Yellowheart engels

I just finished up my latest restoration: an F.W. Engels fitted with yellowheart scales and a cyanoacrylate finish.

Here are some pics.
Before: front back top
After: side vert bolster
and a video.

This is my second restoration with wood scales. Learned a few lessons from my first that certainly helped; but, it's still not at that level of perfection that I really want.

The blade underwent a good sanding. From 220 grit all the way up to 2000 and then polish. Sanding was done with the previous grits striations though, none across, which is why some are still visible. There was a tad of deep pitting near the toe of the razor, and I didn't want to sand too deep, so some of it still remains.

The scales started from 1/8" project sheet I got from Lee Valley. The first time I went I passed over the yellowheart as it looks rather plain at first sight. Then I saw vlads video with the yellow heart box near finish and the grain just looked incredible so I had to get some. I wanted to use the bolsters from the old scales on the new ones, so I cloned the shape of the original celluloid scales so they would fit. The metal was uncomfortably thick, so I actually carved out the ends of the scales so they'd sit nice and flush with the rest of the surface.

I have brass washers, but I figured I'd instead try some nylon ones between the blade and the scales. All my folding pocket knives use nylon, so I figured I'd go for it on this razor too. That and nylon doesn't corrode or tarnish like brass.

The one thing I still haven't got quite right is the way the blade sits closed in hardwood scales. But I think I learned enough to make it better next time.

Anyway, all that's left it to hone 'er up and get shavin'. I'm always interested to know what you guys think, so lets have it :)

very impressed ,I had to scroll up and check the name ,I thought it was Vlad for a moment
Exellent work
Kind regards Peter

Very well done!

It's now a razor that anyone would be proud to own!

Keep going Jason and I may have to commission some scaling work from you :D

I am indeed impressed. Very nice. For just starting out, you are way way (that's 2 ways) ahead of the game. If more of you guys start doing this kind of work, it may also help my CD sales for those too afraid to try it... :)

Excellent job!

http://home.comcast.net/~cherylellis...o-gold-url.gif

Tip of the hat for this beautiful work!

But wag of the finger for showing it off like that, with a video on top of everything... way to go busting my confidence... ;)

Redwoood

whats wrong with how the blade sits? i dont see the problem....

-micah

It still looks old. I like that.

Like in the Conan movie where he goes into the ancient cave, with all the old rotted skeletons, but the sword he finds is still sharp as the day it was made, just a bit dusty. I bet this razor was right beside the sword.

Thanks for the compliments guys! I like to restore razors, but knowing that others can apriciate them is what keeps me going :) and, damn! two "ways" and an animated gif from bill... my life is complete :D

The problem with how the blade sits is that when fully closed, the blade was under a bit of compression between the scales and would occasionaly pop out a bit. Though the problem has seemed to alleviate itself after a bit of breaking-in, so to speak. The slight tension is still there, but it doesn't popup at all, it just is nice and snug when closed :)

Nice, nice nice!:)

I am not sure if the original scales were ready for the bone yard,
but the way you took the bolsters and inlaid them into the new ones really is classy. It still gives the razor it's well known look and then some. Very nice work!

Glen

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gglockner

I am not sure if the original scales were ready for the bone yard,
but the way you took the bolsters and inlaid them into the new ones really is classy. It still gives the razor it's well known look and then some. Very nice work!

Glen

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I originally planned on using the stock scales. I cleaned them up and there were in decent shape... and then they snapped on me :shrug: ohh well. Went with the yellowheart as I felt it held a nice resemblence to the creme colour of the original scales.

Excellent work.

Sure is pretty alright. I was looking at the original scales thinking, "that's not bad. Why would you want to change them"? Then I looked at your great job with the yellowheart and I chided myself for doubting.

Well done indeed.

X

Great Work...!! Hope one day to do as good!
How or what did you do to remove the Bolsters from the old sacales? I've tried on some FWE's & JAH's but, ended up bending them. Is there something to get the old glue to relax? or remove it? Thank You!!

I have a razor that was once my great grandpas that I broke the scales on. When I saw this thread and what you done I hope I can do the same by reusing the same inlay things on the yellow heart. I want to keep it looking as much like the original as possible and I think the wood is nicer than the celluloid material.

I originally was thinking of doing something like trying to melt/deform the celluloid in hot water to get the bolsters off. Instead, I just started picking at them with an x-acto knife while I was watching TV and ended up being able to kind of pry them off.

Deforming them isn't that much of a problem, unless you do something like completely fold them in half. When I was forming the new scales, I didn't shape them to perfectly fit the steel; a little bit of give was fine. Once I got a very close general shape, I put them on the scales and rolled them around under them much like one would roll some dough under a rolling pin. The pressure helped to fit the steel snugly on the new shape.

Hello again!! Did you use a glue after you put the bolsters on the new scales?
Thanks for the info!!

Seeing as I used Cyanoacrylate (superglue) as the overall finish. Yes, I used lots of glue :)