Thread: First attempt at replacing scales

Originally Posted by CatMan

Leon,
I believe your first real problem will be to remove the metal scales. I don't see this happening with the tools you have. Could you maybe borrow a dremel like rotating tool from someone? After grinding off the peened side of the pin, push it through the pivot hole with a very small finishing nail or similar, while tapping the nail with a (small!) hammer.
Hope this helps a little!

Well, the stock scales are history. Yesterday I used a dremel to remove the pivot pin. I was not being carefull with the stock scales because I don't plan to reuse them, so, basically I drilled the pivot pin zone until it was worn out and eventually came off after I tried to "twist" the scales.
Actually it was pretty easy to remove it using only a dremel and nothing else, no clamps, no envil, nothing! You guys may think I'm crazy (kids, don't try this at home) but I was using the dremel with my right hand and the holding the razor with my left hand.

Today, I'm going to the second phase of the process. When I removed the razor, I put it together with my new pakkawood scales from CS and I'm sad with the shape of the scales. They are torn/twisted! It's the scales, not the razor. The razor is perfectly aligned. Have you ever received replacement scales that were twisted? I'll have to be extra careful when drilling the new holes so that the razor will be slightly bent inside the scales so that when closing the razor it doesn't touch one of the sides of the scales . Returning the razor back to CS is out of the question... it would take so long!...

Originally Posted by Leon

You guys may think I'm crazy (kids, don't try this at home) but I was using the dremel with my right hand and the holding the razor with my left hand.

When I removed the razor, I put it together with my new pakkawood scales from CS and I'm sad with the shape of the scales. They are torn/twisted! It's the scales, not the razor.

Nothing wrong with holding the razor in one hand and the dremel in another. I usually wrap a piece of masking tape over the edge of the blade when working on a razor but many times remove scales before I do so, holding the dremel and razor just as you did.

As for the scales, are you saying the wood itself is warped? I don't understand what you mean by "torn/twisted."

Originally Posted by Kyle76

As for the scales, are you saying the wood itself is warped? I don't understand what you mean by "torn/twisted."

Sorry for my bad English. I chose a point in the scales where I'll drill the pivot hole, right? Next, I picked the razor and with the tang leading, I put it between the scales where it will be fixed with the pin. I then tried to simulate I was closing the razor as if it had the pivot pin and everything assembled together. When the razor was reaching the other end it didn't entered completely centered in the "hole" of the scales but instead it touched the left side of the scales! The scales have a slight deviation. They aren't perfectly parallel.

Were the scales parallel when you drilled the hole? I usually put a spacer between them when drilling of approximately the same width as the blade. I also make sure I am holding the whole assembly at a right angle to the drill. Also, because the scales will pivot on the butt pin, you must make sure they are properly aligned when drilling. I use a drill press, which makes this much easier. Could the problem lie in the way the holes were drilled and not the scales themselves?

Originally Posted by Kyle76

Were the scales parallel when you drilled the hole? I usually put a spacer between them when drilling of approximately the same width as the blade. I also make sure I am holding the whole assembly at a right angle to the drill. Also, because the scales will pivot on the butt pin, you must make sure they are properly aligned when drilling. I use a drill press, which makes this much easier. Could the problem lie in the way the holes were drilled and not the scales themselves?

That's the point! I haven't drilled the hole yet - it's already bent from CS! I hope I can drill in a way I can reverse this so that the razor closes correctly. I'll let you know how it went.

Thanks

Well, this is how it went, or should I say, this is where I am.
I've drilled the holes, assembled everything, put the pivot pin, and then I began to put the collar on the other end. It didn't go in easily, so I took a small pliers and laid on top of the collar so that by hammering it gently it would cause the pivot pin to enter the collar. When the collar reached the scales I thought my next (and final step) was to cut the remaining of the pivot pin as close as possible from the collar. But something went wrong. The collar climbed up the pivot again and wasn't touching the scales anymore. I went "WTF? Where does he thinks he's going?" . The pivot is too loose. Although I can't remove completely the collar, he goes up and down the pivot about 1/16 inch.

Did I messed up the pivot and the collar?
How can I fix the collar as close as possible and prevent it from climbing up the pivot pin? After all, it's the collar who's joining everything together tightly so that the pivot works fine...

Thanks guys

Good news! I managed to fix the collar in the pivot as tight as possible and cut the remaining of the pin. I was having a hard time putting the collar as close as possible to the scales because of
1) the scales are torn from CS
2) the collar started climbing up the pivot

This forced me to press the two scales together tightly near the tang. If I haven't done this, the razor had too much slack inside the scales and it was swinging freely instead of staying in the position I put it. After pressing the scales together tightly, I cut the pin, then I forced the collar to go further into the scales and then I tried to weld the collar and the remaining pin. After exposing it to some heat, I peened it and waited to get cold. After that, I release my hands of the razor and tested the swing the razor had inside the scales and realized that it's much more tight now and how I was expecting and wishing.
Although this job wasn't pretty to perform because of my inexperience and the badly shaped scales the result is OK to my standards.
I hope in the few days I'll post some pics to show you my "Wapi in new clothes"