Show The World How You've Modified Your Tools To Work For What You Needed/Razors etc

Hi All,

I had once again recommended GSSIXGUN'S Wonderful Video on Pinning for a newbie wanting to learn more about pinning a razor and even though I've seen it many times this time when he talked about his 'Modified Tack Hammer' as his final pinning hammer I decided to start this thread so that others can show how something either never designed for working with straight razors were transformed so that they would

Here's a few of mine.

Attachment 189552

Since the chasing hammer would be mostly used with the Ball end it didn't feel right in my hand so I removed the head and reattached it 180 degs from where it was originally.

The 8 oz ball peen hammer was too long while tapping on a pin punch so I shortened it and the factory rubber end piece was placed in very hot water and then quickly dried and slid on. It now fits Very tightly and so far hasn't given any indication of coming off very easily.

The 1/16" pin punch would skid while trying to drive an old pin out so I made it into a self centering punch. It also helps to start a 5/32" drill and keeps it from wondering. I have another pin punch that is unaltered so you can see the difference.

Attachment 189553

I'm sure that I'm not the only one out there that has modified a tool to work on a certain application.

I believe it was Kris Kristofferson who wrote: You Show Me Yours and I'll Show You Mine. Well I've shown you some of mine, now show us yours.

Any takers? :shrug:

Almost all my tools are modified or worn to my hand.
Here are some for you to make work at a low cost. A few re purposed tools here:
If it works for Ma's fingernails, it works for razors! Add pipe cleaners.
Attachment 189560
Hair curlers are great for purposed radius sanders either with double back tape or just having the abrasive sheet wrapped around them.
Attachment 189561
When making scales, scrapers are your friend after coarse sanding. Make sure the edge is very smooth and about a 90º angle, like the back edge of a utility knife blade. Hold them almost straight up from the surface you are scraping.
Attachment 189563
A tray for sorting through all the bits and pieces from scale removal. About 8 bucks U.S. from your local pharmacy. Allows the pouring of a jar contents onto the open area and sliding what is wanted off that area then pushing all the rest into the end compartment and closing it. Then you have a funnel to pour the stuff back into the container it came from. They were used for counting pills back in the day. I bought one a year ago so they are available.
Attachment 189564
and from the bay:
Attachment 189569
Another type for sorting jewelery parts :
Attachment 189568

For cleaning small parts, a tea ball:
Attachment 189565
Have fun!
~Richard
Come on, folks, I need more ideas!!

I found this killing time in Harbor freight.

Watchmaker's Hammer with 6 Heads

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Originally Posted by SS502MC

I found this killing time in Harbor freight.

Watchmaker's Hammer with 6 Heads

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With some polishing work on the ball end they are great hammers for our work! Light enough to do the job safely and heavy enough to do it quickly. One of the guys wrapped the handle in a few layers of rubber friction tape to make it a bit larger.
Thank you!
~Richard

I don't think that you can go wrong with that hammer for under 5 bucks.
Nice find.

Pete <:-}

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Originally Posted by SS502MC

I found this killing time in Harbor freight.

Watchmaker's Hammer with 6 Heads

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That is what I use.

Device I made in 1969 to correct geometry issues on Straight razors:)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/tool.jpg

Lowly branch handle in an ergonomic shape. Sand paper strips fit over the bubble wrap and under the rubber bands. Salvaged from razor mail, minus what nature provided.

Attachment 189674

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Device I made in 1969 to correct geometry issues on Straight razors:)

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Ok Bill, I give up, what does it DO?:shrug:

Somewhere, there is a DeLoreon missing a *very* valuable part.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Device I made in 1969 to correct geometry issues on Straight razors:)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/tool.jpg

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And it only uses one point twenty-one jigowatts

Back in '79 when I gave up turning wrenches for a living and went to work as a grocery clerk, then meat cutter I loaned my dad all of my larger wrenches, starting with two 1" and up to 1 1/2". When he was going to retire from being a machinist, mechanic he asked that I come up to the companies shop and pick up my tools.

When I arrived he had me park close to his tool box and roll around and started digging. He then started producing my wrenches in order saying; "Here's your two 1", here's your two 1 1/16' etcetera , until he came to the two 1 1/4" saying here's your one 1 1/4" and handed it to me and then in a bit he said Oh, here's the other one. When I went to take it in one hand. Half of it fell to the floor!!!! God Damn did he laugh. He needed it in a tight space on a machine so he'd modified it. He then said, don't worry, here's mine. He then proceeded to return the others.

When he passed all I asked for was his tools and tools chests.

Here's my 'Modified Tool' curtisy of my dad. I sure miss that ornery old fart!

Attachment 189731

I will say gents that if you have spent very much time around tools and used them somewhere you have modified or made a tool or two to get the job done. I will post some later. I am at the house and the shop is 316 feet from the house. Between the shop and house is 5 degree air temp with a 30 mph wind making it a rather uncomfortable walk. Plus any metal in the shop is hard to get unstuck from your hand!

Ray

Ray your a weenie:)

If anyone ever needs to remove the transmission from a 1970 - 1975 Opel Manta you can borrow my wrench.

