How to Make Blade Spacers

How to Make Blade Spacers

If there is one subject that has received too much attention, it is the question of just where to go to find those flimsy little washers to serve as spacers between the inside of the scales and the blade. Finally, it was my turn to wrestle with that same problem and I decided to try to solve it not only for myself, but for the straight razor community as well.

The following represents my first attempt at a solution and as such had to meet the following criteria. First, it had to be cheap. Secondly, it had to be easily done by most of the people out there, using commonly available tools.

Those little spacers are usually made of brass or bronze and are very, very thin. So I thought, “Thin metal… got to be a way to punch through the stuff.” And, suddenly, there was my answer, hanging in the flashing light bulb over my head.

First we need a punch. If you go to a jewelers supply house you can buy some really fine little block and punch sets which are expressly designed for cutting out disks of metal. An economy disk cutter set starts at around $50, but since I wanted this to be something inexpensive and easy for everyone, I hit on the el-cheapo answer for the masses: a paper punch!! Yep, just your run-of-the-mill school paper punch. It won’t handle thick metal and the results are a little wonky, but it is cheap and I’ll bet most everyone either has one lying around the house or can find one at a garage sale for a buck or two.

Next, I had to go and get the material. Off I went to the art supply store and purchased a sheet of shim brass. This stuff is meant for model builders and is available in various thicknesses. I chose a piece which is 0.3 mm thick having the dimensions 200mm x 400mm (approximately 7.75” x 15.5”). The cost was something like 8 Euro (approx. $11.50) and I probably have enough material to make more little spacers than I can ever use.

Then came the moment of truth. I just slid the sheet of shim brass into the paper punch, pressed down and - violà! – I ended up with little disks of shim brass. Well, almost little disks. Due to the twin-lipped shape of the cutting punch for paper, the brass got a little folded on the way through and out the bottom of the punch. But, no problem. I just put them on the anvil and tapped them down flat with my ball peen hammer. I also used a tiny hand file to clean up the disk edges a bit.

And now to drill the center holes.

If you are approaching this on the cheap, then simply grab a pair of needle nose pliers, hold one side of the brass disk on a bit of wood and (using your favorite drill press or hand rotary tool), bore out the center hole.

I tried out an idea I had to make a sort of clamp which would not only hold the disk for drilling, but also serve as a jig at the same time. What I did was take a length of threaded rod which was larger in diameter than my finished disks. I chucked it in my tiny metal lathe and faced off both ends. On one end I turned a little depression just large enough to hold and center the disk. On the other end the metal was cut back to leave a rod stub. Then I drilled all the way through the rod (from both ends) with a 1.5mm drill. The rod was then sawn into two pieces and suitably finished. To use this little jig, first screw one end (the one with the little turned depression) into a matching bolt. Place one of the brass disks into the depression and then screw in the other bit of threaded rod with the little protruding end until it clamps the brass disk against the threaded rod from the other end. Now just take the assembly to your drill press and send that same 1.5mm drill down the hole so that it makes a hole in the brass disk. And there you have it – spacers!! :)

Now, let’s be honest. These spacers are not dimensionally perfect. Nevertheless, they will serve for the intended purpose. And if there is any place on a straight razor that is not really out in the open for every finicky eyeball to get all judgemental about, it is down there between scale and blade tang. So rest easy, our secret it safe.

To sum up: there is no magic involved in my solution and although I have not yet achieved perfection, I think I have pretty much accomplished what I set out to do in an inexpensive manner that most anyone can duplicate. Enjoy!!

- Ignatz

I think I read on here before someone else using the regular brass washers and a big hammer to smash them so they were thinner ;)

This looks pretty cool, but I may have something easier.

I tried using slightly larger (I think they are 2-56 size (2 sizes bigger than the normal washers)) brass washers. I just whack them with my ball peen hammer a couple of times to take the extra thickness out of them. They have a little bit bigger hole than a normal 0-80 washer, so beating them a little doesn't close that up enough that the pinning rod will no longer slide through.

great idea ignatz- personally I'd want a little thinner, like .2mm, but that's me. I'm gonna have to check out some disk cutters!

As for flattening regular washers with a hammer- yes it works, BUT it is hard to get the washer evenly flat all around. When the washer isn't consistently flat, it can do more harm than good in terms of the scales closing off center. That's what my experimenting has come to show me.

Yes, the thickness of the spacers is definitely a personal decision :) and I, personally, would probably choose to use thinner washers for the small razors and move to a thicker material for the larger, beefier blades.

And for those who want to look at some slightly more expensive solutions to the same problem I post the following links. [Note: These are meant to illustrate some possible equipment choices for the restorer and are not in any way meant to advocate one web business in favor of another.]

