Thread: Technique, Source and Thickness for Brass Sheets for a Wedge?

Got this at Hobby Lobby.

Thanks-We have one of those across town! So .010" on thickness?

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Thanks-We have one of those across town! So .010" on thickness?

I haven’t actually measured, but that is what it says on the label. Seems reasonably priced. I plan to use it to line some black horn scales.

Any good independent hardware store or hobby shop will carry a selection, it is not expensive. My local Ace has a good K&S selection down to .005 in a bit thicker than copy paper, that can be cut with scissors or knife.

As to thickness, that is up to the look you are after, keep in mind the over all thickness will affect how deep the razor will sit in the scales when closed.

Place the blade between the scales and mark the tip at the top of the scales. Measure the thickness of the blade at that mark and make that the overall thickness of the wedge at the thick part. So, adjust the bone part of the wedge to get the proper thickness with the 2 sheets of brass. I work from 1x1 inch pieces and glue the 3 pieces with super glue.

Cut the bone and brass slightly, 1/16 in larger with jewlers saw, or belt sand, after the wedge is made. Drill your pin hole to 3/32 in, shim the wedge to drill a straight hole. The larger hole allows for slight adjustment.
File or sand to final shape once the scales are fully pinned and blade centered.

Sand to high grit and polish. Not hard at all and no special tools needed, just a bit fiddly to get the thickness right. Gluing the 3 pieces will make it easier.

Thanks Marty and Dave-On the hunt for the brass sheets locally. I'm also gonna look for bones in the pet shops that I can cut down-never sourced bone for razors before. I'll figure something out-I kind of enjoy making weird materials into wedges anyway.

edit: In prowling around the web for ideas, I see that Brad Maggard has a bunch of wedges lined with brass in his gallery-I like a lot of his scale aesthetics too!

You can get clean bone or antler from Pet stores, I bought some nice sized antler from Home Goods, an over stock discount store. I think I paid 3-4 dollars for a 6 inch piece.

Antler is pretty cool, depending on what they were eating prior to shed, will tint the color of the antler when buffed. It looks like marble, I have made scales that are tinted Pink, Green and Ivory.

It works easily with wood working tools, haven’t made wedge but made some nice bone folders with the scraps. It is hard and polishes up smooth and bright with green rouge.

Check a fabric store or even a thrift stone for bone buttons.

i memory serves, i think i bought 28 gauge (0.012) off ebay. both brass and nickel make nice wedge liners.

Brownell's sells shim stock from .001 to .015. Here is a link. https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...k-prod589.aspx Cheap and easy to use. Austin Kennedy sells some really nice bone blanks which you can find on eBay. Here is an example of a wedge like you describe. I'm sure a search will give you numerous ways to make the wedge although using a 2x72, as you describe, in successive belts is way over kill. Just get it close on a belt and finish with a hand file, abrasive paper and polish on your buffer. Do not rough grind your wedge assembly until you have it assembled in the scales with micro fasteners. The heat generated from grinding will most likely break the glue bond.

Thanks all for the great tips. I am in contact with Austin, and have ordered my .010 brass sheet from an ebay vendor, Sloan. And Karl, I will keep your techniques in mind as I give this a try-your brilliant restores always inspire me to do better.

Marty, for the bone or similar component, I actually have a drawer full of old antler sheds, elk antler, and even some fossilized walrus ivory, all of which came with the complete knife-makers shop we bought out years ago when we though my son was going to be a knife-maker. I have cut a "slice" from the base of one of the antlers, and may go that route. But the ones I have seen with a dark interior piece (dark horn or hardwood) also look very nice. I've got plenty of dark horn and hardwood scraps (rosewood, ebony, ziricote, etc.).

Once I get the scales cut and shaped, I'll probably lay out my wedge options along with the brass and see what looks best-yikes, I guess I'm committed to this now!

Like karlej said, careful of heat after the brass is glued up. A fret saw or scroll saw is a nice tool to have or just use files to shapes the wedge after pinning. I put a dab of super thin ca glue on either side of the wedge and scales after pinning. The stuff is so thin that the capillary effect from the adjoining surfaces sucks the glue in, you can be pretty aggressive with files after that and not worry about the wedge moving out of position.