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Hi all! I am new to SRP and straight razor restorations.
This is some of my work that I've done recently.
I was wondering if you guys could give me some suggestions on applying shellac, I somehow cannot apply them very evenly.
I usually apply a thin layer of shellac with paper towel and let it dry for around 15 to 20 mins, steel wool it then repeat for around 5 times.
Open to suggestions! :)
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Welcome aboard,,,,,,,Attachment 247570
Give it a little time & I'm sure members will have lots of advice for you.
Welcome.
For wood...Tru Oil is the best.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...322138ffb7.jpg.
And a bit of positive criticism...!!
Get your scales thinner, and the width narrower.
It all comes with time and practice.
All of us that made scales the first few times, made them like yours. But the shape...I like.
I'm hoping when you say shellac, you are actually talking about real shellac and not just using it as a generic term for a clear coating. With shellac it is all about the alcohol and rubbing the layers on. It is not an easy technique to describe. I would think you will be able to find some very good youtube videos. Try searching under French Polish.
I use shellac, but I've never heard of using alcohol, or rubbing it in. It says on the jar, do not dilute. I'll have to look that up, now you have me worried I've been using it wrong!
If it is premixed and not flakes you should figure out what the cut is. 1 pound of flakes per gallon is a pretty common cut, some like it less, at down to 1/2 pound per gallon. It has been a long time since I have discussed it with anyone and I forget all of the correct terms on how it is done. On this one I would say that youtube is your friend.
I use a 2 lb cut and apply it with a rubber glove. I just cut off the fingers and wear them one at a time. Apply spit coats (really thin), then steel wool.
If your making your own cut try pure light button lac. It dries a bit softer and is easier to buff out.
I've considered using shellac as well and did even try the "pre-mixed" stuff once on scales. I've been wanting to do it again but with mixing my own. It's a cool finish that's been around forever and has many uses. I do believe that it was even used, or is still used, in coating candy. If I'm remembering correctly a "French Polish" provides a beautiful finish and is just one way of using shellac, traditionally on furniture and a little hard to do. But you could also go the route of a less shiny, warm glow look too and be alright. I like the idea of an old type of finish being used for old razors.
Button Lac, steel wooled, then buffed with minwax..
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Yep, that has a warm, touchable look and feel to it that's very appealing. Nice razor!
Nice scales MW. What technique did you use to apply it? There is more ways of working shellac than just a French Polish, thats for sure. I have never had much luck with just brushing it on though. It dries very fast and can ball up fairly easily. It does lend itself to many different uses. Little tidbit on shellac, it is the greatest stain blocker ever. If you have water stains or wood stain or hair dye on a wall that just bleeds through your paint, then hit it with a couple of heavy coats of shellac and repaint. It will stick to almost anything and all paints will stick to it.
Anyone doing a restore to a safety razor?
Finger tip with a rubber glove as stated above. I swipe 1 or 2 tack coats on, giving about 30 min in between each coat to dry.. then 00 or 000 steel wool to smooth it down.. repeat about 5 times. Takes some time. Gotta watch for thick spots in the tack coat and no bubbles!Quote:
Originally Posted by RezDog
Regular shellac i use the wool after every coat. The above technique is for button lac.
And you gotta make sure it's dry before the steel wool hits it. Steel wool and tacky shellac.. time to start over.
To finish ive buffed it with minwax or renwax. I like minwax a little better..
Here is the one I tried a few years ago with the pre-mix stuff. It was also my first attempt at inlays and a multi-wood wedge (which turned out more like a "spacer" than a wedge). It's bloodwood with butternut/ebony inlays and wedge with MJ Higgins blade. If I remember this right I applied the shellac in much the same way as described above but with paper towel instead of glove fingertip, dry ~30 min, steel wool. Looking back, the glove fingertip method would have been better than the paper towel. Next time I will try mixing my own as it seems everything I read about shellac indicates mixing your own gives better results.
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Very nice..!!
I've got a piece of bloodwood.
But have been hesitant to use it, it easily wants to splinter down the grain, and afraid it will split during pinning.
That's why I use CA glue finishes. It hardens the wood to the point it won't split. At least for me. I've made scales with unstabilyzed burl, and once coated in CA they are fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by outback
That would be the plan.
Stabilize w/CA.
I don't do CA finishing anymore, It typically cracks after time from the scales flexing. But I do put a few coats on the inside of my wood scales to seal, and add more strength.
I haven't noticed issues with cracking, but I think I've sold most if not all of the ones I've made.
not to hijack the thread, but i've used bloodwood for multiple scales or wedges and had no problems with cracking/splitting. Only used tung oil as a finish.Quote:
Originally Posted by outback
I've done others in it, but this piece is just splitting when given a little pressure.Quote:
Originally Posted by TwistedOak
There is the Babar pins that Tom uses as well as eyelets. They will take some of the stress away from the wood itself.Quote:
Originally Posted by outback
Done that on a few, but I need them for a bone/ CA n Soda repair, coming soon. [emoji6]
I can always go down the street and get another piece of bloodwood.
If your worried about the wood splitting drill the hole aliitle bigger. The brass rod I use is .067 and I will drill the hole at .07 or .072. May not seem like much, but gives enough room to not worry about splitting. Also make sure your not hitting the rod to hard to cause it to bend or deform to much. The washers are what hold everything tight together.
Just a follow up.. i did a set with CA a few months back. Ziricote on an aluminum liner.. Looked good when i made em..
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Today not so much..
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This was kiln dried, non stabilized wood and they are getting worse over time.
Mike you asked me a while back to follow up on these. Well here you go. CA split all to heck.
That's what happened to mine.
That's why I went back to tounge, teak, and Tru oil, gotta feed the wood.
[emoji57]
Woah, there are a lot of replies and suggestions!
I will take all of the suggestions into account.
I use the "pre-mix" shellac and i will try to dilute it a little and see how that goes.
If it goes well, I will surely reply to this thread when the razor is done!
Seems like I have a lot to work on! Thank you guys!
Modern approximations of old techniquesQuote:
Originally Posted by williamlee99993
Dilute some of the shellac by about the same amount =100% of alcohol ( denatured or Vodka 190 proof even better )
Warm the scales to about 120° F in dry heat.
Give the scales a first coat and then let set for a day.
repeat
repeat
use straight cut shellac on a clean cotton rag to rub straight cut shellac into across the grain and let set again.
Look up French finish, variations on a theme.
Many of them are new fangled and do not use the old time linseed oil and pumice and shellac as we did for gun stocks.
Have fun!
~Richard
PS the reason CA does not work well is that it is on the surface and is subject to stretch and compression during use. Most CA's are not waterproof over time. I have used CA on brush handles and use the thinnest that i can finf. the handles do not flex so the CA stays fairly well.
I must add that some shellac premixes have a lot of wax and other non-shellac stuff in them. And most have a bit of water through atmosphere in them after opening. Best is to buy flacks and mix your own.
This only if you have a lot you want to cover, otherwise buy the smallest container of pre-mixed you can and pour out what you need and cover both immediately except in direct use.