Cutting Punches

Cutting Punches

Disk Cutter Set of 14-From 3mm to 14mm-In Wood Box : Red Hot Specials! : Tools & Metals : Otto Frei Red Hot Specials! - Jewelry Tools, Jewelry Supplies, and Findings

Disk Cutter Sets & Washer Cutter Sets : Tools & Metals : Otto Frei Disk Cutter Sets & Washer Cutter Sets - Jewelry Tools, Jewelry Supplies, and Findings

Ignatz,

thanks a lot for all the effort of putting this together.

Lots of good info which I'm sure many will look into.

:rock:

From what I gather from both searching online and this thread that very tiny, thin washers are hard to purchase. Does anyone have a source for them?
Thanks,
Kent

Actually I found a source for extremely thin shim washers ranging from 0.001 tot 0.016 thickness. As a comparison the washers from microfasteners are 0.017 thick. Most vintage washers I recover, measure between 0.005 and 0.010.
Unfortunately there's an $80.00 min purchase needed and/or 250 washers min. I got quoted 500 pcs at $0.294 each ($147) or 250 pcs at $0.472 each ($118).
Size is 0.79 ID 0.164 OD Thickness 0.001 tot 0.016. Of course the higher the quantity the lower the piece price. There is not a minimum per size, just an overall minimum
Maybe a workshop group buy? :w


ps: these are type 300 stainless steel and burr free off course.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Actually I found a source for extremely thin shim washers ranging from 0.001 tot 0.016 thickness. As a comparison the washers from microfasteners are 0.017 thick. Most vintage washers I recover, measure between 0.005 and 0.010.
Unfortunately there's an $80.00 min purchase needed and/or 250 washers min. I got quoted 500 pcs at $0.294 each ($147) or 250 pcs at $0.472 each ($118).
Size is 0.79 ID 0.164 OD Thickness 0.001 tot 0.016. Of course the higher the quantity the lower the piece price. There is not a minimum per size, just an overall minimum
Maybe a workshop group buy? :w

---

i might be interested in this if a group buy was arranged......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Actually I found a source for extremely thin shim washers ranging from 0.001 tot 0.016 thickness. As a comparison the washers from microfasteners are 0.017 thick. Most vintage washers I recover, measure between 0.005 and 0.010.
Unfortunately there's an $80.00 min purchase needed and/or 250 washers min. I got quoted 500 pcs at $0.294 each ($147) or 250 pcs at $0.472 each ($118).
Size is 0.79 ID 0.164 OD Thickness 0.001 tot 0.016. Of course the higher the quantity the lower the piece price. There is not a minimum per size, just an overall minimum
Maybe a workshop group buy? :w

---

A group buy sounds like a great idea, if we could get enough people.

This was the closest I found but it looks like the ID and OD are too large. Plus I'm not entirely sure what a curved ring washer looks like, but I suppose they could be annealed and flattened easily enough, if need be.

Amazon.com: Stainless Steel Type 301 Curved Spring Washer .148" ID x .270" OD x .007" Thick (Pack of 10): Industrial & Scientific

Kent

I have been doing something similar for some time now, but apparently I do it backwards.

Try this:
-First, drill several spaced holes along one edge of the brass trip.
-Remove the plastic “catch” at the bottom of the paper punch.
-Turn the punch upside down and so now you can see the punch from the other side.
-Put the strip into the punch and “eyeball” each hole in the center of the die then punch the disks out one at a time.

Hope this helps.

Smythe;

I like the way you think ;)
... and I'll have to give that technique a try as well.

I just take my regular brass washers and grind them down on my 8DC, I usually go to 0.15mm (0.006 inches), they start off at 0.44mm so it takes about 10-15 minutes for each washer.

If you do it this way, DO NOT use your finger to hold them to the plate, if you do, you will have a very nice inverse washer imprint in blood on your finger, I use a small piece of hard rubber to hold them.

Very creative. I love home shop engineering...

Great post! I have actually thought of doing this myself. Ya beat me to it!

Added to the Workshop info sticky

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...wers-here.html

There is another possibility, instead of the metal washers. How about nylon washers for spacers? Micro Fasteners has small #0 nylon washers. I use them as spacers and the work well. Any thoughts on this?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rrp1501

There is another possibility, instead of the metal washers. How about nylon washers for spacers? Micro Fasteners has small #0 nylon washers. I use them as spacers and the work well. Any thoughts on this?

---

They work great... until they break and tear... by opening an closing the razor there's friction at the pivot pin. Eventually they will tear or become loose. I've had it happen on a few razors I did when I used them. I've since stopped using them long time ago.

I agree with Mad Max on this one, I know Livi used/uses them I have changed them out on some of the Livi Rescales I have done...

