Thread: How to make and fit a lead wedge... the way I do it.

Originally Posted by BeJay

Very nice write up. I notice you warned against polishing on the buffer. I have sanded up to 800 and used a buffer with white rouge with good results. I did this a few days ago because I was working with bone that seemed to take its best finish straight off the buffs.

I meant to keep the lead wedge off the buffer. It is very soft. Hold the scales at an angle to the buffing wheel and just kiss the edges of the horn scales to polish them where the 600 grit wet/dry paper marked up the scales.
The scales are final polished before assembly while they are still paired up with double sided tape. I use Black Magic sold by Jantz Supply on a stitched cotton wheel after 600 and 1200 grit wet/dry paper. Followed by green rouge or pink scratchless.

Originally Posted by BeJay

Very nice write up. I notice you warned against polishing on the buffer. I have sanded up to 800 and used a buffer with white rouge with good results. I did this a few days ago because I was working with bone that seemed to take its best finish straight off the buffs.

Yep, the white rouge seems to be best for the final polishing from what I have read & experienced.
BTW, Merry Christmas Everyone

Originally Posted by engine46

Yep, the white rouge seems to be best for the final polishing from what I have read & experienced.
BTW, Merry Christmas Everyone

Here are recent scales done in bone and horn. Both using Jantz Black Magic and Pink Scratchless as a final polish. We all have our own favorite compounds to use on various materials I guess. These work best for me.

Very nice.
Love the Frederick, one of my best shavers

Awesome write up, thank you. Would you say lead is hands down a better whee than a hardwood?

Originally Posted by Maxx

Awesome write up, thank you. Would you say lead is hands down a better whee than a hardwood?

I don't know if hands down it is the best but lead is very traditional and the old makers seemed to know what they were doing. Wood if not sealed will absorb moisture and can swell and shrink and maybe even rot over time. Oily woods like ebony would be a good choice I think. I occasionally use it. You'll probably get a lot of opinions on the best wedge material. Can't say I've ever seen an original wood wedge in a vintage razor. Plastics, lead, brass, and pewter come to mind. Bone and ivory would be good natural materials too but I don't remember seeing them in vintage razors either.

Great timing with that information. I recently took the scales off a Wostenholm but not the wedge pin. I am still hand sanding the blade as not much free time with a 1 year old and a newborn but i wouldn't have even thought to check the wedge as it was dirty and stuff and i thought it was of the same wood as the scales. Just took the wedge pin out upon reading your reply and am pleasantly surprised to find a metal, probably lead, wedge. Now to find a 50 cal lead ball! Thanks very much for this write up, never ceases to amaze me how this forum just always has a whole procedure laid out for whatever step I am or will be undertaking.

Happy New Year!

Awesome thread! Thanks for the write up.