My first rescale....

So I don't have a good eye for classic things. A friend gave me a H & J.W. King razor with toasted horn scales. Like snapped and broken and toasted. However, a search shows it as being mid 1800s. It's 6/8 and damn near a full wedge. Like, almost lies flat on a lapped hone. http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ing-razor.html
I have a few scale ideas for modern looking blades, but I want a classic look for this. Like, Lamborghinis look modern and cool and fast, but thats not what I'm after. I'm after the understated Rolls Royce type look, classic and snazzy but not overstated or cheapish looking either.
Any suggestions as to woods that are easy for a first set? Or color schemes in plastic that won't look gaudy?
Thanks!

Black buff horn ftw!

I've actually no idea how hard it is to work with, what it costs, or where to get it. I just love the look. Though if you're going to go with plastic, I think that would look good as black too.

My recommendations to keep that dark sophisticated original look, but would be cheap and easy are:

Walnut, Rosewood, or Black acrylic.

walnut, you can find just about anywhere... Rosewood..can be found at woodcraft stores in 1/8" x 3" x 24" pieces...and black acrylic can be ordered from a supplier like USPlastics.

If you are more adventurous, you could go for some Black linen or canvas micarta, or burgundy linen micarta.

I really like the look of the burgundy micarta!

Burgundy Micarta looks perfect! I'm having trouble locating some though... and what are the considerations for scalign with it? Does it need sealing or is it water proof?

Its everything proof...in fact..its even hesitant to give up some of its particles to your sandpaper --

thats the reason I said *if* you are feeling adventurous... it takes a VERY long time to sand down & shape micarta without power tools. and either way, its a big mess ;)

Hmmm... maybe burgundy acrylic. My problem is I am not sure how well you can sand plastic (as in the resultant finish), and I don't have a buffing wheel, so I can't sand them cus I can't polish them.

I've found that if you use a series of sandpaper, and sand them wet..such as 220 grit, 400, 600, 1000, 2000 , you can get a near mirror -- and then you could take some rubbing compound..or even metal polish and a rag and essentially hand-buff them by quickly pinching the scales inside the rag between your fingers and quickly moving it back and forth with your other hand.

it works, oddly enough -- I have almost gotten just as good results doing that than i have with the buffer.

Go take a look at here It might help you decide on what you might want to do. The source for the scale material is in the thread.

Ray

Ray- I think you missed the link. Please repost? Thanks!

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...d-shavers.html

On that page there is a sheffield in clear acrylic... Elegant or gaudy?

Ok lets try it again here . See if this works. Sorry

ray

WOW that is nice... but how hard is it to work with horn?

Why don't you pm Max and ask him. I am sure he would be glad to let you know anything you like. Maybe you might be able to talk to him on the phone as well.

Ray