Thread: Help Rescaling with Horn

Hi all....I was replacing a set of scales on a W&B today with a nice set from Jim over at Vintage Blades. After I got them installed it looks as if they are warped and it is very hard to get the blade in and out. Is there any solution to this? Can anyone offer any advise on how to fix this?

Anything would be great.


Thanks!!

I don't know how EXACTLY to fix it since I haven't tried anything, but some people boil the horn, or heat it some other way and clamp it flat to dry. That may solve the warp but I can't guarantee it. I've just heard that horn is prone to warping. Supposedly it will never stay flat unless "properly cared for" very closely for the duration of use. I.E. if left alone too long, it'll warp. You might want to call Jim and tell him your dilemma.

are you sure they're warped? I have found need to adjust the area of contact at the pivot. If the blade veers right when closing, it can be because the left scale is pushing it that way. It could be from the shape of the tang possibly or a glitch on the scale's inner surface. Of course all this is done before final peening with a small clamp and pin

Sometimes you need to add a washer to one side of the pivot or the other to get it to centrer correctly. It has to do with the taper on the razor tang, I believe.

Do a search for blade centering, etc, there should be more detailed info...

All the above. Sometimes an old vintage blade (which were hand ground to begin with) will have a crooked tang and the blade will favor one side. Using a second small washer on one side of the blade will shim it over. Horn will also warp. I did 5 blades in horn scales which were provided for the job. every one of the them was crooked and a couple looked like boomerangs. I got them straightened by putting a couple of rubber bands around the scales, very tight. That will pull the scales together, and then I held them in just barely boiling water for two minutes with a pair of tongs. You don’t want to let them just lay in the bottom of the pan, keep them suspended and when I say barely boiling, I mean barely. Just a few bubbles rising from the bottom of the pan, no rolling boil. I would then hold the scales under look warm tap water to cool them down, set them on the counter and leave them until they were room temperature. You can take the rubber bands off and you should have two nice and flat scales. That only works if you do it before you scale the razor.

After it has been scaled, you can try using a hair dryer to heat the horn until it is just pliable, close the razor and let it cool. The scales will ‘self center’. After either treatment you may want to give them a light wipe with some oil to re-hydrate/condition the horn.

I just tried the hair dryer technique. I am hoping that this works. They are beautiful scales and I don't want to see them go to waste. I made sure to use washers on the inside between the blade and scales and it still is hitting on the side of the scales. Hopefully this works.....thank you all for your help. Only one side of the scales are warped. When laying them on the counter one side curves up significantly more and funilly enough that is the side that the blade hits on. Thank you all for being willing to help and put your 2 sense in.