Pinning: Tight or loose?

This is a question more geared toward the stropping realm than the restoration realm, but I think it probably is better suited to this forum than the stropping forum considering it's about the actual pins and not the stropping itself...if that makes any sense.

Is having a tightly pinned razor a necessity, or are loosely pinned razors generally ok too? I'm still struggling to strop my Boker Edelweiss properly, and I think I've determined that the pinning is one of the variables that make that razor feel uncomfortable in my hand. When I strop my Wolfertz, which is more loosely pinned, I can feel the scales rotating slightly to accommodate my palm, and this allows me to strop quickly and smoothly. With the Boker, the scales/pins are stiff, and they don't rotate in my palm, which makes the razor feel clunky and like I have to reposition each stroke.

Is it possible to loosen the pin in the Boker a little bit? Or does this mean I need to strop differently?

That's real interesting... I am the opposite - the scales rest on my fingers and I prefer them to be tight.
If they are too loose it makes stropping very difficult for me.

Little hint:

Take the razor and hold it spine up in both hands with your forefingers and thumbs resting lightly on the pins...

Flip the razor spine down, do not squeeze the scales or the pins, does the razor open by just the weight of the blade ??? if it does then I consider the pins too loose...


My other test is that the razor should sit in the half open posistion without closing, you ever noticed that so many restorers use this type of shot when showing off custom scales ???

Attachment 92896

It shows that the pins are tight and the razor is built square and even, all from just a pic :) If the scales are uneven, loose, or built off kilter, the razor won't stand pretty without support..:p

Many factory scaled razors will not stand without support, not good or bad just the way it is

Attachment 92897

Anyway that is just my opinion take it for what it's worth as I am +1 with Eric I can't strop with too loose a razor

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Originally Posted by HNSB

That's real interesting... I am the opposite - the scales rest on my fingers and I prefer them to be tight.
If they are too loose it makes stropping very difficult for me.

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Exactly the same for me, I really dislike loose scales

I don't mind so much if the blade is a little loose in the scales as long as it tightens up at the stropping position. A loose blade while stropping is the road to rolled edges and sliced strops IMO.

well ok then. I guess I need to work on my stropping then, don't I?

I feel like I lose all control of the blade when it's loose in the stropping position.

Loose scales are IMO a death trap for either nicking your strop or cutting yourself when shaving.

Tight is a good thing

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Originally Posted by Maximilian

Loose scales are IMO a death trap for either nicking your strop or cutting yourself when shaving.

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I don't understand how...when I'm stropping and shaving, my grip is on the razor, not the scales. When I'm stropping, my fingers are on the jimps and the scales are just floating in my hand. Same with shaving.

So if most of your contact is between finger and steel, what does the looseness or tightness of the pins have to do with anything?

Myself I have trouble with the scales flopping around, it sets the motion off for me .. But honestly if it doesn't mess you up, I would love to see a vid of you stropping because it is impossible for me...

I can mange to shave with loose scales, I don't like too but I can, Honing and Stroping are a no go for me though with the scales TOO loose..

Like U2Bono269, it doesn't matter to me if the scales are tight or loose. In stropping and shaving, I only grip the razor itself. To me, the scales ain't nuthin' but a cover to protect the edge when it's put away. ;)

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Originally Posted by JeffR

Like U2Bono269, it doesn't matter to me if the scales are tight or loose. In stropping and shaving, I only grip the razor itself. To me, the scales ain't nuthin' but a cover to protect the edge when it's put away. ;)

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my thoughts exactly.

I don't know how you guys do it?
I strop really fast and if I have to worry about the blade moving around on me I lose the rhythm of stropping and would probably cut my strop.

Most of us strop using the fingers to help rotate the razor. If the scales are loose it's like a brake system full of air.
You don't get the desired results for your actions.

I just broke the scales on two different razors from stropping with loose scales. They moved too much around in my hand and caused me to inadvertantly to put pressure on the scales causing them to break at the pivot. After that, I tightened the pins on all my razors.

I also dont like loose scales, the must be tight for me.

I concur... for me, loose pins / scales change the center of gravity if the razors moving when the scales move. Not much, but enough to throw off a fine motor skill, like flipping, and all of the nicks I've put in my strop happened as a result of a sloppy flip. For the actual stroke it doesn't seem to affect anything.

