Thread: Cleaning

Originally Posted by outback

It always, and still does bother me when I read a post about a guy discarding the original horn scales, because they had bug bites in them, or look shotty. Then throw on a set of cheap,acrylic scales.

*shivers*

That's horrific indeed

Originally Posted by outback

I've learned a lot from this forum, and the members. Once I got my feet wet in the restoration pool, I waded out a bit deeper n deeper, till I started swimming in my own style of restoration tricks.

It always, and still does bother me when I read a post about a guy discarding the original horn scales, because they had bug bites in them, or look shotty. Then throw on a set of cheap,acrylic scales.

Horn is simple to repair, and keeping the razor dressed in its first shoes, is a must, for me.

As found.

Attachment 332207

After.
All original, but the pins.

Attachment 332208

In my defense, the ones that were unusable were plastic or rubber .

That's the bad part about plastic. Non fixable..

Originally Posted by TristanLudlow

*shivers*

That's horrific indeed

Aww, that's a good pic. The one scale was a mere shell, at the wedge.

Man, go away for a day or two and you miss a lot. Sucks about breaking the scale but at least now you have been initiated.
You'll get a lot of different opinions on about any subject and you know what they say opinions are like. The trick is to find what opinion fits you best. Everyone who has posted is right from one point of view or another and I would take each comment as sound advice. Your job is to weigh how you want to proceed. You could send it out for work or you could pick it up on your own. It is a harder road to pick it and and do it yourself but it can be a great satisfaction. Only you know whether you have the intuition and aptitude to read and watch videos and possibly be tutored and pick it up or if you need more of an apprenticeship. I have taken on apprentices for decades in my trade and there are some who learn quickly like a sponge and can apply it easily. There have however been a few that just couldn't grasp it . It's not a value judgement. It is just a product of learning style and inclination. None of us know you beyond what you tell us but if you are brave as you seem to be then just know that some mistakes can really hurt. Be prepared to learn and move on. Also remember the carpenter's adage: measure twice, cut once.

To prevent breaking scales when unpinning, file the pin head flat, mark a center with a sharp punch and drill the pin slowly with a sharp drill bit, pin vise, drill press or hand drill slowly. A pin vise will drill a pin surprisingly quickly and it is almost impossible to mess up a scale with.

Once you drill past the head, lift the scale off the pin. Do Not try to drive the pin through the pivot, you will break a lot of scales if you do, most pivot pins are bent and will break the bottom scale when punched through. It does not take much of a bend to break the bottom scale.

Lift the top scale off the pin and lift the blade off the pin. If the pin is bent cut near the bottom scale. Do the same for the wedge side.

Horn scales can easily be made with just a few hand tools and a blank is inexpensive.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

To prevent breaking scales when unpinning, file the pin head flat, mark a center with a sharp punch and drill the pin slowly with a sharp drill bit, pin vise, drill press or hand drill slowly. A pin vise will drill a pin surprisingly quickly and it is almost impossible to mess up a scale with.

Once you drill past the head, lift the scale off the pin. Do Not try to drive the pin through the pivot, you will break a lot of scales if you do, most pivot pins are bent and will break the bottom scale when punched through. It does not take much of a bend to break the bottom scale.

Lift the top scale off the pin and lift the blade off the pin. If the pin is bent cut near the bottom scale. Do the same for the wedge side.

Horn scales can easily be made with just a few hand tools and a blank is inexpensive.

Really? My little drill press comes on Saturday and now I learn about a pin vise? HAHAHA.

I am guessing that the benefit of the pin vise is that your drill bit is going slowly so if you do slip off the pin you will do little or no damage to the scale?

The whole trick is to drill the hole in the center of the pin, directly in the center.

Get a sharp punch, I ground down a small craftsman Philips screwdriver, the one that the shank is a little larger than 1/8 in. I ground it to a sharp point and hardened the point.

File a small flat on the pin and mark the center of the pin, if you goof, file off a bit more pin and try again. Once you are sure you are in the center, mark the hole deeper with a bit larger center punch.

It is much easier if you make a cradle with a strip of wood with a hole that will accept the pin and collar on the back side so the razor sits flat on the wood cradle. Once you mark the center use the cradle to drill your hole, if using a drill press or hand drill. If you need to, you can duct tape the razor to the cradle or cradle and razor to the bench.

Pins are brass or Nickle silver and soft and easy to drill with a pin vise and a sharp/new drill bit. Or you can start your hole with a pin vise and once the hole is established use the drill, it will not pop out of the hole if you go slow.

Some guys like to hold the razor in hand and push it up to the bit, on the drill press. I have tried both ways and they work. The key is a good deep center punch hole, sharp bit and go slow.

I use a pin vise when I want to save the scales and the collars, or the scales are not replaceable. It literally takes a minute to drill a pin with a pin vise.

I have shaped a set of black horn scales. The original set and the pivot point in the blade are 3/64 so that is what I made the holes in the scales. I have some brass rod in 1/16 and 3/64 left over from another project but am having a hard time finding the washers for for them locally.

What would be the best online resource for them? also do i need to use spacers in-between the scales and the blade?


Thanks John

Originally Posted by Audels1

I have shaped a set of black horn scales. The original set and the pivot point in the blade are 3/64 so that is what I made the holes in the scales. I have some brass rod in 1/16 and 3/64 left over from another project but am having a hard time finding the washers for for them locally.

What would be the best online resource for them? also do i need to use spacers in-between the scales and the blade?


Thanks John

microfasteners.com is often recommended on this site. I ended up using amazon.com because the shipping was going to a blot compared to what I was buying.

I'll leave the spacer question to people with more experience.