Thread: Scales Removal

I've finally given up on one of my razors, but I don't want to toss it. It has beautiful black horn scales that I want to save for a future restoration endeavor. What is the first step in scale removal? How do I remove pins, etc. without destroying or breaking things? I saw in another post that lead or pewter might mean an old razor, and this one has an end piece like that, so I'd imagine, being horn also, that it might be a tad fragile.

Well, there are a few ways that people go about doing this....
SO, I'll throw my $0.02 in here, since I remove a lot of scales at a pretty good success rate.

First off, do you want to save the original collars (i.e. there are some nice 'bullseye' collars that you'd like to use again in the future)? If so, first thing you do is put masking tape around the area you will be working (as well as tape the blade closed!!) so that only the pin-head surface is showing (do this for both ends, or around all pins to be removed). Use a sharp small drill bit (smaller than the pin head) and drill into the head to start (a drill press works best if you have one)...I prefer to use a small router bit, but each to there own... Once the small hole is started you can move up to a larger bit (similar size to the pin head) and remove the pin on the side of the scales that you are working (don't try to drill it out straight through). The scales might separate on the side you are working on...so now you are ready to remove the other side and the blade (see below)

What I find easiest is when the collar is not to be saved....Tape up the area as mentioned above, and now I take a small metal file and file down the pin head flush to the tape. With a small nail punch (the size of the pin ~1/16 inch diameter or smaller) place the opposite side of the pin over a small hole (I have a small recess drilled into my work area for this), I gently tap the pin through the scales. When it is through far enough I remove enough tape to remove the blade from the area. You will have the pin sticking out the other side of the other scale. If it's a 2-pin set up, you should be able to rotate the scales a little so you can work on the 'inside' of the scales. I clip the excess pin rod on the inside, and then either continue to gently tap the pin through, or I grab the head of the other side of the pin with clippers, and slowly twist the pin (as if unscrewing it) as you pull out the pin. I found out (the hard way) that if you try to pull it straight out with out twisting you run the risk of cracking out the other scale (if the pin rod had a slightly wider side from the original peening of the head you just removed). Buy 'screwing it out' you will allow the pin to widen the hole you are coming through, as you are removing it. Also, a neat trick I like to use is to add some sort of lubricant to the holes (I use a few drops of tuf-glide) so that the pins come out easier).

As for the bottom pin, you can either keep that in place, or if you have slight OCD like me, and have to have all pins match when re-pinning the razor, you can remove that as well.

After this, I then clean up the scales...........

I hope this makes sense. But however you do it, I highly recommend masking tape around the area, tape the blade closed, and do not force anything.

Good luck!

C utz