Attachment 189753

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Originally Posted by walleyeman

I will say gents that if you have spent very much time around tools and used them somewhere you have modified or made a tool or two to get the job done. I will post some later. I am at the house and the shop is 316 feet from the house. Between the shop and house is 5 degree air temp with a 30 mph wind making it a rather uncomfortable walk. Plus any metal in the shop is hard to get unstuck from your hand!

Ray

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When I saw Margie walking to your shop, I had one thought...

Monorail

Get on that Ray!

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Originally Posted by 32t

If anyone ever needs to remove the transmission from a 1970 - 1975 Opel Manta you can borrow my wrench.

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I love it! Dad would have also as Proto was his Very Favorite Tool Brand!

Thank you! :bow:

Thanks Ron!
Bill I resemble that remark!! But sir I am a WARM weenie!! LOL

Ray

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Originally Posted by cudarunner

I love it! Dad would have also as Proto was his Very Favorite Tool Brand!

Thank you! :bow:

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I hate to say it but it is an Ace Hardware Professional not a Proto.

It has lasted good in my toolbox because the kids have grabbed the others because this one is different.

For years I had a hard time finding a 10mm because that was the size they needed for their skateboards!

Well they say that the memory and the eyesight are the first to go! Could have sworn that the upside down letters started with PROTO

Oh well! :shrug: Dad still would have loved the modification! :tu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by walleyeman

I will say gents that if you have spent very much time around tools and used them somewhere you have modified or made a tool or two to get the job done. I will post some later. I am at the house and the shop is 316 feet from the house. Between the shop and house is 5 degree air temp with a 30 mph wind making it a rather uncomfortable walk. Plus any metal in the shop is hard to get unstuck from your hand!

Ray

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Well while Ray is Thunkin about when it's warm enough to show some of his modified tools I'll show one or two :tu

Some of you have seen razors sitting on this hunk of steel. It was Dad's 'Field' anvil. He had a vice which he had made a platform for that could be installed in the stave pocket of a pickup he would install this piece and do all kinds of work on it, and it showed the wear and tear from all of those years.

Well I decided to take advantage of the Mass/weight and took it to a local machine shop and for $15 they milled both sides, I then spent a considerable amount of time with first a mill file (it was Dad's) and then with my palm sander and Wet-n-Dry sandpaper and then Mothers Mag Wheel Polish.

It's worked very well, very stable.

On another note, while I don't do a lot of pinning I do have some basic washers here but trying to get them out of the little baggies that Microfasteners send them in was a Major Pain In The Keester! I tried using old spice jars but they would hold enough to even supply Glen for a lifetime! So I went looking and found some 2 Dram Glass Vials with plastic screw on caps. I really don't think that they were designed to hold micro washers and my extra 5/64tth drill bits but they do work well. The vials are available via Amazon. The measure 5/8+ OD and 2 1/2" tall. Cost me $11 delivered. Shipping was almost as much as the vials but I think it was well worth it. If I'm not mistaken it can be added on to get the free shipping for X amount of purchase. :shrug:

So here are both for all to see.

This is what the entire surface of the steel looked like from Dad's abuse;

Attachment 189817

And here's the vials standing on the polished pinning surface;

Attachment 189818

I hope all have enjoyed :tu

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Originally Posted by Chevhead

That is what I use.

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Same here! They don't have all junk tools!!! I have found a few useful things at Harbor Freight. I bought a set of hole punches at Harbor Freight to punch holes through masking tape to put around pins on scales in case I do slip for protection of the scales. I made my own pin punch out of a bunch of allen wrenches I have. I cut the L part off with a cutoff tool & use a bench grinder to grind it down to size. When I was turning wrenches on Harley's, accessories would come with allen wrenches in the kit & they make good home made tools. I have a baggie full of different size allen wrenches. I have used carbide burring bits in an air tool to put a concave on a 1/16" punch to round the tops of pins.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cudarunner

Back in '79 when I gave up turning wrenches for a living and went to work as a grocery clerk, then meat cutter I loaned my dad all of my larger wrenches, starting with two 1" and up to 1 1/2". When he was going to retire from being a machinist, mechanic he asked that I come up to the companies shop and pick up my tools.

When I arrived he had me park close to his tool box and roll around and started digging. He then started producing my wrenches in order saying; "Here's your two 1", here's your two 1 1/16' etcetera , until he came to the two 1 1/4" saying here's your one 1 1/4" and handed it to me and then in a bit he said Oh, here's the other one. When I went to take it in one hand. Half of it fell to the floor!!!! God Damn did he laugh. He needed it in a tight space on a machine so he'd modified it. He then said, don't worry, here's mine. He then proceeded to return the others.

When he passed all I asked for was his tools and tools chests.

Here's my 'Modified Tool' curtisy of my dad. I sure miss that ornery old fart!

Attachment 189731

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I think many of us miss our dads, I know I do! I miss my dad dearly. Every time I had a problem I'd call him because he was so smart, he could fix anything. After he passed, I caught myself wanting to call him when I had a problem with something but finally got used to the fact that he was gone! As far as tool modification, I've had to cut some wrenches down or fire up the old Victor wrench & heat them red hot to bend them various shapes to work for a certain application!

