Thread: Replacing scales

If you sand smooth the face and ball end, then polish with a buffer or with metal polish to a bright finish, you will get a smoother finish on the peen.

A lighter hammer does move metal slower and develop a smoother finish with less risk of bending the pin. I use a 2 and 4 oz hammer, making light taps. Doming the hammer face also helps to shape the metal and gives much more control.

Also doming flat washers make a spring and when peened will keep the pin under tension on both sides, they also fit curved scales better than a flat backed solid collar. I use washer from Micro Fastener and dome them with a dappling block.

Here are two hammers I use most. Note the polish and convex hammer faces. While smooth polished hammer faces will make a smooth near polished peen, you can also file, sand and polish pins to smooth even pin faces.

Thanks for all the input and advice guys. Each and every one of the above replies have been of great assistance. Really appreciated.
I'll post some photos of my first attempt at scale 'sculpture' and subsequent pinning as soon as the glue and polyurethane dries.

Good advice above!
You can really take this hobby to far out levels..
You can walk in to ankle depth, or swim out to the breakers where it gets a bit rough at times. And the depths of information from technical to historical are incredible! It really is an awesome hobby for that reason, the level of immersion is all up to you.
Do you want to just shave, sending your new acquisitions out to the "lifers"? Or jump in deep? Maybe you will like working on scales and leave the metal work to the pros?
I met a guy last week who does not shave, but spends countless hours on restoration work... Just because he loves the process... He could choose any other hobby, as he has ample skills, an engineer with a background in carpentry and metal work, but chooses straight razor restoration. And then he shaves with an electric buzzer!!!
What the hell?! Lol
It all works. Just have fun!
Also there are great people. Really good people here.
My brother sells on e bay. I suggested he sell other stuff too. "Nope, been there done that, in general the SR shavers are gentlemen. They don't leave sh!tty reviews, they are patient and kind. NOT the case with other buyers/sellers."
Good luck! Have fun and ask questions.

Well said MikeT! This hobby has many tangents, but it is what makes it so much fun. A lot of places to take it too.
Like you said 'just have fun!'

Mike reminds me of a thought I had. There should be a show like Forged In Fire about straight razors. Maybe Forged In Fire Barber Shop Edition. There could be challenges for repair, rescale, restore , making scales, brushes, strops...there are a plethora of directions it could go.

Originally Posted by MikeT

Good advice above!
You can really take this hobby to far out levels..
You can walk in to ankle depth, or swim out to the breakers where it gets a bit rough at times. And the depths of information from technical to historical are incredible! It really is an awesome hobby for that reason, the level of immersion is all up to you.
Do you want to just shave, sending your new acquisitions out to the "lifers"? Or jump in deep? Maybe you will like working on scales and leave the metal work to the pros?
I met a guy last week who does not shave, but spends countless hours on restoration work... Just because he loves the process... He could choose any other hobby, as he has ample skills, an engineer with a background in carpentry and metal work, but chooses straight razor restoration. And then he shaves with an electric buzzer!!!
What the hell?! Lol
It all works. Just have fun!
Also there are great people. Really good people here.
My brother sells on e bay. I suggested he sell other stuff too. "Nope, been there done that, in general the SR shavers are gentlemen. They don't leave sh!tty reviews, they are patient and kind. NOT the case with other buyers/sellers."
Good luck! Have fun and ask questions.

Here's an anecdote to back that up. An ebay seller in our SR community sent me the wrong restoration blades; essentially he mixed up the boxes and sent mine to another SR guy who won a different auction lot. After some confusion early in the week, we figured it out. Long story short-all parties sent back the incorrect blades the next day and got the correct ones today. Ebay seller was totally transparent about the process. I got my beautiful blades (which were nicer than his pics), gave him great feedback, and will do business with him again. Honor and integrity seem so rare in our world today, but not here. Just thought I'd share proof of Mike's assertion.

Okay. I'm not posting this to brag but merely to honour my promise to post some pics of my 'first effort'. (I've been looking at some of the 'masterpieces' posted in 'Custom Builts and Restorations' and I'm fully aware that I've still got things to learn). Essentially I've used materials that I could readily lay my hands on. I also apologise for the quality of the pics - they were a bit rushed.
The wood used is an Australian eucalypt ('Southern Mahogany') - chosen because I grew it, milled it, and because it's a reasonably resilient and springy timber, even when cut thin.
The pin I made from brass welding rod - mainly to suit the smallest washers that I could buy locally. I realise they look a bit too chunky. Next time I'll import some more delicate and specialised hardware.
I didn't use a wedge. Rather I shaped the 'spacer' into both ends of the scales, then glued them together. So, the brass escutcheon pins used there are 'fake' - merely for aesthetics.

That's fine work for a first try. I wouldn't apologize for that at all. I like the wood. It has a nice grain to it.

I like them!
I'm also a little jealous that you can grow eucalypt.

The important thing is that they work and that you like them.

I found another source for horn. I've been looking for honey and it seems like everything is either heavily streaked or the sellers were out.

I got these from guitarpartsandmore.com These four pieces were $34 including the shipping which comes out to $8.50 each. That's a sight lower than some of the other pieces I've seen. In fairness there is a certain amount of warping to a couple and one piece has a a little delamination on the edge but I can work around that. They are 2 in x 8 in by .15 in which comes to about 3/16. It's always good to have options.