Thread: Scale material

If you hold your brown horn up to the light is it deeply variegated with a lot of really light patches. If so that is the most impressive material in that selection. Otherwise the blonde or brown horn

Originally Posted by RezDog

If you hold your brown horn up to the light is it deeply variegated with a lot of really light patches. If so that is the most impressive material in that selection. Otherwise the blonde or brown horn

yes lots of light and dark streaks when held up to the light.

Originally Posted by Audels1

yes lots of light and dark streaks when held up to the light.

There is a possibility that it will finish out as streaked horn. It can be rather spectacular.

I’ve had a few sets that were a smoky streaky transparent, really gorgeous, I’ve had quite a few browns do that but more transparent. There is definitely a too thin for horn so take care when your trying to get it more transparent by thinning. I’ve binned a few to that mistake. Too thin results in scales that don’t grip the tang correctly when stropping. Depending on contour I find that .095” is about the limit that I won’t go past for horn.

Well the brown ended up with light and dark blotches not streaks. it don't show well in the pictures the Overall build ended up poor.
I was going to put 2 pins in the wedge end but after I put the first I knew thy would not fit so it ended up way off center and I had to grind down some of the scale at the wedge end after adjusting the blade to the center. Just a shining example of poor workmanship. At least I can disassemble it and start over.

How far did you go on the inside of the scales? I find the color and look with translucent horn really needs close to the same finish as the faces otherwise it looks cloudy when looking at the razor through the scales.

Screwing up is part of the fun. Your next set will be better because you made mistakes. I tend to get lazy when things go well then the mistakes follow.

Not that I've done many horn scales from modern material. But I've yet seen any that yield the clarity that vintage scales do.

Originally Posted by jfk742

How far did you go on the inside of the scales? I find the color and look with translucent horn really needs close to the same finish as the faces otherwise it looks cloudy when looking at the razor through the scales.

Screwing up is part of the fun. Your next set will be better because you made mistakes. I tend to get lazy when things go well then the mistakes follow.

Almost nothing on the inside.

I think any one of those would be suitable. I did my first set of scales in ipe. If I did it over again I would have used just a wax to finish it instead of the pre-cat lacquer. You can go extremely thin with ipe. Your scale blanks look like the grain is nice and straight, I wouldn’t hesitate to make ipe scales at .085” or even a little less. Ipe is irritating to breath and also a carcinogenic, I would strongly encourage ppe while creating any dust that you may inhale. The wood as hard is it is lends itself well to shaping with scrapers and files, which create less fine dust than sanding. The wood itself polishes readily. I did some knife scales in ipe and took them 1000 grit then a two light coats of wiping varnish to seal and wax over that for the sheen I wanted. It looks very natural and is a really nice looking satin. The wenge I would treat similar to the ipe. As far as the Zebra wood goes, I don’t have experience with that particular species.

Here’s a link to the razor in ipe scales:
https://sharprazorpalace.com/custom-...-imperial.html

And a pic of the knife scales:



An example of honey horn with dark brown streaking:





Really, any one of your choices is well suited for that blade.

Originally Posted by jfk742

I think any one of those would be suitable. I did my first set of scales in ipe. If I did it over again I would have used just a wax to finish it instead of the pre-cat lacquer. You can go extremely thin with ipe. Your scale blanks look like the grain is nice and straight, I wouldn’t hesitate to make ipe scales at .085” or even a little less. Ipe is irritating to breath and also a carcinogenic, I would strongly encourage ppe while creating any dust that you may inhale. The wood as hard is it is lends itself well to shaping with scrapers and files, which create less fine dust than sanding. The wood itself polishes readily. I did some knife scales in ipe and took them 1000 grit then a two light coats of wiping varnish to seal and wax over that for the sheen I wanted. It looks very natural and is a really nice looking satin. The wenge I would treat similar to the ipe. As far as the Zebra wood goes, I don’t have experience with that particular species.

Here’s a link to the razor in ipe scales:
https://sharprazorpalace.com/custom-...-imperial.html

And a pic of the knife scales:

I really like that shape. very nice!