Thread: Horn Scale Repair

Just starting on this J. Allen & Sons Hand Forged wedge.

I was planning to leave the blade in original tarnish but it's covered in micro pits. A job for later.

The scales are in sorry shape but the color reminded me of some marine epoxy I had so the experiment begins.

Will have to rinse & repeat to clean up some of the black oxidation from the repaired border - makes the repair obvious atm but I think the match is ok. The centre damage is less obvious at least

Anyway a work in progress Fingers X'd I might save the scales.

Opinions, abuse or critique is all welcome.

What's worked for me in the past is, after cleaning up the dead areas and dirt, There are a few things to do:
- Add epoxy to the cracked areas, press till dry, and then sand/remove excess epoxy.
- OR, trim down the cracked areas that are sticking up, us an epoxy that matches the material you are repairing (e.g. for black horn I've mixed a black dye/paint with the epoxy to match the scales....OR, you can use the sanded particulates in the epoxy to match the material), add the epoxy to the areas in a little excess, so that when it dries, you can sand down the excess epoxy to make a smooth continuous area.

Those 'honey horn' scales you have polish up to a great transparent amber.

Good luck and what ever you do, post pictures of what you did!

C utz

I love these Threads, it shows that many razors thought lost to the ages, can come back into the light, and be made back into useful tools again.....
I mean really Os you're saving a piece of history, great start and I am hoping that you keep this thread going as you finish it up......

Thanx Guys. I've done a set before but didn't need the degree of repair these do and yep they polish good in spite of losing some mass. Hoping to get a good result with these too - Fingers X'd . Gratuitous pic added of J. Rodgers with similar bone scales.

I like that bone is restorable compared to the plastics which seem less durable & so brittle. Speaks a lot for organic stuff and a time gone by when things were built to last.

Will update as I go. Better get to it. That epoxy is slow curing.

Ok, So started again with aggressive clean up and sanding. Hate this bit.
Then pics of 2:1 marine epoxy and refilling the bits I ground away. Both sides.
I flattened the glue out this time to clear the bubbles that always happen with mixing.
Hopefully a smoother finish this time. 24 hours will tell.
Need a fingers X'd smiley.

Finished this up today. Pics of final sanding and buff.
The results are not quite what I hoped - a few bubbles and a man made bug bite - but useable nonetheless.
In hindsight making new scales would be easier but had to try & save it.

Now for the blade. A new thread for it I think.


Just realised I titled this thread Bone Scale Repair when it should have been Horn... Dohhh!!
Too late to change it I suppose,

Compared to your before pictures, I think it came out rather well...........

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Finished this up today. Pics of final sanding and buff.
The results are not quite what I hoped - a few bubbles and a man made bug bite - but useable nonetheless.
In hindsight making new scales would be easier but had to try & save it.

Now for the blade. A new thread for it I think.


Just realised I titled this thread Bone Scale Repair when it should have been Horn... Dohhh!!
Too late to change it I suppose,

Nice work !!!! and it is changed for you (Horn)

Thanx again guys & Thanx Glen, for the correction. I do know the difference ... no really

Thanks for the pictures. I think the color match was great, it is a bear color matching translucent objects.
I think the before and after are pretty amazing.
Great thread.

Charlie