How I make scales...step by step

Making scale step by step

Hi. I have no pretence on my abilities to make scales, this is my second try at it. The first ones came out really nice so I decided to try my luck at it again. http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=17580

Here I go, hope everything is well explained and easy to understand, english is not being my native tongue. I have added some pictures.

First you have to have good hard wood. I have Canary, Palisandre, Zebra, Maple and Amarante. This latter will be use this time. Amarante is a South America hard wood violet in color and extremely hard.


I buy my wood in pieces of 1½"x1½" by 6". These small pieces are difficult to cut so not to injure my hands I glue the piece to a bigger piece of soft wood. I use this bigger piece to align on my radial saw. I cut two slabs of about +1/8" thick. Two slabs will make 2 sets of scales (4 pieces).

After cutting the slabs I join them together with double face tape. This helps for cutting, drilling and sanding, helps to get symmetric pieces.

After joining them I trace the profile of the scale using the original with a medium "Sharpy" so I have an easy line to saw and sand down to correct size.
I roughly shape them on a small band saw than I go to a 1" band sander to reduce the rough cut to a more accurate shape. This is where the thick line comes handy, I just sand it down.

At this time I will drill the 1/16 holes while the scale are still flat and joined together.

And now to the hand sanding. Using some 320 and 400 grit sanding paper I will really get the profile to the exact size and I will proceed to round the sides and ends. With this Amarante wood you have to sand for a long time to get any result. After getting it right I'll go to 800 and 1500 grit sand paper for the "final touch".

After this I will separate the scale using a knife to pry them apart. Now I will flatten the inside on a flat piece of extra fine sand paper.

Now I will measure and make the wedge, in this case a flat wedge. I'll use maple wood that should contrast nicely with the violet wood. I drill the oversize wedge and glue it to one side of the scale. I'll put the scale together with 1/16 brass nail and gently sand down the wedge to the right dimension, I'll finish sanding by hand.

I only glue the wedge to one scale so it leaves the second scale free and easier to put in the pins, inside washer and blade.

This is how I do it.

Now I have an offer for you guys. I have made two sets of scale so if anyone of you want to finish both of them with CA or Epoxy I will gladly give you one set of scales and you can return me the other.:tu


Jacques
Quebec, Canada

Thats awsome!! That will for sure be my next project, just need to get a blade.
Thanks soo much!

epoxy resin finish is very easy, measure, mix and pour. Oh yea, and make a stand to elevate the scales. I spent $20 on the resin and hardener and it will do at least 50 sets of scales. the bottle says it will over 4.5 square feet at 1/16" thickness. I just did my first set this evening. We will see how they turn out tomorrow.

Ty

oh yea, this is pretty much what I did

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=17422

Very helpful, Jacques. Thanks! Though I can't say I've read every post on the forums, that's the clearest description of the process I've seen yet. And don't worry about your English skills - it's very clear what you're saying. I wish I could write half as well in another language.

can you post pics of you pinning those nails? i use the brass rod and want to see the end result of the nails.

vgod

WOW!!!... such a pleasure when you use your own hands to shape something just the way you want it.

Great work.

I use the same process, except I use a scroll saw, not a band saw. I also use a 1 1/2" Sanding drum on my drill press instead of a belt sander.

You get your wood from Langevin & Forest?

Oui c'est bien chez Langevin et Forest pour le bois. Ils ont un bon choix et j'y prend aussi les tiges 1/16 en brass.

I'll buy a 1½" sanding drum for my press drill, much easier for the inside curve I'm sure.

Where do you buy your nails or do you use rods?? The nails you see on the pic are for asssembly during making only, they are Stanley steel nails brass coated so to hard to penn.


Jacques
Laval, Quebec

I get my pins and washers from a local hobby store (Hobby Junction, Dorval). I'll be making an order from microfasteners soon though, it works out to be cheaper in the end. PM me if you want to split an order.

Very nice work. Thanks for the description.

John

I have a question for folks that have played with various designs.

I am thinking of shaping a "set" of scales out if a single block of wood, then ripping the center for the space for the blade. My goal is to get the shape into something comfortable 1st. When I cut the center for the blade, I intended to start at the tang end and cut just far enough for the blade to fit without going all the way to the end. The final goal is to keep the scales solid at the end, eliminating a wedge or pin at the end of the scales. The shape I am looking at would be a squared vice rounded end to the scales to provide more material for stregnth.

Would this work (be strong enough)? I can't see why it wouldn't, but I don't know what I'm doing yet. I seem to remember seeing this in other designs, but I am sure there are pit-falls I can't identify to this design or it would be more common.

Thanks in advance!


v/r

Allen

I just picked upa piece of pre-cut 1/8" thick Wenge. It was like $5.49 at Rockler
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18557

As you can see, they sell lots of other type woods as well. I plan to cut out the outlines, and basically follow the above guidelines, although I'm formulating a plane that will not require a spacer at the butt end.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RMC_SS_LDO

Would this work (be strong enough)?