My theory stays the same, why change things that have worked perfectly for over 200 years???? same theory about the Torx and adjustable screws all they do is loosen up...

I'm in the process of my first ever restoration and decided I wanted thrust washers/spacers where there previously were not. After extensive searching a found that same thing everyone else here found, not a whole lot.

Then I stumbled upon these guys Fast Metal Products.

They offer a bronze phosphor wave washer, which I'm going with. I have a number of fine pocket knives that utilize wave washers as thrust washers.

It's part #0W1W18X010SB

Size #0, Bronze Phosphor Wave Washer, .065 ID, .187 OD, .010 Material Thickeness, .025 overall wave thickness.

They offer a .025 and .035 wave thickness, same .010 material thickness. They're not super cheap, $0.45 ea, but they will allow for small orders. I just ordered a bag of 100 and it's going to cost me $50.00 shipped. Assuming no loss/breakage on my part, that's $1.00/razor. I can't argue with that too much.

I'll post up photos, restoration results and a washer review after they come in.

Has anyone tried the wave washers?

They might be a good idea to keep pivot tight??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Has anyone tried the wave washers?

---

Have a ton of them somewhere,Just smash them flat with a hammer.

I think the wave washer unflattened would end up wearing the scales more ?? JMO

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sharptonn

They might be a good idea to keep pivot tight??

---

That's what I was thinking ( and hoping ).

A quick question. Would aluminum work instead of brass. Soda cans are made of very thin shim kinda thickness aluminum thay should be fine to punch etc as easily as brass but was unsure of whether it would wear out or wear the razor quicker than brass. Thanks for your help

What a terrible web site design.
I'd guess the wave washer issue might be counter intuitive, in so far as the pressure normally put on the tang and washers may be greater than the compression resistance of the washers and anything less would leave you with a loose blade. I could be wrong but the wave washers offer far less surface area to create friction and would require more pressure to get the same grip on the tang, well until they flatten out enough, which could leave some spring in them. It still would mean more space between tang and scales, something that isn't very attractive. There's a reason flatter washers are used at the pivot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eddy79

A quick question. Would aluminum work instead of brass. Soda cans are made of very thin shim kinda thickness aluminum thay should be fine to punch etc as easily as brass but was unsure of whether it would wear out or wear the razor quicker than brass. Thanks for your help

---

Sure it could but the Ali is very soft compared to brass and would wear out much quicker,
then finally Ali tarnishes a lot quicker,
But most importantly - the Ali has a electrolysis effect and will react with the steel making it rust quicker, the same reason you can't use steel bolts in Ali connections.
A risk not worth taking unless it is a stainless blade

Use brass wave washers all the time because Have tons of them,I just smash them flat with a hammer on a small anvil,walla, a nice flat brass washer:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Use brass wave washers all the time because Have tons of them,I just smash them flat with a hammer on a small anvil,walla, a nice flat brass washer:)

---

All the washers I've taken out of vintage razors are very thin. I take new ones and flatten them further with a peening hammer on the back of an old DMT hone.

Great ideas on the brass washers here. Thanks.
Not to jack the thread, but how do you put those little washers on the inside when assembling? I struggle to get them inline with the pin every time.

I just use a tweezer,never an issue.

It's really only on the one piece scales its a struggle now that I think about it. The first washer, before the blade goes in is easy, but the one on top, trying to slide it in with the scale usually a lot less flexible than with traditional two piece scales is just tricky, the tweezer idea might work if I can find some skinny ones.
Thanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Great ideas on the brass washers here. Thanks.
Not to jack the thread, but how do you put those little washers on the inside when assembling? I struggle to get them inline with the pin every time.

---

You need three hands. If you get silicone or rubber jaw liners for a vice you can hold the wedge end there and use two hands to fiddle at the pivot. Tweezers are needed.

You could also grab a small smidge of wax and use it as a sticky to hold the washer to the scale.

I was thinking of using a drop of ca to bond em to the inside scale surfaces using the pin as an alignment guide, but thought the added material could cause misalignment maybe. The wax would be better than that as if it did work itself out and the scales loosen up, I can always snug them up again.
I like the soft jaw idea holding the wedge end, and have a soft jawed wood clamp that might work, which could then be put in a vise so the scales are still 'slot horizontal'.
Great ideas, thanks. Again sorry for the threadjack, but sorta relevant to washer making.
;)

If your using Brass washers,just get a small brass magnet:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

If your using Brass washers,just get a small brass magnet:)

---

I don't think a small one could overcome the brass magnetic field generated by the floor where I work on razors. Not to be confused with simple gravity, any small brass piece has an uncanny attraction to the birch hardwood flooring, the locus of attraction being variable and often remote from the point of disappearance.