Thread: Any preferences for replacement scales? Favorite shapes?

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Search,are 1000s of pics on the site of what you seek.

I just wanted to confirm he was referring to the flared wedges that had the scales nearly squared on the pivot end. The search function is useful, I use it often.

Originally Posted by JP5

This is actually what I have planned for a few razors using different types of wood. I will have a lot of extra materials though, so I'm going to cut out the general shapes for extra scales. I'll be using curly maple, spalted maple, figured walnut, claro walnut, zebra wood, black & white ebony, lace redwood, buckeye burl, and a few pieces I haven't identified. I actually have one piece that is half light yellow and half dark brown, almost like a laminate. One may be ironwood.
Wow, I bought way too much wood...

I wish I had some horn blanks and I would REALLY like to make some stag handled scales. I think those would be really nice.

Certain woods can look very nice,but in reality,back in the day,very few razor makers used wood.
I think Exotic woods look great on custom Blades,but not the vintage stuff,JMO

The bad news is that some of the original scale materials are either hard or impossible to get "new" (or at all), can't even be sold legally in some places or have some quirks that make them unsuitable.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Certain woods can look very nice,but in reality,back in the day,very few razor makers used wood.
I think Exotic woods look great on custom Blades,but not the vintage stuff,JMO

Don't look GOOD or don't look RIGHT?

Originally Posted by JP5

Yeah, I know what I like. I was wondering what YOU preferred. Have you ever liked a set of scales on one razor more than others?
I'm partial to the W&B chopper style that are almost square at the toe and taper to a near point at the pivot. On the smaller razor scales I like the ones like I've seen on some Greaves where the arching lines come to a point on each end.

Here is one I'm waiting for from Jared. "Pointy & Choppy". ☺
5/8 Wostenholm w/Buffalo horn & Brass wedge.
(Clipped from his post. I'll do some when it arrives)

Originally Posted by JDM61

The bad news is that some of the original scale materials are either hard or impossible to get "new" (or at all), can't even be sold legally in some places or have some quirks that make them unsuitable.

Now I'm kind of wondering how snapping turtle shell would look.

Originally Posted by lethalgraphix

Here is one I'm waiting for from Jared. "Pointy & Choppy". ☺
5/8 Wostenholm w/Buffalo horn & Brass wedge.
(Clipped from his post. I'll do some when it arrives)

Nice. Thanks for the picture. I like the shape of the toe and the wedge pin in the corner.

Glen already mentioned it in passing - but for me, one of the most important design requirements is that the tang fits properly into the scales when fully opened for stropping - you can make sure this is OK be designing the scales against an outline of the razor, then rotate them 180 degrees and see where the tang sits.

Another very important point is the amount of overhang after the pivot pin - if you use a tapered wedge your scales will have a bow, consequently the material overhanging the pivot pin begins to narrow, bringing the scales towards each other. When fully open, the tang still has to be able to fit between this area - as it is wider than at the pivot, you run the risk of weakening the scales at the pivot pin. The picture above seems to avoid that problem because the tang looks relatively even - however, a more tapered tang would be a problem.

Incidentally, if you have encountered scales that are tight when open at 180 degrees but looser when closed, take a look at the amount of overhang as it may be the reason.

Originally Posted by JDM61

Don't look GOOD or don't look RIGHT?

Both>>>>>>>>>>>>

I notice people tend to go with a square end on the replacement scales they make. I don't really care for this look most of the time. I think the razors look nicer with both ends rounded personally. Why do you think they keep em so flat ended these days? Laziness? I also personally dont care for scales that arent somewhat contoured. I dont really care for 90 degree edges on the scales anywhere. Some with flat ends look nice, depending on the blade. But not all the time. It always kind of perplexes me because I see a lot of Wade and Butchers restored with a square fat end on the scale, and it seems most of the original scales are rounded. You'd think people would want to stay true to original form more on razors that old.

Here's an example, re-scaled in black horn, for this Wade and Butcher, that I think holds the classic style of the original scales, with a little touch of the modern in the third pin.