coats of shellac ... I learned a trick on polishing shellac with plastic polish! A guitar maker does it in a you tube video... I kinda like it not so shinny for this type of wood and after i glued the wedge i noticed about the wedge not being so much of a wedge! Lol
Rookie mistake... I got anxious and in a hurry! Hehehehe! Thanks for the tips guys! Keep them coming

I find wood scale to be very tricky. It is hard to get the thickness just right so the wedge can create the nice swoop back to the tang. Wedges themselves are challenging at times, getting the thickness and angle right to get that nice swoop. Ive decided lead is my new best friend for making wedges. It is just too darn easy to manipulate. Your project turned out very nice, I think all the other comments are quite valid. Nobody makes anything perfect the first time around, and like you said you have already learned so much, which is as important as doing projects. If they were all perfect all the time I don't think I'd bother.

Not bad at all Bro!

Thin em down, radius the edges, get a wedge in them, maybe smaller washers for peening and you got a WINNER!



All in all a pretty NICE job for your first!

I think they look great. The grain really pops!
Respectfully
Christian

Nice job for your first ever set of scales made all by hand
On you next set you could try rounding off all the edges of the wood for a smoother look.
Taper the monkey tail end some more so you lose than chunkiness.
Thin it all down some more and work on getting more of a wedge shape there
Looking forward to seeing your next project.
Check out some of the members videos on making scales, some really helpful info in them.

Have you shaved with it yet, it looks like it will be a nice blade to use.

Those look great for a first set. You mentioned about being in a hurry. That is one of the things this hobby has taught me. It will all come in time, no need to rush. It's not like I need another razor to shave with (I have 24 in rotation), and rushing just bungles things.
When you think you have your wedge thin enough, go thinner, and the angle doesn't need to be very great either.
I'd like to see a closeup of your Pins. The washers look a little dished to me, like the wood is being indented. I never worked with bocote, is it generally a hardwood? I have hardened some softwoods (Birds eye maple) with polyurethane using a homemade vacuum rig.
And as you mentioned, the scales are a little thick.
Fantastic first go though.