Thread: Help on making custom scales

I want to start making my own scales because I see everyone's beautiful work that they post here and it makes me want to create my own beauties. I just don't know where to start. I have a few questions for anyone that has experience doing this and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

First, where can I buy the wood needed to make scales? Is there a particular website that is good to buy rosewood, bloodwood, and other types of wood?

Next, is there a how-to or a tutorial video that you recommend for someone getting started in this? I just want to know a good method to completing a set of scales.

What is involved in pinning the scales? Is there a good how-to on this?

Finally, what kind of tools would be required to do this? Is it just whatever you think can get the job done? Or are there certain tools that are needed?

Thank you for any help!

Take a gander at this plethora of info right here.
It will answer all of your questions, and there's even videos to explain parts

Best of luck.

Originally Posted by str8fencer

Take a gander at this plethora of info right here.
It will answer all of your questions, and there's even videos to explain parts

Best of luck.

dang that is a lot of good info. i started wanting to make some scales on my own this will help

I recommend going outside and finding a nice piece of wood to use for the first few attempts. Its free and you are going to want to practice a little. There is no sense in buying $20-40 Amboyna burl slabs just to waste them on the learning curve. Good luck to ya!

It is all in the Workshop sticky also, but let me give you a good hint here even though it is in there.. Unless you have a ton of wood working expierience you want to start with planed, dry, ready, to use wood... You want to get some 1/8 by 1.5 by 6 inch slabs you need 2 of these, or a piece like this -------->

Thin Stock Lumber | Exotic Wood, Birdseye Maple, Curly Maple, Tiger Maple

If you have no way of bringing the thickness down to 1/8 to start, you will end up with big thick clunky scales...

There are many other places that sell planed blanks that is just one that likes SRP and they keep a good selection on hand for us

you can a variety of wood that is 1/8 in thick at woodcraft. For my first few sets I used a piece of pine I got for about $3 made about 6 sets from it to see where I could improve on my wood working.

Thank you so much for the info! I haven't read through it yet, I will get to after work today, but what do you think is the hardest part to learn? I feel like the pinning would be the most difficult thing to get right. Im not that concerned with shaping the wood, I feel lilke I won't have any trouble there. Can't wait to start my first one!

Originally Posted by ladavis89

Thank you so much for the info! I haven't read through it yet, I will get to after work today, but what do you think is the hardest part to learn? I feel like the pinning would be the most difficult thing to get right. Im not that concerned with shaping the wood, I feel lilke I won't have any trouble there. Can't wait to start my first one!

OK one more hint hehehe learning pinning is easy and delicious get a couple of Popsicle sticks and practice on them before you try scales if you don't crack them the scales should be safe..

5/64 inch holes NOT 1/16 it allows for percussion swelling
How hard to hit the pins: Put your finger on the anvil (hard surface) tap your finger with the ballpeen hammer right there at the cuticle, that really senitive spot if it hurts your hitting too hard for the pins, No really I am being serious...

You might think shaping the scales are the easy part...Until something goes wrong and then the fix comes in. Start with nice smooth blanks before you go cutting into them (not perfectly smooth, but not jagged either). Make sure that your scales are flat and do not curve upward or inward, warped, or uneven. This will make the whole process go BOOM in your face.

I dont find pinning to be that hard really. Be patient with a light hand and they will turn out good. I personally find making a wedge the hardest part. Spacers are easy, but getting the right angle on a wedge can be tough. Second to that difficulty I would claim PATIENCE to be the hardest part, especially with pinning and clear coat finishes.

Again this is just personal opinion. Everybody is different and the areas that we excel at vary. Best thing to do is get right in the water and start swimming. Make sure your first razor isnt a prized one - if you ruin a 8/8 W&B you will regret it

Check out this video for making scales by hand, I follow it to the letter and have been getting better results than when I attacked it on my own. Spazola also has a video on using power tools you can search for if you have those handy...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...and-tools.html