Thread: smooth sailing on first custom scales then CRACK!

So I recently tried to make scales for a razor with Arcylic, i first cut out the scales with a bandsaw, then i shaped them up with a belt sander taking off the sharp edges on the acrylic and trying to round off everything, going up grits from 80 taking off all he scratches from previous grits. Then I was off to hand wet sanding though the grits again all the way to 1000. Then on to some white compound on the buffing on medium speed about 2000 rpm on 6 inch wheel... At this point I'm about an hour and a half into doing this! I was starting to get antsy and excited for my first set ever made. I got the first pin in and buffed it round, SWEET! Now to pin the pivot, swing and a miss! Cracked the scales! I have to say after that happened a piece of me died at that very moment hahaha... I was so close to finishing the scales and getting the restored razor in I could taste it... Well here are the pics I am still very proud of myself that I got that as far and as I did and still can't wait to give it another shot.

Looks nice, I never really ventures too deep into custom scales, but I did crack a few. It is heart breaking when you think back to all the time you put into it and in one second destroy all that work.

Accidents happen occasionally to the best of us no matter how careful you are. It's a minute of cursing and what not but little can be done. C'est la vie. I usually take a break until I'm mentally ready to start all over. Doesn't take too long and it's all forgotten. You should be proud either way.

very light taps with a very light hammer is the key!(tap on the cuticle of your thumb with your hammer without too much discomfort is about the right pressure) nice looking scales BTW.

Pretty scales! I'm always a sucker for bright scales.


Mike

Thanks guys I gave it my all, I think that the razor wasn't going to sit in them too perfectly it was good practice... Yea I agree I love the bright colored scales, I really wasn't going for a point on them either it kinda just worked out that way and I went with it lol... I felt like I was making a prison shank there for a little bit lmao

That's hard luck Fonzie; we've all cracked a few in our re-scaling adventures. The old vulcanite ones are particularly prone to it, ivory probably the least.

They were looking good too! Try practicing on some old horn or early plastics scales found on crap razors that turn up in junk shops. You'll soon get the hang of how hard to strike. "Not very" is the answer, as tintin described above.

Bad luck but I love the scales.

Just a couple of hints:

The point at the pivot, going in that direction, is going to impede stropping, ask me how I know
It will actually push your thumb away from the tang

If you put you finger on the anvil and hit the very edge of the cuticle (Pressure Point) with the hammer you can get an idea of how hard to tap, if it hurts you are tapping to hard

Popsicle sticks (Available really cheap at Wally World) are an awesome practice media, if you can pin them you should be able to pin anything..

How the Tang and Pivot point meet, is crucial also, if there isn't a good smooth meeting point there, the scales are way more likely to crack.. The angles matching is VERY important to proper function..


Hope that helps

When you taping the pin, the range of motion is about half an inch. You do not need more than that as you will be hitting the pin too hard, you will miss the pin (what happened to you). On a very positive note you next set will come together easier than the first since you already have experience how to do some things and how no to do others.