Vintage style Thrust/Bearing Internal Washers

I remembered reading on here about the super thin internal washers that are found in the vintage razors, when yer replacing them with the #0 wides from Microfasteners...... The problem is that the ones from Microfasteners are a little too thick and tend to make for a not so pretty setup, they work fine, but they just don't look as nice.. Some of the restorers have gone to using nylon ones now, but I haven't tried that yet. so I don't know how they look... Up until today, I have never had a problem, as every razor I take apart, I keep the thin bearing washers and clean them up....
So today, after realizing that I didn't have any for this blade, I had to make some, and here is how I did it :)
I guess you could actually cut and drill them from very thin brass stock, no way, not me... way to much work :rolleyes:
I guess you could take the ones from Micro and sand them down Hmmmmm to much work, and they are still just a touch small :hmmm:
So me, I figured if all else fails, bring out the big guns :D yep I used a BFH and made my own.. (for the uninformed a BFH is a Big F---ing Hammer)
I took the #0 wides from Micro put one on the anvil side of my bench vise and smacked the crap outta it a few times and Voilà a perfect vintage style washer for between the scales and the tang , way to easy :nj

Isn't hammered brass tuffer too :roflmao:roflmao

That is a great idea.

Charlie

They might be ugly, but I like the increased space the unmodified #0W washers provide. Less chance of water being held in there by capilary force. Still a good idea though.

Actually I do use the nylon ones a lot. You don't need to tighten the pivot as much since the nylon washers just keep a more steady tightened friction. Depending on the pin hole on the blade I also would use the regular #0 washers. I only use the #0 wide washers with thicker and bigger blades that have a bigger pin hole and use a wider scale. Like you said the 0# wide washers from microfasteners are a tad on the thick side and depending the setup can look a bit off. That's why there's several options. :D

For the first time ever, I made some scales and the only part of the process that disappointed me apart from my technical errors was the chunkiness of the pins and washers.

I used brass BA10 nuts bolts and washers. the thread circumference being 1.7mm the US 0-80 thread being 1.6mm. So not such a great difference there.

A good razor should not have ruff edges. It's an object that should feel balanced, smooth and tactile. Nuts and bolts and washers just don't do it for me. They are simple solution it's true but a backwards step in my opinion.

So next time, I will try the old fashioned pins and eyelets and thin thin washers and hammering the **** out of the brass washers I have remaining sounds a very satisfying proposition. :thinking::tu

I do agree with Dan about the increased space between scales. I usually blow any excess water after a shave out of that area with ease to allow for quicker drying with the thick washers. I have also wondered about making thinner washers though and have thought about hammering. One question Glen- How do you keep the internal hole the same size (i.e. not let the brass expand into the hole as well as out around the edges- that brass needs to go somewhere!)? If there's no way, do you just re-drill the center?

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Originally Posted by Philadelph

I do agree with Dan about the increased space between scales. I usually blow any excess water after a shave out of that area with ease to allow for quicker drying with the thick washers. I have also wondered about making thinner washers though and have thought about hammering. One question Glen- How do you keep the internal hole the same size (i.e. not let the brass expand into the hole as well as out around the edges- that brass needs to go somewhere!)? If there's no way, do you just re-drill the center?

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The funny thing was it just didn't happen, I was prepared to re-drill, I didn't do anything but smack them a few times and the hole didn't deform at all...Soooooo either I am a lucky SOB or it just works that way.... I made 8 of them and not a problem, wierd huh????

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

...Isn't hammered brass tuffer too :roflmao:roflmao

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You are an animal! Sounds crude but effective though.:hmmm:

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I took the #0 wides from Micro put one on the anvil side of my bench vise and smacked the crap outta it a few times and Voilà a perfect vintage style washer for between the scales and the tang , way to easy :nj
Isn't hammered brass tuffer too :roflmao:roflmao

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This reminds me of a saying we used to have when I was a professional auto mechanic in another lifetime: "If it don't go, don't force it; get a bigger hammer."

Glen - I read this and actually gaffawed out loud! I like your approach, and will have to give it a go someday! Great story!

Mark

Works. Thanks Glen. The idea has often occured to me, but I don't know why I never tried.

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Originally Posted by Philadelph

Works. Thanks Glen. The idea has often occured to me, but I don't know why I never tried.

