Thread: Cleaning

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.

Often referred to as thrust washers
https://www.ebay.com/itm/17344343558...332c%7Ciid%3A1
This is what I have been buying.

Originally Posted by planeden

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.

I did look on amazon. What search term should I use to find them?

Originally Posted by Audels1

I did look on amazon. What search term should I use to find them?

I found them on micro fasteners and then searched Amazon for what they were called. I think it was 00 for the outer washers. In the workshop library there is an entry for where to buy stuff and I think it also gives you the part numbers.