Thread: First scales from my workshop

About a two months ago I was lucky enough to score a small 4/8 Friodur which I gifted to my barber. He fell in love with the that razor and was using it daily for his clients (trimming around the neck and behind the ears). Unfortunately, the old scales gave up and cracked, so it seemed the ideal time for me to do him a favor and make a set of replacement for the razor… my first ever pair.

The biggest decision was what to use as scale material. I finally decided on walnut, epoxy-laminated onto 0.8 mm model builder's plywood… mostly because that was what was easily available to me at short notice.

I took the remaining good scale from the razor, scanned it into my computer and generated a simple outline to match which I glued onto the laminated wood which I then cut out with a scroll saw. What followed was an incredible amount of fussy hand sanding, sealing with CA (super glue) and then multiple coats of tung oil.

You can see the decorative washers that I made. They are hand cut and it was a bear to do 'em since they are so tiny. Again, I created the design in my computer, inkjet printed it onto paper and rubber cemented the result down on sheet brass. This time, I used the scroll saw with a tiny metal cutting blade. About eight broken blades later when the sawing was finished, I chamfered the edges with a very fine patternmaker's file. The last step was to use a miniature metalworkers centering drill to ream out a conical section in the center hole of each washer. Since this is brass I just twirled the drill between two fingers. Then I held the washers to a polishing wheel to bring up the shine. Those little puppies took hours to make (whew!). I only wish they looked better in a close-up.

I could have used the original plastic wedge from the old scales, as it was in fine shape, but I decided that a brass wedge would add favorably to the balance, especially since the wood laminate was a bit lighter than the old celluloid scales. Again, the brass was cut on the scroll saw. The wedge form was first cut with a fine machinists file and then sanded smooth and polished on the edges. The inner blade washers were the only hardware I reused from the original razor.

The pins are simple 1.5mm brass rod, heated cherry red to draw the temper, cut to length and then gently peened over. I intentionally filed away the extra, peened-over rod on the front star washers. At the back end I left a wee bit just in case I have to tighten it up a bit. Truth to tell, the original pins were 1.8mm in diameter and I sort of wish that I had had some thicker rod stock to match, since the back pin bent a tiny bit during the peening.

Of course, now that it is finished I have lots of ideas about how it might have gone faster, better and maybe easier. But in any case, the blade opens and closes securely (on center) and holds position without any tendency to flop around. I sort of think that the scales are a little too thin and perhaps the walnut is a bit too soft for this purpose. I’ll have to experiment with other materials and methods. All things considered, even if the end effect is not quite what I imagined, it isn't too shabby for a first ever attempt at rescaling.

The pictures below tell the rest of the story. The razor is sitting on the leftovers of the basic, unfinished wood from which the scales were made. The last images give you a better look at the unassembled hardware.

Since I like a story with a happy ending I can tell you that I just delivered the rescaled razor to my barber this afternoon. He was thrilled to have it back in serviceable condition and very much liked the new scales. And although this rescaling exercise was meant as a favor for a friend, I still got my reward. On my way out the door, my barber put a pair of wonderful old 7/8 straights into my hand. Off to the next restores!!