Thread: Wobbly Convex Shank

I'm in the process of restoring an old W&B, as seen here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-tell/49159-wade-butcher-full-concave.html

She's coming along nicely, but I've discovered there's a wobble at the pivot pin. I believe it's largely due to the convex shape of the shank.


I was going give the pins a few taps to snug em up, but I'm afraid that the wobble will be back before long. Has anyone dealt with this before? Any remedies? Thank you.

I would suspect everything else in your picture first before the rounded tang...
Looking at the pics in the other thread the scales look to be Horn????
Have you popped this apart yet???

Try a few light taps to tighten first...

If this doesn't work then you are going to have to pop pins and rebuild it
In the Workshop sticky is everything you will ever need when it comes to Restoration... Some of this is also in the Wiki but it is the condensed versions...


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

Thank you.

No I have not popped it apart. I was actually trying to avoid that if need be, as I've read in other threads not to unless absolutely necessary. The fear being cracking these original scales. But if you're saying new hardware would tighten everything up, I guess thats what I'll do (after trying the tapping). I'll just have to take extra care.

While we're on the topic of un-pinning/re-pinning; the wedge appears to be silver. Are there problems re-installing/aligning the wedge after it's been removed from the scales?

Thanks again.

I would bet Lead, and yes that can be a whole other issue, as the more you pound on those the thinner they get, lead is rather soft after all...

Take these old Gals one step at a time.. try gently tapping the pivot pin NO harder then you would hit your finger.. sometime the pins are so bent inside they look like this when they come out > or there about which creates a spring effect so they cannot be tightened at all..You have to play all restorations by ear, just go safe and slow....

If the pivot pin is bent you'll either 1. have to replace it, or 2. just live with it and carefully align it every time you go to close it. Option to is much easier, but you can send it off to one of the vendor restorationists here at srp and they can work it out for you.

Originally Posted by Jonathan

While we're on the topic of un-pinning/re-pinning; the wedge appears to be silver. Are there problems re-installing/aligning the wedge after it's been removed from the scales?

If the wedge are you going to remove the end-pin just to clean it well?

If it's lead, you might want to make sure not to deform it as it will be really malleable. But if it is silver, you should be fine, you can mark it in an orientations identification mark if you really are worried you might put it in backwards. You'll probably be able to tell just by how it lines up.

Sometimes they are glued in so if it come unglued then you might have to re-glue it. You might just get lucky and it'll just stay glued to one side

Thanks Glen.

I'll update after some trials (hopefully no errors!)

Could be the pivot pin hole is >1/16 , to my experience is the case with most W&B.

Originally Posted by mainaman

Could be the pivot pin hole is >1/16 , to my experience is the case with most W&B.

Maybe a case for sleeving? http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Sleeving_an_oversized_pivot

I think I'm gonna take her apart to get a proper diagnosis. That'll enable me to clean up better anyway. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Maybe a case for sleeving? http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Sleeving_an_oversized_pivot

I think I'm gonna take her apart to get a proper diagnosis. That'll enable me to clean up better anyway. Thank you.

Sleeving is the only way I know of fixing this problem. Also make sure to check that the pivot hole is drilled straight, my last one was not.