Thread: Razor not closing straight.

My most recent scale making attempt went pretty well until I pinned up the razor and it wouldn't close straight. What's very curious to me is that it doesn't seem to be the pin. Normally I would assume I drilled the pin hole crooked and the blade was "aimed" wrong from the get go, but that doesn't appear to be the problem. As the blade closes and more of the tang (the part in between the pivot and the blade) enters the scales, it pushes more on one side and sends it off center.

I've sort of solved the problem by stacking some washers inside the scales on one side of the razor, but it's hardly a perfect solution. Has anyone seen a problem like this? Am I just deceiving myself when I say it isn't the pin? Or is this a problem that happens when you don't have a wedge shaped spacer? I will probably just leave this razor as is and sell it as a starter razor (it's a no name Sheffield anyway) but I'd like to avoid the same problem in the future.

Usually it’s caused by a warped scale or a bent pivot pin. But that doesn't seem to be the case because you have new scales and a good pin job.
Assuming the scales/pinning job/pin washers ect… are “perfect” it could be:
1) A bent wedge pin (this will put tension on one scale and push the blade to the other scale).
2) Tang pivot hole is not square (the original hole was drilled off center).
3)Tang taper is not ground true.

For (1) have a close look at the wedge pin all around to see if the pin head is on the same “spot” as the each side (they should line up). If they don’t line up then after de-pining the wedge pin, the blade will line up, then re-pin slowly checking to make sure the blade is still lined up before the final tightening blows (while pinning the wedge make sure the razor is open… yes this is the opposite of pinning the pivot).
For (2) you may have to remove the pivot pin to confirm this. Put a 1/16” drill bit (or any rod that will fit closely) into the hole and see if the bit is 90drgrees to the blade edge… if it's not true, the solution is to use a 1/16” diamond drill bit with a slow speed drill and “slowly” ream the hole as close to square as you can.
For (3) open the razor and look from above straight down at the jimps and see if the taper angles are even to the blade edge (you could use two rulers). Unfortunately I do not have an easy solution if it is uneven, but I understand it is very uncommon.

Other more experienced restorers may shed some light on this so keep checking the thread.

Hope this helps my friend.

Thanks, Smythe. Those sound like very helpful tips. My bet at the moment is that #3 is the issue, unfortunately. Also, the pivot pin hole in the razor is actually rather large and a bit ragged. (This isn't the finest of blades. ) I don't know if that contributes or not.

Thanks again.

Your razor could also have a "bend"... not warped... just a bend at the tang. Not large enough to be easily seen but enough to cause the tang to rub one of the scales. if this is the case... well you may have a problem... the best fix is to build the scale around the problem.

However the below may help most blade misalignment issues... including a bend.

If your pivot pin is tight and you are satisfied with it… then try this:

De-pin the wedge pin, temporarily replace the pin with a 1/16th drill bit or a bit the close to the size of the hole. Now you are not going to pin the drill bit, just stick it in the hole and reassemble the wedge and scales.
Squeeze the wedge assembly together, close the blade and see if it will center.
If the blade centers without you forcing it and the razor functions perfectly and the drill bit is roughly 90 degrees to the axis of the blade, then re-pin the wedge using the solution in (1).

If the blade does not center… unless you force it or the bit is not square (not 90 degrees to the axis) or you have to remove the drill bit, then ream the hole a little larger than 1/16, replace the bit and try to center again.
You shouldn’t have to ream much to get it centered.
Once centered, re-pin using the solution in (1).

If you end up reaming the hole too large you may have to make new scales... and frame these... LOLOL. but don't give up... I am sure many of us "scale makers" have had to toss a few scales...

In my experience, most of the time that this happens, it is what Smythe said was #3. This is often the case with older razors that obviously weren't made with the most exact technologies. It isn't really a problem when you solve it, just a nuisance if it can't be solved outright. If the case is #3 as this sounds, you can put one washer (or one more washer) between the scale and tang at the pivot on the side furthest from the side which the blade goes closer to. There isn't an easy way to describe that, sorry!

Alex, I understand what you're going for. It took 3 washers to get it to close centered. Though one of the washers is actually pushed into the blade's pivot hole, that's how ragged it is.

I think what I will do is put the best edge I can on it and sell it relatively cheap. (Trying to price these things is tough. On one hand, I put a real lot of time into both blade and scales. On the other hand, I'm still learning so it's not exactly a showstopper.) I can use all of the cool tips Smythe has provided while I'm pinning the Crown & Sword scimitar. I test fit that one this morning and it looks like it should go together nicely. All of this advice will certainly go a long way to ensuring that.

I just wish I had more time...