Thread: Help with wood scales please

Hi All,

I am currently restoring / remaking 2 razors and NEED to use wood scales...

As an Aussie, we are unfortunately not well represented in Razors apart from a handful of great custom builders, so I have taken on 2 restoration / rebuild projects, using Platypus Wald-solingen razors. I know they're not Australian so to speak, but from what I have found via research, they were commissioned by an Australian company with the blades made in Germany.

I have tracked down some native Australian wood "Platypus eucalyptus/gum" in both cross cut and burl. I am fine with the restoration of the blades thanks to some great threads and advice, but am at a loss what to do with the scales.

I asked the knowledgeable OZ for a quote to make the scales and rebuild them, but he doesn't stabilise wood and doesn't recommend I use it as his recommendation is for a flexible material like bone/horn etc, which is understandable.

Id like to be able to use the razors, but will proceed even if they're not fit for use due to water/warping etc.

I am buying a vacuum canister so I can stabilise the wood, but would like advice / suggestions re:

a) Should I back the wood with flat sheet of metal or some other material shaped to the scales (thought it might not look as nice), and glue it to help with warping etc
b) I was thinking copper wedge... I notice that most wedges are wedge shaped... is that necessary as it bends the wood, or am I better off with parallel profile so the 2 pieces of wood are parallel with no bending
c) How thick should I sand the wood? I see that many scales are only a couple of mm thick. Id like to keep it looking sleek, but more importantly is to make sure the wood doesn't split, warp etc.
d) Should I grove a channel in the back of the wood and glue some thick stiffener such as brass rod etc?
e) Am I better off making one-piece scales? (I have additional wood to do so if needed)

FYI, Platypus gum is a very hard wood, and the x-cut is almost perfect in uniformity but the burl has a few tiny holes, which I can easily fill with a neutral looking compound.

I'd like to scales to have a nice polished finish as with the blade, but like the idea of a rustic copper wedge, with the edge of the wedge showing at the back of the scales (therefore a preference not to use a wedge-shaped wedge)

Would really appreciate any advice or suggestions,
Thanks, Andrew

G'day Andrew I have uses some Burdiken plum for my first scales attempt also,

It is a fairly hard wood & I took it down to about 3 mm and used a super glue (Tarzan grip maybe?) from. Bunnings to coat them took about 1/2 a dozen odd coats with sanding between coats ( plenty of threads on here about using CA glue )
No need for any liners etc only for decoration if you want the CA / super glue cleans up pretty good like glass,
But many only use wax or wood polishes to seal them.

Hi,

Good to hear from another Aussie

Thanks for your advice. Very nice looking razor you have there...

I was thinking of a sculptured scale design but couldn't think of anything "Aussie" so I went with the traditional scale design. Still open to suggestions though... was thinking of iconic aussie icons like harbour bridge, opera house, Ayers rock/Uluru etc but couldn't come up with anything that would work as scales. The only thing I could think of was having the wedge extend from the scales with a thin piece of metal separating the scales from the island with a copper shaped tasmania hanging from the end, but I think it risked (very strong risk) looking lame/tacky, or having the wedge extend in a wrought iron shaped like a platypus bill, but again thought it would also be tacky.

As Im doing 2 razors in this style, I may perhaps have a couple of lines of famous Australian lyrics engraved in the scales... ie.
"But no matter how far or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home"
or
"Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder, You better run, you better take cover."
or
"He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich"
or
"We share a dream and sing with one voice, I am, you are, we are Australian"

or the good old John Farnham song - you're the voice...
"We're not gonna sit in silence, We're not gonna live with fear"

The engraving is just a thought, will tackle that last, most likely not going to do it, just something I have considered. Really want the Aussie theme on these razors.

Any Aussies welcome to chip in with ideas
Andrew

This a shot of the brass shim wedge liners of the same razor.
You could get keen a do an brass or something inlay of an Australia map, nothing like a challenge hey.
I have seen a couple of platypus razors around but grabbed others in better condition at the time then they where gone when I seen the lad Next,
I think the platypus etching is enough on the blade if still in good nick as it does look neat, maybe a hollowed out scale to show it off even?

Hey, thats a great idea, never thought about a hollowed out scale... would that work with wood or is it too fragile? Would I make the wood on the hollowed out side thicker to give it more strength and balance the weight?

I've looked into darkening the etching, with vinegar or similar, but won't do so until I am confident I can pull it off.

Have tried the vinegar on etching also with not to much successes did work as an overall patina finish, but it needs to be deep etchings to work I think, also seen others use the gun glueing pastes & even just black paint then sand the high spot with a hard backing on the final grit

I think I saw some hollowed out scales either on here or just on google or etsy actually , might have been steam punk maybe and a windowed set with wire in them ?

The objective of the wedge is to create a bow so that the tang fits into the scale without catching - bearer washers also help here. I've used un-stabilised very dense woods (Ebony, Rosewood) with no problems - and in terms of thickness you need to get them to a stage where they are flexible enough accomodate the wedge bow.

Personally I prefer more of a lustre than a high gloss finish, so some final polishinhg compound over a finishing oil is my preferred method. You don't need liners - except for decoration if you want.

Finally, think very hard before inscribing any lyrics - especially anything by John Farnham. If done properly the razor will outlive you and I'm sure you wouldn't want to leave him as a legacy.

I've seen a thread re laser re-etching, but figured that would most likely be far too expensive for what it is worth to me... obviously based on the value of the Platypus razors I'm already over capitalising in time/money, but I figure this is something I can always have, even if I lose interest in straight shaving *** gasp***

the black paint idea is interesting, would it be something hard like an engine enamel? The etching really is quite shallow, hence the preparation with hand polishing only, didn't want to take any harsh sandpaper to it etc.

Fine grit with a hard backing works best, also seen a double duck gold plated then a blue enamel paint added to the tang stamp on here last year.