Thread: Obie's Crown Razor

I've a great deal of experience wood working from building longrifles. The beeswax finish you're using is similar to an old colonial period finish using beeswax and turpentine. It was applied to heated wood and was applied until the wood would absorb no more then buffed to a dull sheen. It's pretty weather resistant as well.

If you want a weather proof finish, or as close as can be attained, oil (linseed) based marine spar varnish is the way to go. However, thanks to the EPA, it's the devil to get and very expensive. Urethane finishes are trash as micro cracks will spread over the surface and let moisture in. It happens as soon as the wood expands and contracts.

The closest thing to oil based varnish that can be reasonably had at a good price is Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil. It's a cooked linseed oil finish with driers added, much like the colonial gunsmiths used, minus the lead drier used 250 years ago. Get two bottles and cut one 50% with turpentine (the real stuff). This acts as a penetrating primer to fill the grain. Apply it lightly and smooth with 0000 steel wool after it's dry. When it looks like the grain is getting pretty well filled, switch to the full strength stuff and apply light coats with your fingers and allow to dry over night. Invert the capped bottle to avoid sludge forming in the top. Steel wool between coats and wipe off the dust and steel particles. The finish will be like glass.

That is an incredibly helpful post! As soon as I have a few more dollars in the wallet for some quality woods, I will be sure to give it a try. In the meantime...

The Razor Is DONE!

I'm not sure when I will get it back to Obie, but a good guess would be early next week. I hope he enjoys it

My dear Drew,

I sent you a beat up razor that reminded me of a toothless, one-eyed pirate with a wooden leg.

You have created a genuine buccaneer. Oh, my!

This is fabulous work. I am astonished at the extent of your talent, especially when you just started rescaling.

Congratulations on such a fine work. Imagine, I am the proud owner of that razor. I cannot thank you enough.

Proud, indeed.

Regards,

Obie

Obie,

I will have your razor in the mail tomorrow. I have to say that it was an absolute joy working on. I am just one of those people who clings tenaciously to any task before me, and I don't believe in doing things half-heartedly. I hope this beauty gives you many fine shaves.

Drew

Originally Posted by DPflaumer

Anyway, I started by roughly cutting out two curved rectangles, rubber cementing them together, and sanding them down to the curved ovals pictured.

WHy do you glue them together? I'm looking into doing this myself, but why stick them together? How do you take the scales off again? I know I'm missing something here, please tell me

Originally Posted by Jantjeuh

WHy do you glue them together? I'm looking into doing this myself, but why stick them together? How do you take the scales off again? I know I'm missing something here, please tell me

The gluing is a temporary process so that when you shape them, both pieces are identical. I may be worth your while to look in the Wiki and see how scales are made. The gluing also helps in the process of drilling the holes for pinning. Once the shaping and drilling process is finished the scales are then taken apart.

DP, very nice work on the scales. Given the small amount of tools you worked with the end result is very good. I hope Obie likes what you have done. Now, the next set will be even easier. I think it is real nice that the age of digital photography is here to post pictures without having to take your film in and getting it processed.

Nice work Drew, looks like you are off to a good start... congrats

The razor is in the mail and on it's way to it's (hopefully) happy owner

Gentlemen,

My Crown razor arrived today. I am proud of it. I can't get over Drew Pflaumer's impeccable workmanship in rescaling this razor.

My dear Drew, Thank you. Great work. Did you say you're just starting out?

Rather than screw up the razor, I plan to send it to Lynn to hone professionally.

Oh, this is a good day.

Regards,

Obie