Thread: Replacing scales

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.

Originally Posted by criswilson10

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.

Australian eucalypts thrive in New Zealand - although, because there's more than 700 different varieties I can't say all of them do. In fact they grow faster here (in a more temperate climate) than in their native habitat, just as they also did/do in California.

Originally Posted by Phanta

Australian eucalypts thrive in New Zealand - although, because there's more than 700 different varieties I can't say all of them do. In fact they grow faster here (in a more temperate climate) than in their native habitat, just as they also did/do in California.

That has a very nice color to it. I'm assuming that is just either naked or with clear on it and no stain is that correct?

Here is an example of that ancient southern live oak that I mentioned before.



That has no stain. Just three coats of clear