Thread: So I unpinned my str8 and I have a problem

I unpined my straight and with the very last tap my scale broke

Thats not the problem. The problem is that the hole for the razor pin is roughly drilled and is about 1/8" around.

How do I get it so the fit is tight?

On a side note where can I get wood for scales?

The hole size is a pretty common issue, but I can't help you much there. I've been lucky on my restores so far.
As for the wood, you can get it all over the place. Do a yellow pages search near you for woodworking stores- particularly Rockler. if there's not one near you, you can probably order on line. Nice thing about Rockler (and probably many others) is that they have a lot of different types of nice hard wood already cut into 1/8" thick panels.

I moved this over to the "Workshop" so it will get even more attention....

BTW you can do one of two things on the 1/8 in hole...
Either sleeve it and use 1/16 in pins like normal, or if it truly is 1/8 then you could use knife pins and put it together that way....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I moved this over to the "Workshop" so it will get even more attention....

BTW you can do one of two things on the 1/8 in hole...
Either sleeve it and use 1/16 in pins like normal, or if it truly is 1/8 then you could use knife pins and put it together that way....

I thought about the sleeve. Problem is it is roughly cut, so it is not round. It was tight with the old scales and those pins were 1/16". So I think they Forge just used pressure to keep it in line.

Is that a good thing, using pressure. Should I just get a small bastard file and try to ream it out then sleeve it.

I'd first try to mock up the new scales using just 1/16" pins. If there is a problem, then go to further measures, but you probably won't have to. Most razors I see have oversized holes.

It may be soft enough to get a drill through back there, just watch it doesnt bite & spin the razor! If you do end up doing that it may be worth using sleeving. I've used 3/32" to fit a larger hole & by the time it's peened it can look a little large when compared to the 1/16".

+1 for Rockler...also WoodCraft.

I've gotten Wenge, Purpleheart, Rosewood from Rockler...
I've got some quilted and Birds Eye maple on the way from WoodCraft.

All have been 1/8" thickness and easy to work with.

I had the same issue with a W&B regarding the hole in the tang. I used the dremel and one of the bits for engraving or some such. Either way I just ran it around inside the hole little by little, checking often to make sure I didnt widen it too far. It worked like a charm.

I also hear using epoxy works pretty well. Just tape a piece of cardboard to one side and fill the hole with epoxy making sure not to have too many bubbles, then just drill out a 1/16th inch hole.

Originally Posted by JCitron

I had the same issue with a W&B regarding the hole in the tang. I used the dremel and one of the bits for engraving or some such. Either way I just ran it around inside the hole little by little, checking often to make sure I didnt widen it too far. It worked like a charm.

I also hear using epoxy works pretty well. Just tape a piece of cardboard to one side and fill the hole with epoxy making sure not to have too many bubbles, then just drill out a 1/16th inch hole.

That sounds good. The cardboard won't stick to it?

Should I use Marine Epoxy or clear epoxy? I have never tried to drill either.

Many razors have a somewhat larger hole than 1/16th. In any case, the hole should be larger than exactly 1/16th so the 1/16 pin will go through without binding and your razor should work just fine even with a 1/8th hole.

However if you want to reduce the size with epoxy you may simply put a bit of tape to cover one side of the hole, lay the blade on its side (open side up) and fill the hole with epoxy, then close the open hole with another bit of tape and allow to cure. When cured, the tape is easily removed and you drill a new hole with a 1/6 bit... don't forget to ream the new hole a bit larger so the 1/16 pin will go through easily.

NOTE when drilling the new hole try too drill the hole perpendicular to the axis of the SPINE because the tang/tail is tapered on both sides... it is very easy to make the mistake of drilling perpendicular to one side of the tang… in this case, it may be difficult to get the blade centered in the scales.

Yes... it is the force of the ends of pins against the lock washer and in turn against scales that tightens the razor.

Almost any epoxy when cured can be drilled, sanded and/or treated like acrylic or wood… it should clearly state on the label.

Hope this helps some.