My first scales: Purpleheart with brass inlay
Decided to dive in and try making scales. These are my first scales made from Purpleheart (Peltogyne spp.) with a Big Dipper experimental brass inlay. I added brass tube liners for the pivot and bottom pins to prevent cracking of the scales.
The color of the wood is a deep purple like purple fountain pen ink. The pictures don't show the true color. I sanded them down to 1500 grit and will finish them with Tung Oil to a gloss finish.
These will be used on an e-bay special 6/8 blade I tried to clean up. The scales came out better than the blade but being a first for me I guess it will have to do.
I also made some nice, slightly domed washers for peening. Used a slightly modified Bill Ellis' jig for making them. Takes about 3-4 minutes per washer including sanding and polishing to a mirror finish. No hassles getting the washer out of the jig either. If anyone is interested I will post pictures of the jig and method for sanding and polishing them really fast.
http://www.winpte.com/str8/BigDipper1.jpg
Washer die & sanding mandrel
Thanks for the support guys. Here is the jig (modified from Bill Ellis' version) and mandrel for sanding.
http://www.winpte.com/str8/WasherJig.jpg
The jig is made from 1/2" steel rod available from local hardware store. I made one piece about 3" the other 1". This is almost identical to Bill Ellis' jig with the difference that it is all made from 1/2" rod and the post is NOT glued in. This allows it to be removed with the newly made washer and then tapped out of the washer.
1. Drill a 1/16" hole to a depth of about 1/4" to 3/8". Make sure the hole is vertical. Centering is not as critical. In one of the pieces drill out the washer shape using a 3/16" drill. Do it a little at a time so you don't make it too deep. (Pictures 1, 2 and 3)
2. Cut off the bottom of a 1/16" drill bit to use as a post. The two pieces should fit flush with the post in the holes. If not then shorten until they fit flush. (Picture 1)
3. I sanded down the faces by putting one of the rods in the drill press and skewering a folded a piece of sandpaper (so you get sanding action on both sides) on the post then sandwiching it with the other rod at the highest drill press speed. After a while the two faces were sanded smooth and flush. This was not really necessary since you will sand the washer anyway.
4. I place the longer piece in a small vise as in picture 4.
5. Insert the 1/16" post into a brass or copper 1/16" I.D. tube (pic 5) and cut about 1/10" by pressing a knife (I use a carpet knife) with a rolling action. After a few seconds the tube will be scored all the way through (pic 6). Pull out the post with the cut off tube (pic 7).
6. Place post into the rod (pic 8) and sandwich with the second. After a few taps with the hammer the rough washer is formed. (pic 9).
7. Take out the post with the washer and remove the washer. I place the two into pliers and tap out the rod with a hammer as in pic 10.
In Bill's original jig the post is glued into the rod this creates more handling and difficulties in removing the finished washer.
Finishing the washer requires sanding and polishing. I experimented with a few methods and finally lucked into this one.
1. Make a conical mandrell to fit the washer. My experimental version was ground from a small screw by placing it in a dremel and grinding it against a rough stone.
2. Place a newly minted washer on the conical post, seat firmly and grind off any of the post that sticks out. (pics 11, 12, 13 and 14).
Sanding & Polishing:
1. Place the conical mandrel into a dremel (pic 14).
2. Place a newly minted washer on the conical mandrell, a bit of pressure will firmly seat it (pic 15). Make sure it is well aligned otherwise it will sand lopsided.
2. At the lowest speed sand with 320, 600 and 1500 grit. I do it by pressing the sandpaper with my finger against the washer.
3. Dip the sanded washer lightly into polishing paste (any brass/copper polish will do) and press into a kleenex or paper towel to polish. Mirror finished washer in pic 16.
4. Newly minted washer back side is rough (pic 17). Sand it smooth by running it on sandpaper with your finger a few times (pic 18).
Cutting, stamping and sanding/polishing takes a bit under 4 minutes without rushing.
I also heat treated the wood to give it a deeper color. I accidentally discovered that purpleheart turns a deep purple when heated during sanding. So I experimented and figured out that if you bake it at about 275 F for 90-120 minutes it becomes a deep purple. Increase the temp to 300 F and you get a very deep purple but leave it too long and you get almost black.
Here are heat treated samples on top of an untreated one. BTW I got the wood from Lee Valley. 3" x 24" x 1/8" for about $10 Canadian. They have a few exotic woods from 1/8" to 3/4" thick.
http://www.winpte.com/str8/IMG_0955.jpg
Finished Product: The Big Dipper
Here is the finished razor, the blade is a hefty 6/8+ Joseph Rogers and Sons, wedge(?). I am feeling proud of the achievement. It pops forearm hairs off with absolutely no pull or sound. Can't wait to shave with it. I will be a bit dissapointed if it does not shave well.
The scales were finished with Polymerized Tung Oil, High Gloss. Impossible to keep finger prints off but shows off the deep purple/burgundy color and wood grain really well.
The wedge was sanded and filed from 1/8" white plexiglass before I saw Bill's post explaining the function of the wedge. (It should spread the scales so that the pivot end is parallel to the tang) But beginer's luck would have it, I got it mostly right.
The blade was deeply rusted and I could not bring it back to polished level so left it with faux ground marks. I don't know if it is considered a true wedge but it is pretty close. Had to establish a new edge which took forever. Now it has the widest edge I ever saw but finished with .25u paste it makes a beautiful mirror strip.
It is also very unevenly ground. Joseph Rogers and Sons, Cutlers to the Majesty maybe but the Majesty never insisted on symetrical grinding. The spine thickness was not very even and the tang was slightly out of plane with the rest of the blade. It was a real PITA to file away the scales on the inside to make the blade enter without chopping into the scales. Taking Bill Ellis' advice I drilled the hole for the pivot and adjusted the scales right after I cut out a rough shape, before the rest of the work went in. Good thing too since the first attempt resulted in trashed scales.
The pins and washers are made with the above jig. I pre-peened one end to allow nicer finish and put that end on the face side with the big dipper. The peening with the scales was done on an anvil covered with about 8 plies of paper towel so as not to damage the finished side of the pins. This worked out really well.
Great thanks to everyone in these forums for sharing their art and kraft on restoring razors. Special thanks to Bill Ellis for making an information packed CD on razor restoration. Available directly from Bill www.billysblades.com
http://www.winpte.com/str8/BigDipper4.jpg
http://www.winpte.com/str8/BigDipper5.jpg
http://www.winpte.com/str8/BigDipper6.jpg
Closeups:
http://www.winpte.com/images/str8/BigDipper3.jpg
