Thread: scale templates?

does anyone have any scale templates that they would be willing to share? help out a n00b make his first set of scales.

thanks,
Max

Cant you use your old scales, best template ever.

+1

I use the old scales as a starting point, and then can modify the shape from there.

Take out both pins, and you can lat one of the scales down and trace it on the new wood.

the scales were pretty crappy celluloid, and i dissolved them in acetone to save the silver decorative pieces. maybe i should have traced them first...

Bummer, Max. That sounds like something I would do.

What kind of razor is it? Were the metal bolsters damaged by the acetone or oxidized by it at all?

Chris L

Originally Posted by smz84763

the scales were pretty crappy celluloid, and i dissolved them in acetone to save the silver decorative pieces. maybe i should have traced them first...

Maybe... Live and learn buddy, youre off to a good start.

Originally Posted by Chrisl

Bummer, Max. That sounds like something I would do.

What kind of razor is it? Were the metal bolsters damaged by the acetone or oxidized by it at all?

Chris L

it is an old genco de roma 4/8. this is more of a trial run than anything, and no the acetone did not hurt it.

Getting a template might be tricky to get it to print out the correct size. I have had problems doing that when I use graphic templates that way for leather work. What I can suggest is to lay your blade on a piece of graph paper and lightly trace around the entire blade, mark the pivot hole in the tang. Start with a mark about 1/4" past the pivot and another about 3/4 in front of the end of the blade (toe) that should be your rough length. From there draw in whatever shape you like, just make sure where you drew the edge of the blade stays covered by a little bit.
Go through the Gallery and you will see some common shapes and you can find some very different and kinda cool shapes. One of the members here, Buddel, has some really cool shapes here and at his site Fine Razors
Good luck!

Bob

I know not many of you like letting people copy off of your ideas, but I have to ask a favor. I'm 14, and my parents told me that the only way for me to get a straight razor to shave with is if I make it from scratch. While my grandpa has a few razors from his barbering days, most of them are EXTREMELY delicate and I'd rather not copy off of them for fear of dropping them (Yes, I'm that clumsy) so, as a newcommer to the razoring business, I beg (and grovel) for someone to post templates for scales and blades. Anyone?

Originally Posted by SamSkirata

I know not many of you like letting people copy off of your ideas, but I have to ask a favor. I'm 14, and my parents told me that the only way for me to get a straight razor to shave with is if I make it from scratch. While my grandpa has a few razors from his barbering days, most of them are EXTREMELY delicate and I'd rather not copy off of them for fear of dropping them (Yes, I'm that clumsy) so, as a newcommer to the razoring business, I beg (and grovel) for someone to post templates for scales and blades. Anyone?

You're 14 and want to start forging blades?
Your parents won't let you have a straight, but they'll let you have an oven that heats stuff to ridiculous temperatures and a grinder that can take your head off?

If you're just wanting to make scales, I suggest freehanding a set or 2. refine a little every time and you'll eventually get a set that looks nice and fits well. That's how I started.