Thread: Making acrylic (plexi/lexan) scales

Hey guys, I have a question regarding making my own razor scales out of a clear plastic. I have a Double Arrow razor I bought a while back which was in very poor condition new. The blade was poorly ground so I've been working with my dremel to try and make it right. The scales were an absolutely joke to begin with, so I pulled them off.

I'd like to make or even purchase some blanks to put on this blade, as well the pins I would need to hold the scales in place. I would just like to get this razor up and running.

If anyone could offer some help on this, it would be greatly appreciated. I just PIF'd away a Dovo Shavette and I'm getting the itch for a straight shave again.

Well if you are looking at making your own scales, check out all of the stuff here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...tials-faq.html

Lots of good information can be found on this topic if you do some searching.

What about for purchase? Do you happen to know of anyone who makes and sell them? I'll bust out the coping saw and dremel if I end up having to make my own.

Some members make some for sale.
Baldy for example.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/aucti...st-scales.html

Small bit-o -wisdom here...

DA's are not the most perfectly ground razors out there, I found this out for sure after doing a 7 day set for a client.... Out of 7 razors 4 of them had serious issues with tang -vs-blade offset and the scales had to be fitted around these issues, or the razor had to be straightened, or both....
What I am saying is that you have a less then 50/50 chance of a universal straight set of scales working without hitting the razor.... So if you buy scales and the razor hits them don't blame the scale maker it is most likely the DA is warped/bent.....


Some links

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...w-quality.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...le-arrows.html

Yah, I've done quite a bit of research on them. And don't worry, I won't be upset. I'm straitening the razors tang on a vice before I send it off for honing.

i saw this post and thought i would speak up i have smith knives for over 5 years now-- and i have honed my skills by doing different things like balisongs--butterfly knives-- now the straight edge is sort of like the balisong- i have done scales and incerts-- a scale is the whole handle or most of the surface of the handle and incerts are only a small piece like half inch- but on a handle with incert you can have 3-4 incerts on one handle-- morer flexablity- on the design now your post said scales- and pins? that is tang pins- all right this is what i can do for you- if you want i can send a picture of some of my past work (knive smithing), i can all so give you contact information to my supplers- for things like mother of pearl scales- animales bones or horns from every where-- do you want mamoth ivory tusk- or narwell ivory horn. or osterage bone. my supplers can get you anything you need. and last but not lest- when you are making your new scales and tang pinning them to your straight edge razor- if you have a problem- come talk to me-- in the last couple of years i have made so many types of different knives-- i am now using files enstead of table grinders- and i am working on things like angles of blades and crease angles - so when i spend a day lathing one piece to 1-100 of a millimeter- i got so bord with the simple stuff i have to do that to keep it fun.
so after reading all that- you can ask me anything you want- i got years of experience

I have only ever worked with plastics… namely, Polycarbonate and Acrylic; they work just the same as wood but with a few differences you should be aware of.

Much of this may already been said elsewhere in the forum, some are obvious… but I hope others may add or correct…
My apologies if this info is elsewhere, but I looked in the Wiki and found nothing on the subject… so here we go.

Acrylic has been around for many years, it is strong easily polished, available in all the colors of the rainbow… and then some… more… and more. It will imitate almost anything natural, wood, stone, metal, horn and even mother-of-pearl… you name it, and it’s probably available in Acrylic. So if you you’ve wondered at the versatility, beauty, variety and colors of vintage celluloid scales… then Acrylic is the closest thing without the flammable nature of celluloid, however Acrylic’s one down side… is it is somewhat brittle, but mostly of concern when pinning a razor… after pinning it is quite durable.
Polycarbonate is a newer type of plastic available in limited colors, currently clear, black bronze, and maybe a few others, but no where near the variety of Acrylic. It is tough, virtually unbreakable and has a somewhat high melting point (for a plastic), but with one down sides… it scratches very easily… your softest polishing cloth may scratch it.

Plastics cut well with tools designed for wood, but will melt when over heated, though wood may change color or char, your plastic will be spoilt at a much lower temp so go easy when using power tools.

Just as in the scale making tutorial for wooden scales, you glue the two halves together and work the shape of the scales, however the glue must be different… wood glue wont “stick” very well to plastics and some glues contain solvent that will attack plastic.
So, in this case… when you purchase the plastic it usually comes with a protective sheet on both sides… draw the outline of the scales and cut out the rough scale blank, but don’t remove the protective sheet from the scale blank. Remove the saw burrs so it’s nice and flat then spread rubber cement (or other flexible type designed for plastic) over the protective sheet and when the glue is dry, stick the two halves together (the sheet will protect your blank from the effects of the solvent in the glue) then you may cut and sand to the finished shape… when your ready to pin the razor, simply separate the scales leaving the two protective sheets still stuck together.
This also has the advantage of protecting the insides of transparent scales from getting scratched until you are ready to pin.

You may use power tools to quickly get the shape you are looking for, but avoid them when nearing finish as this may overheat and deform plastic… “wet” hand sanding works best for finish work, is surprisingly fast and “dust” free. Unlike sanding a blade, you may “skip” grits in the progression; however you should allow the plastic to dry between grits so any previous grit scratch will become visible.

For a smooth polish you should sand up to 1k or 2k with wet/dry sandpaper and polish with almost any aggressive metal polish such as Simichrome, and I believe MAAS will work as well… again, unless you have a very sloooooow buffer/Dremel, hand polishing is best.

Acrylic will polish to a glass smooth finish with relative ease, Polycarbonate on the other hand is very difficult to achieve this; you will always see very fine scratches in the surface when viewed at an angle… it’s just the nature of Poly.

When drilling the holes for your pins the bit will deform (bulge) the plastic when it comes out the other side (or between the scales if you have them stuck together), and when fitting, the wedge may not sit “flush”, so you will have to remove the bulge before fitting the wedge… do the same after drilling the wedge.

Be sure of your pining skills when working with acrylic… it is very brittle and will crack at the slightest unkind blow of the hammer, rendering all your work moot (remember those brittle black bakelite scales). When pinning a razor don’t grip and squeeze the scales or they will flex and “turn up” at the pivot end and will easily contact the hammer, so hold it lightly.

Hope this “long wind” helps some.