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Two Parter
So I am new to this whole straight razor thing but have been wet shaving for over a year and looking at straights nearly as long. And because I really do view straight razors as functional art, I am interested in crafting some scales.
Now the questions.
1) There is an art supply shop in Clemson that sells thin walnut planks that (I believe) would be perfect for making scales, probably at least 4 sets per plank, a pretty good value for the $4 price tag. Does anyone have any experience using precut planks to make scales?
2) Waterproofing them. I don't plan on soaking any wood scales I make in a bucket of water or anything, so the only water the scales should come into contact with will be splashed on when I'm rinsing the blade or dipped on while shaving. Would your basic deck sealer type stuff be good enough, or is a more elegant solution needed?
I'm interested in making some scales on a budget, so if either/both of these would work, that would be great. And since it will be my first attempt, I'm hesitant about spending too much...
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1) almost everyone here uses pre-cut 1/8" thick "blanks" to make scales, and yes, wood is a very cheap and plentiful material. Woodcraft, for example, sells about 2 dozen types of wood in 3" x 24" x 1/8" pieces -- enough for about 4 sets of scales!
2) Finishing wood is the annoying part! You do have to use some sort of finish to at least make them water resistant -- This can range from oil finishes (Tung oil, etc), to polyurethane to epoxy.
You can choose your finish based on your needs and skill level. Wipe-on oil finishes are easy, nice to preserve original wood grain and are good for a matte finish thats not too glossy. Its not as resistant to water though. Lots of coats though, = lots of time.
Polyurethane, fairly easy to apply, brush it on usually..available in different types, etc... fairly water resistant, available in satin -> gloss finishes.. lots of coats = lots of time.
finally, epoxy finishes are the most resistant, give you the glossiest finish, but, may require a bit more skill than the alternatives.. one coat though, kinda nice.
All this is really just personal preference... My personal preference has been to move away from using woods. heh.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
DPflaumer
Now the questions.
1) precut planks are great if they are the correct size. Make sure to get 1/8" thick slabs. It takes about 1 1/2" x 6" x 1/8" to make 1 scale.
2) You can use 100% pure tung oil. Several applications with enough drying time in between should suffice.
Another good way to finish walnut is to use 2 layers of Danish oil, let it dry for about 72 hours, and follow up with one or two layers of glossy polyurethane. The Danish oil will bring out the walnut patterns and the poly will seal it against moisture and scratches. A good wax can also be applied as a final layer.