Allen

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Yeah, that's called one piece scales. Some guys do it. I don't really prefer doing it that way so I never do, but I have never heard that it doesn't work or that it's unstable.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RMC_SS_LDO

I have a question for folks that have played with various designs.

I am thinking of shaping a "set" of scales out if a single block of wood, then ripping the center for the space for the blade. My goal is to get the shape into something comfortable 1st. When I cut the center for the blade, I intended to start at the tang end and cut just far enough for the blade to fit without going all the way to the end. The final goal is to keep the scales solid at the end, eliminating a wedge or pin at the end of the scales.

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Before you go cutting out the shape of your scales........... cut the razor slot first! You will find it a lot easier and safer as well. I've done a few this way. Start with your squared block, cut or rip the slot. Then fill the slot with a piece of wood until you shape the scales. You can then remove your scrap piece of wood and do any clean up to the scales that is needed.

Thx for this post ,i want to replace the scales on my wapi this will be very helpfull.I noticed you are using 1/16 brass nails ,did u put a brass washer on the other side or did u just peen it as is with no washer. From what i read in some other posts ,was to get brass rod and washers but i was unable to find them in my area.I do have the brass nails ,i am a noob to str8 shaving i just want to remove the steel scales from my wapi before i accidently decapitate myself they are way to heavy.

Actualy these nail (steel brass finish) jsut serve to hold everything together during work. I use bolts and nuts from Microfastener.com.


Jacques
Laval, Quebec

Hi,

I just finished my first restoration. I followed your instructions and I think it came out great for my first attempt. I purchased a German blade with rust on it and cheap, thin, ugly plastic scales for under $10 on eBay. I made new scales out of Mahogany, cleaned up the blade and pinned it.

Thank you for your post. It helped me a lot.

I know there is a gallery where members can post pics. I stumbled upon it once but can't find it this morning. Can someone please send me a PM with instructions how to post my before and after pics.

Thanks.

Doug
aka. JetHed

The nails are only brass coated. They are a steel nail and very hard to peen over. They will typically start bending in the middle before fully peened. Stick with the brass rod or nut/bolt configuration.

I want to be able to print out the piece for my ''How To Files" but when I try about a 1/3rd of the print is cut off!! Is there a printer friendly version of how to make scales some were in the controls and buttons for me to use?? Would really like to get all the info. in print, I don't get a lot of time to review and read when I'm on this computer, thank you for your time, please you can contact me at my e address, which is : [email protected]

Thank you much, from tinkersd of SRP!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tinkersd

I want to be able to print out the piece for my ''How To Files" but when I try about a 1/3rd of the print is cut off!! Is there a printer friendly version of how to make scales some were in the controls and buttons for me to use??

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The printable version is available via "thread tools": http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...tep-print.html. Interestingly, it has no images.

This tutorial should go into the Wiki, in any event. Any takers?

Ah, well, whatever.

• Making scales, step by step - Straight Razor Place Wiki <- article in Wiki. Still very rough, please make it better.
• PDF version, generated via the new "Create a Book" function in the left sidebar: http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...Special%3ABook

Enjoy,
Robin

Very nice job with the tutorial. In the States we call that wood purpleheart. It is frequently used in shipbuilding. In fact the keel of the new Amistad: http://www.amistadamerica.org/ is entirely made of purpleheart. The stuff is very hard and ornery. It will give you splinters if you look at it the wrong way. Notice the fine white streaks and flecks in it. That is calcium the tree pulls from the soil as it grows. This tends to dull your tools very fast as you work with it. However, purpleheart is a beautiful wood and surprisingly inexpensive.

Brad

Nice results and thank you very much. I enjoyed seeing your approach to scale making. You've got some interesting ideas worth emulating.

Just a note about the purple heart wood. It is kind of oily and so doesn't always glue up reliably with a water-based glue, but is just fine with urea-resin glues or epoxy. Also, although it starts out with that astonishingly lovely purple color, if it is exposed to sunlight long enough the purple will turn brown. That's just the nature of the wood.

:)i just scored a 1926 boker cutter w/a broken scale,this will help greatly,i intend to try to do the silver inlay of the boker tree,will keep u posted.:)

Now I have a question.............Is there any other way other than Epoxy Resin to do this? Like a good quality finish that is still durable....even if its not quite as durable? I have Cherry Wood and I and ready to clear them soon. Any thoughts or answers?

Great idea on the drill press sanding drum; I'm going to pick up a couple tomorrow. Thanks

So helpful and informative! Thanks so much!

Thanks for the tutorial!

Cheers.

Seraphim, be careful with that Wenge wood. Be sure to wear a respirator when working it. All exotic hardwoods can be bad for your respitory system but especially Wenge. Some people get very ill from it and even bad skin reactions from touching it.