Thread: Aluminum scales

Would those heavy scales be stainless steel? Aluminium isn't a tremendous lot heavier than bone or ivory, size for size, and they needn't be size for size. It is strong enough to be thinner, and a Dremel burr and sanding drum will hollow out the inside enough to save a bit of weight.

Recently I bought a Thiers-Issard razor with aluminum scales and I find them very light and pretty. I dislike wide scales like wooden or horn scales, I prefer the thinner ones.



I would like to find these exact scales if possible but I get no email answers from T-I.
Anyway, I just ordered some Dovo steel scales from classicshaving.com and I hope to find them pretty.

Originally Posted by Caledonian

Would those heavy scales be stainless steel? Aluminium isn't a tremendous lot heavier than bone or ivory, size for size, and they needn't be size for size. It is strong enough to be thinner, and a Dremel burr and sanding drum will hollow out the inside enough to save a bit of weight.

I think you're correct, the ones I've seen has most likely been stainless steel.

Here are some pictures of the Aluminum scales that I made. They are very plain, but they were easily made with mostly hand tools. I rough cut then with a hacksaw from a 1/8" plate that I had lying around. I then used my pneumatic die grinder and a burr bit to get the shape closer. After that it was a lot of hand sanding and a bit of polishing with my Dremel. Right now, I am just waiting on the ambition to purchase some brass washers to use between the scales and the razor so I can get them pinned. I have brass rod, but may try to pick up some silver nickel rod to keep the color more consistant.

I believe the plate that I made these out of was heat treated, due to the fact that the scales were very hard to bend after I got them made. So, I took my Map Gas torch and got them as warm as I dared without worying that I was going to damage them. I then buried them in some sand that I had heated in the oven at 500 degrees and let them cook for a while. I cooled them slowly by leaving them buried in the sand in the closed oven while the oven cooled to room temperature. They are still possibly a little stiffer than I would like, but they are much better than when I started. If someone here has any better suggestions on how to anneal the Aluminum better than I described please let me know so I can try to if I can get them a little bit more flexible.

Finally, I bought these stainless steel scales and i rescaled the razor.

It is exactly as I wanted to be.

Original scales:




Stainless Steel scales:

It turned out very Nice Slur. Hopefully I can get my Genco back together soon. I received some nickel/Silver rod for Christmas, so I can make the pins. Now I just have to decide if I want to find washers to use, or just pin it without them. I have even considered countersinking the pin holes in the scales just enough to allow me to peen the pin so it flares out into the countersunk area. Then I could sand the pin flush with the scales. I was thinking it would look cool with a completely flat side on the scale instead of the with the pins sticking out. I know it would make it a very large pain to tighten the scales if the came loose, and if the pin blends into the scales too well, it would also make it very difficult to remove the pin if I ever had to repin it again.

Anyways, too many options for an indecisive individual like myself. Eventually I'll decide and post pics when I'm done.