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Sounds to easy ????? :hmmm: Nothing else with what we do is ever easy :D

I thought I was the only one doing this. Actually, I use a standard #4 brass washer, hammer it thinner then I press a #0 nylon washer in washer's hole. I use this on the very large choppers. This setup gives a very smooth feel to motion. It also adds a decent gasket to the pinon hole.

I think you can get them at smallparts.com
They are half the thickness of the microfasteners washers which are 1/64"

Good idea, Glen. I've been using the 0.005" brass and a hole punch, but this sounds good, too.

I have some 1.5" square by 1/4" steel plates that I use for various things, and some have 1/16" holes drilled thru. I think I'll try clamping a short piece of 1/16" stainless rod in my vise, sticking up. Then thread a plate over it, put on the washer, and thread another plate on top. (Adjust the length of rod sticking up so it ends in the middle of the second plate.) That should keep everything in place, and make sure the hole stays in good shape.

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Originally Posted by fritz

Good idea, Glen. I've been using the 0.005" brass and a hole punch, but this sounds good, too.

I have some 1.5" square by 1/4" steel plates that I use for various things, and some have 1/16" holes drilled thru. I think I'll try clamping a short piece of 1/16" stainless rod in my vise, sticking up. Then thread a plate over it, put on the washer, and thread another plate on top. (Adjust the length of rod sticking up so it ends in the middle of the second plate.) That should keep everything in place, and make sure the hole stays in good shape.

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That's a whole lot of work when all you have to do is simply hit the washer with the hammer (but I understand the love of a project :tu). The hole doesn't deform (unless you try to kill the sucker). Kinda like the physics of the "arch" and how much pressure it can stand. All of the 'stretching' is going to be diverted outward. Any way, I've made several of these since reading Glen's post and all have worked.

how do you keep it from flying away?

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Originally Posted by Detach

how do you keep it from flying away?

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Swing Straight :roflmao:roflmao
No seriously!!!!

how do you keep it from flying away?

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

Swing Straight :roflmao:roflmao
No seriously!!!!

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I always hold it with my index finger! :roflmao

i think Fritz was onto something here with the idea of keeping the washer between two steel plates. I have found that by doing this sometimes you end up with one side of the washer slightly thinner/thicker than the other which can result in the razor closing off center when the washer gets around to the right spot. I think that keeping it as flat as possible is key here. The 1/16" steel rod isn't really necessary as whenever I have gotten the inner hole smaller, I just drill it out easily, but the two steel plates is something I'm gonna check out.

'Necessity... the mother of invention.'

Very therapeutic I would imagine too :D

I was thinking of using the 1/2" rod I have for making domed washers as I have about 2 feet of it and instead of putting the cup in it just using both squared ends with the pin as usual. I might try that tonight.

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Originally Posted by tazz

I was thinking of using the 1/2" rod I have for making domed washers as I have about 2 feet of it and instead of putting the cup in it just using both squared ends with the pin as usual. I might try that tonight.

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If you'll drill a 1/16" hole in the end of both of those about 1" deep and cut a 1/16" steel rod about 1 1/2" long you can anchor one of the 1/2" rods in a vice, insert the small 1 1/2" rod, thread a washer over the top then thread the other 1/2" rod onto that. Give it a few smacks and have a look. Repeat until they're as thin as you like an then pull it apart.They'll be perfectly uniform this way.

Here's the kicker so I've been replacing all of my washers on my restores with the mircofastner ones to keep uniformity, and well because they were new. I did it occur to me several time that the washers looked too thick or distorted the centering of the original scales.

So silly me I've just been collecting these old washers if I knew I was sitting on such a goldmine...lol j/k

Anyways, what I've been doing with them and I started running out was, I duhno if anyone ever noticed those really fancy old pinning jobs on some of the sheffield razors, but they look like a 3 tiered setup and look outstanding.

I started stacking them behind the micro fastener washers to create that same tiered look of the old style pins.

I ran out, now I have a good way to make new ones.

Thanks Glen

David

I love when going through old goldmines on here and I can find stuff like this while learning!

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Originally Posted by Maximilian

how do you keep it from flying away?



I always hold it with my index finger! :roflmao

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I add these to all my razors when I put them back together,
but have I actually only just came across a straight that looks like it has these that I got the other day & I am sure they are Ivory scales on it but I am hesitant to break them down yet to remove the blade that has some very heavy hone wear..