This thread is a good idea.
My first tools when I graduated aviation were from my dad. Proto open end offset wrenches were in that kit, I still own those thin tuff bastards. And miss that less thin, equally tuff bastard I called my dad...he too loved Proto,, and Craftsman.
Now as to the topic. I built this just for razors. Currently running 2"x30" belts in a variety of grits above 400.
Attachment 189831
While I could buy a belt sander, I wanted variable speed, and different interchangeable radius wheels for the front. I mounted an adjustable uhmw strip under the belt for support while in operation. I also made a couple of belts out of some leather and croxed one, diamond coated the other.
So far, I've only cleaned up one razor on it but it helps me maintain a steady stroke while cleaning the sides.
Anyway, cheers.

I like your machine! Sound thinking there. I think we talked about the same idea about my homemade variable speed buffer. Let the machine do the work, without the heat and Lots Of Control! :tu

Now! A picture of your heirloom wrench, maybe two or more???? :shrug:

Yup, we did Cuda. The idea was forming then..
I will dig out the proto's when I can get into the shed. Frozen shut at -15c up here tonight..
Cheers.

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Originally Posted by MikeB52

Yup, we did Cuda. The idea was forming then..
I will dig out the proto's when I can get into the shed. Frozen shut at -15c up here tonight..
Cheers.

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I was an August baby and I'd rather sweat than freeze! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr That's Cold! Give my July any day!

Oh I hope you will enjoy;

Attachment 189852

Heat wave here...-14C now to -21C by morning. And up to a 40MPH. 6oKph wind
~Richard

Awesome.
One of my personal favorites.
http://youtu.be/yfgonv2UvSs

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Originally Posted by MikeB52

Awesome.
One of my personal favorites.
http://youtu.be/yfgonv2UvSs

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Mike that was Great Humor!

Now to a wrench that was modified for a specific use/I've never used it/but Dad somehow needed to do the modification :shrug:

Attachment 189853

It's 1" on the straight side and 15/16 on the bent side. Go Figure! :thinking:

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Originally Posted by cudarunner

Mike that was Great Humor!

Now to a wrench that was modified for a specific use/I've never used it/but Dad somehow needed to do the modification :shrug:

Attachment 189853

It's 1" on the straight side and 15/16 on the bent side. Go Figure! :thinking:

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He apparently needed a bent 15/16" in a certain situation!:tu

A few of my tools. I have a modified allen wrench in there somewhere. I have these inside since it is winter. Some hammers, flush cutters, carbide drill bits (3/32, 1/8) for oversized pivots, punches, hole punches, piece of railroad track, a 1"x1" x8" key stock for a small anvil, brass tubing (3/32, 1/8), pin vise, files, small vise & bench pin & anvil, a bone wedge for spreading apart scales in boiling water, Dremel's with one set up as drill press & a lot more..............
Oh yeah, I found those three punches at Harbor Freight a few weeks ago, 2/32, 1/16, 3/16. I have my main workbench in the garage with a drill press, belt sander, vise & regular buffer. I want to be able to use wheels with greaseless compounds but don't know if the regular buffer will work.

Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading all the posts and thought I would share this: I was wanting to clean one of my Razors and as you can see an old Yake type key and some file work and I have a usable Fat Boy Spanner.

Cheers.

Attachment 190393

Attachment 190394

The spanner is used to remove the end cap of the Fatboy?

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Originally Posted by randydance062449

The spanner is used to remove the end cap of the Fatboy?

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Yes, it appears so to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by randydance062449

The spanner is used to remove the end cap of the Fatboy?

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Yes, there is also a crimped version like you see on a slim, but the threaded version is so much easier to work with.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MattCB

Yes, there is also a crimped version like you see on a slim, but the threaded version is so much easier to work with.

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Looks like this:

Attachment 190843

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeB52

This thread is a good idea.
My first tools when I graduated aviation were from my dad. Proto open end offset wrenches were in that kit, I still own those thin tuff bastards. And miss that less thin, equally tuff bastard I called my dad...he too loved Proto,, and Craftsman.
Now as to the topic. I built this just for razors. Currently running 2"x30" belts in a variety of grits above 400.
Attachment 189831
While I could buy a belt sander, I wanted variable speed, and different interchangeable radius wheels for the front. I mounted an adjustable uhmw strip under the belt for support while in operation. I also made a couple of belts out of some leather and croxed one, diamond coated the other.
So far, I've only cleaned up one razor on it but it helps me maintain a steady stroke while cleaning the sides.
Anyway, cheers.

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What does that 3/8 beam clamp do?

Got one of those myself. Work's pretty well.

SLawman

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Originally Posted by tedh75

What does that 3/8 beam clamp do?

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Hey, thanks for noticing, and asking.
That's my tensioner. The entire rear spindle and bearing assembly are built on a tray between linear bearings.
I built a slight negative angle into it so the belts track to the left until I wind up the beam clamp and as it gets taught, spindles resist each other and the belt moves to the right slowly with each turn .
It tracks very well and allows me to use commercial belts or home made leather ones.
Cheers.