Thread: Most common reason blade isn't centered?

Sometimes it works when you put paper between the scales and the blade before you tighten the pin.

Originally Posted by 0livia

Sometimes it works when you put paper between the scales and the blade before you tighten the pin.

That will also work, once used a strip of an old plastic credit card. Slip between the blade and the scales (only one side), then hit the pivot pin a few times, when the plastic strip is removed the blade appears to move closer to the side that the slip was placed... this is because one side of the scale would stretch (plastic) or stretch the pivot pin hole (wood) and push the wedge end away thus changing the center of the blade.

Going back to Sham's original question here,
Here is what I have found to be true as to most common to least common

The pivot ends of the scales are simply not evened up

the wedge end of the scales are not evened up

The razor is mis-ground


The easiest way to fix/avoid this is to put you scales back together the same way you tighten screws/bolts.... Way back when you were taught to not tighten one screw or bolt before getting them all started, then to tighten evenly.. Well the same thing applies to putting scales on a razor, you set the wedge, but you do not tighten it in, before you even set the wedge, if you put an adjustable pin through the pivot hole with a mock up tang, then set the wedge this will really help to keep things straight, then you loose set the canter pin if applicable, then finally set the pivot, once they are all loose set, than you start at the wedge end and tighten them in with the blade in the closed position holding it with your fingers in a center position, yeah this takes some practice.... If you do it this way you eliminate the flexing problem and it should set the scales straight and even....
Now assuming that you didn't bend a pin the only other thing that can set you off, is a uneven tang/razor... if you get in the habit of using a 5/64 bit instead of a 1/8 then two things happen, one your chances of getting a pressure split on the scales goes way down, and two that tiny bit of play will allow you to adjust in, all but the worst of bends....