Thread: Spacers or wedges?

Is there a difference between a spacer and a wedge or are the terms interchangable? Is a wedge a tapered spacer? If so, why would it not just be flat?

the tapered spacer is meant to spread the scales to give enough room at the pivot for the blade. you can use a flat spacer but it will be thicker in order to give the space needed. you could also use a thinner flat spacer and kinda pry the scales open but thats not the best option. best to avoid unnecessary forces on the scales

The really elegant approach is to avoid using the spacer altogether and make the scales from one piece of wood or whatever media your using. The maestro does that and Tim Zowada also. You would need some specialized equipment though.

The Zowada razors at CS don't appear to have one piece scales. Is it somewhat of a special request?

I have a Zowada from CS and they are one piece. They may not look it because they have a decorative pin in the end but they are one piece. Or at least the 7/8s is.

Fuel to the fire... I have a W. Greaves & Sons that has honey horn scales that has no wedge. It has two scales (not a solid piece) that have been tapered at the butt to form a wedge without the use of a foreign medium (two separate horn scales, thin at the top and tapered/thicker at the butt to form the wedge...)

If that makes sense...