Thread: liners for a Simmons Keen Kutter 1287 in Ivory with mother of pearl tang

So I got this project razor about 2 years ago for like 3 dollars IIRC. I was certain the scales were plastic because almost all examples had pins and no washers. This one has washers but the scales looked very thin. Too thin for plastic but they have washers I kept on thinking. So I got some more camel bone slabs to make another set. The new pieces of camel bone were way thicker than my first pieces and I wanted to make my new set very thin just like the old set. So I put it on the back burner until a couple a days ago they resurfaced after a little cleaning. Perfect covid project I thought! Right!
I was getting the dremel ready to unpin it when I thought. Better do a hot pin test to make sure. I do the test and Damn! They are Ivory! To me that changed all my plans . Now I want to make some brass liners and see if I can save the originals. I know it wont be perfect but I think I can live with the results. If I dont like the way they turn out I will make them out of camel bone just as I originaly planned.

Is that a break or crack? Either way try securing it with super glue and baking soda.
Put some super glue then add some baking soda. It sets up fast so have everything ready.
Sand smooth and polish.

There is a member here, outback, and he has made near invisible liners out of 3/4 Oz fibreglass cloth and structural epoxy. An amazing repair.
Brass or silver liners would also be great.
Keep it very thin.

Thanks for the ideas bouschie and Rez! Was thinking brass liners but silver sounds good too. It will go with the mother of pearl.

Outback that came out cool! It is a break with some loss of material. I am going to do the Ca with backing soda trick with some ivory dust mixed in for the color. I know it wont look perfect but I think I can live with the results.
Again great job fixing that Outback and thanks for sharing!

Find the powdered ca if you can to be the binder. Baking soda leaves a porous surface I find unless you put a top coat, or three of liquid ca over the final repair
https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalo...CABEgJkBPD_BwE
The stuff is the best I’ve ever used for plastics structural as well as design repairs.
Available from other places I’m sure.

Originally Posted by Toroblanco

Outback that came out cool! It is a break with some loss of material. I am going to do the Ca with backing soda trick with some ivory dust mixed in for the color. I know it wont look perfect but I think I can live with the results.
Again great job fixing that Outback and thanks for sharing!

There's a CA n soda repair, at the bottom very tip of the show side scale, near the pivot.



I built it up, on top of the liner/ fiberglass. Which by the way....is very thin, yet strong enough for proper use.

That's the two scales together between my fingers, after the repair.

They were never meant to be man handled in the first place. Their hand carved ivory, and incredibly.... well done.

JP5 asked if I could save them. I kinda seem to have this knack, for doing that, with scales.

I can't help to try and keep them all original. We make are blades look good, to a degree, or to the point of regrinding.
Then throw the ugly looking, original scales in the garbage, and put some swirling acrylic scales on it.

I say...keep um original. Unless there is...no hope left inum, or they were found bald.

If ya wants ta know more about the process I use for various scales, should you come across others, send a PM my way

I like to try and keep them as original as possible too. I was thinking what do you guys think I should I do with the collars. They are original but to avoid any future confusion I kind of think I will leave them off, Lol! What would you do?

Everything going smooth till now. Second pic next to cow bone,Ivory, and camel bone for comparison. The brass washers are .005 thick and scales vary from .054 to .056 inches thick. Wedge goes from .014 to .050 thick.

Originally Posted by Toroblanco

I like to try and keep them as original as possible too. I was thinking what do you guys think I should I do with the collars. They are original but to avoid any future confusion I kind of think I will leave them off, Lol! What would you do?
...

I would definitely use them if possible. And if one is broken I'd find a replacement in my bits and bobs tin if I could.