Thread: Share your tricks to centering a blade in scales.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Before I start the scales I check the razor

This simple step eliminates so many issues for me because I know in advance that the razor is going to be "Off" that allows me to bake the "Fix" into the cake


Now if you know this before the build you can begin using any of the tricks we all know ahead of time

That and using bolts to do the mock up so you can figure out what works and make adjustments before committing to the pinning, is what I do.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Charlie aka Spazola made a great graphic about how to move them years ago that you can find
here and in the Sticky of this forum

https://straightrazorpalace.com/work...tml#post905657

Thank you Glen! And thank you Spazola for making that post/visual ... That really helps.
I copied the pic and it's going in my workbook!

Originally Posted by spazola

That and using bolts to do the mock up so you can figure out what works and make adjustments before committing to the pinning, is what I do.

hehehe and that also is in the sticky

https://straightrazorpalace.com/work...tip-bench.html


Jeez Charlie we are reaching WAY WAY back on some of these

Firstly, I don't make scales so am at the mercy of vintage ones. Their warps and shrinks.
I have to correct what I have to fit what I have as the correction cannot be made into the scales.
An obvious thing to do is mock-up the bottom and see if a length of rod or something pushed through is level at the top before test-fitting the blade.

Attachment 296486

If it is, a test-fit of the blade is appropriate. If not, how to proceed depends greatly upon scale material and the tang of the razor.
Some blades, particularly hefty tangs in horn, rely on the tang taper to spread the scales for blade entry. at times, omitting the spacers lets the tang do it's job perfectly. Then, at times, some judicious filing on the inside of one scale will even the closure up.

A bit of sawing the pin-holes, top and/or bottom a bit with a drill bit will often get things straight. Of course this will spoil pinning ivory or bone collarless.
Also, in doing this, you are laterally shifting the scales, so wedge-fit, etc can be effected.

Oversizing the pin-holes or slightly slotting them with a drill bit in the right direction(s) can help to a degree combined with directional peening.
Then, sometimes you have to push things the direction you want them to go and employ directional peening...
(Extreme example?)

Attachment 296492
Attachment 296493

Un-moving and unforgiving old bone and ivory combined with a leaning tang makes for some heady experimentation.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes not. You always learn something, however!

https://straightrazorpalace.com/work...ng-blades.html

It can be frustrating, but I have learned to not go grinding at old scales and tangs to get there. Easy to take off and hard to put back!

You have to get an engineering mindset and think of what will get you where you want to be.
Occams razor often is the ticket. Oft-times I go all the way around the block and wind-up with something simple close to where I began.


Like...'Why didn't I try that FIRST?'

What I finally decided was to not over complicate it. Usually is a simple solution.

Posted in the wrong thread, my method of centering the blade.

https://straightrazorpalace.com/work...ml#post1843194

Sanding works for bent tangs or whole blades as does adding a shim extra small thrust washer, not a full-size thrust washer. Here pre-fitting with nut and bolt can give a preview of coming attractions.

I taper and slightly enlarge the pin holes, with a tapered diamond bit that comes in a cheap Harbor Freight Dremel diamond bit set. I don’t recall the exact price but around $10 for the set.

The 1/8 in bit tapers to a point and is just the right taper for a pin hole, (From 1/8 in to O in about 1.5 inches). I keep the tapered bit in a pin vise and just give it a few turns in the hole after it is drilled to give the pin room to expand from the top, the dome side. Test fit your pin to ensure you have a little wiggle room and that you can see the extra space on the outside of the hole on the scale, (the taper) just a hair.

I start with a drilled, 1/16 in hole and adjust with other bits in pin vises. I have several pin vises set up with different bits and drill sizes. I also very lightly chamfer the out side of the pin hole with a tiny chamfer bit just break the corner, I think I got from a Jewelry supply dealer, it too is in a pin vise.

I suspect, if the hole is straight drilled, the pin wants to expand at the point of least resistance, between the pin hole in the razor and the inside of the scale. The scale is at this point not tight to the razor tang, a micro bulge can form.

If you taper the hole you allow the pin to expand at the head and pull the scale down onto the tang snuggly. A Secondary effect is a thin scale is less likely to split from the pressure.

I also pre-form, peen the pin head, on an old drill press collet, I pick up and polished. The three fingered collet prevents the pin from bulging, allowing just the head to expand. And once you start assembling the razor and scales you only have to fiddle with one side and all the pressure is going in one direction, (From outside in) with less chance of bulging from the middle out. If you peen the pin on the razor from both sides, you double the chance of bulging or bending the pin.

The tapered and slightly larger holes give you wiggle room to move the pin forward or back to make centering adjustments.

Fitting the hole to the pin also give you the opportunity to look at the pin, not all stock is the same thickness. If you just drill all your holes 1/16 inch and you get a slightly thicker pin the pressure has to go someplace. The pin does not just expand at the head as it is peened. You could mic the pins, but I just eye ball & compare to the pin hole and fit the hole to the pin.

If you take a few minutes of preparation and planning, you can avoid a lot of problems. Worst case, don’t be afraid to un-pin and start over mocking up and adjusting until it closed centered on the bolts, rather than break a set of scales you have a lot of time invested in.

What i see so far to help a guy out is the tapering of the scales holes and tapering the wedge holes. This will allow room for things to move. And with tightening the wedge pin last, gives you the ability to push the wedge end one way or the other to get the tip of the blade centered.

The only issue i see doing this is now your perfectly shaped scales and wedge will need some more sanding to line up side to side perfectly and not have one scale longer than the other, or the wedge showing a bit of its side with one scales longer than the other. So this step in test fitting needs to be done way in advance of the final sanding the finish coatings.
Not right before pinning!

Am i right in this, or an i missing something?

I always leave the wedge long, and finish the scales while they are taped together, so you do not round over the inside where the wedge will go.

The scales are finished, but I expect to final finish the wedge, sand and polish once it is completely pinned and centered. Then a quick final sand or filing of the wedge and scales to the wedge fully meet the inside of the scales without any gaps.

Light sanding and light buffing with a green compound wheel will blend the wedge and scales together in one piece.

Not sure I understood your question, but final finish of the wedge is done when it is pinned tight.

I've had many askew vintage razors that were hitting the scales and it was a PITA,
but I was always able to get them to close and open without hitting the edge on the scales, but it wasn't easy

Nothing fancy was done, but hitting your pin on different parts will make your blade open and close in a different way

I can't recall exactly hitting it where did what, but I experimented A LOT with it, hitting the pin on one side on top, on the bottom, in the bottom left/right corner, top left/right, middle left/right, etc. same for the other side of the pin

It DOES work, but it took a LOT of trial and error on my part, including drilling the pins out a few times and trying again

I do have a note somewhere I noted down which areas of the pin made the razor tilt and move to what side, it actually had a bigger impact than I expected and I was able to close askew razors in warped scales that way (It not only moves the blade closer to one side of the scales, but also tilts / twists your blade)

I wish I could find my notes somewhere though

Dunno what happened with my attached photos on post 14?
Here they are.....in order! Good stuff!