And to answer the OP's question, I don't know if it's possible to loosen the scales at the pins without repinning.



But I've been wrong before.

I found that if I lowered my grip closer to the scales on my tighter razor it was easier to maneuver. I think it might have to do with how I hold the razors...I watched a few videos and saw a lot of people using only a few fingers, whereas I cradle the razor in my whole hand.

I agree with 94terp. In my limited experience I have found that the staighter the razor is from tip of the blade to wedge, the easier it is to flip and be smooth. I have one razor that is a little loose and no matter how much I try and hold tang or jimps only, I will inadvertantly touch the scales with the heel of my hand which moves the scales off at an angle to the blade. When this happens (for me), it makes my stroke and flip just a little off because it feels butt heavy. Right now I need as few variables as I can get to get my technique better. This is just my opinion though. The other razor I have that I peened a little tighter feels much smoother to work with.

Loose pins are the bane of my straight razor existence.

anytime the scales are loose while stropping I lose control of a 3 inch cutting surface that is sharper than a scalple....thats never bueno....just sayin

Yes, she's going to have to be tight and fit, yeah ... Ohh, you where talking about razors :) What others have said, tight fit for me - stropping's the most important reason for me, but I don't like a loose blade either, just for the sake of it :D

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Originally Posted by U2Bono269

well ok then. I guess I need to work on my stropping then, don't I?

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Have you added a drop of oil to the pivot? That will often loosen
it an also help keep rust from that area.

It will also loosen with use so do nothing special to hurry it.
Strop it slow and smooth and the two of you will find that
good things happen.

Am not understanding a few things about this thread,people actually breaking scales? Holding them while stropping?

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Am not understanding a few things about this thread,people actually breaking scales? Holding them while stropping?

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I am with you, which is why I asked for a Vid or at least a pic, I sure can't do it...

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Originally Posted by Maximilian

Loose scales are IMO a death trap for either nicking your strop or cutting yourself when shaving.

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Amen- movement equals loss of control.

Think about it. A razor is a balanced item with the blade on one side and the scales on the other, connected by a pivot pin. If the scales move without control, the balance of the razor is lost, as is control. I broke my scales at the pivot by putting pressure on the scales to keep them from moving during rapid stropping. Just that little bit of pressure over thousands of repetitions eventually weakened the scales at the pivot area enough to break.

How else can you take nice SOTD posts without tight scales? Unless you've got a lizard like Mikael?

I like tight scales, I grip the tang with forefinger and thumb when stropping, but the scales are supported by loosely curled fingers around them. One of my razor came with tiny micro nuts and a bolt at the pivot end, which is really cool as I can very easily tighten them up when they become loose. The scales are Canadian Maple, so I guess changes in humidity may cause the wood to shrink and expand. My Burell has scales that loosen at times, and it's really annoying for me to need to tighten them. I'm really bad at any sort of handyman type stuff, and I have very few tools, so get paranoid that I'm going to stuff it up and crack the scales or something each time I do it.

Plus loose scales mess with my OCD big time :-(

[QUOTE=carlmaloschneider;942793]How else can you take nice SOTD posts without tight scales? Unless you've got a lizard like Mikael?

LMFAO I keep looking for something as cool as his lizard....

You brought up a point I have always wondered about. Why don't razor manufacturers and restore artists use screws rather than pins for the pivot pin, as all razors keep getting loose and tightening a screw just a tad is a lot easier than banging on the pin with a small hammer or the back of a spoon?

When I rescale my 7/8 WB and 6/8 Henckels, I am definitely thinking of going the screw route rather than pinning, at least at the pivot.

See? We learn something everyday...I never thought of using the back of a nice, big, solid spoon...

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Originally Posted by stonehenge

You brought up a point I have always wondered about. Why don't razor manufacturers and restore artists use screws rather than pins for the pivot pin, as all razors keep getting loose and tightening a screw just a tad is a lot easier than banging on the pin with a small hammer or the back of a spoon?

When I rescale my 7/8 WB and 6/8 Henckels, I am definitely thinking of going the screw route rather than pinning, at least at the pivot.

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Because a true restore artist is doing just that (a restore back to orig) Custom scales are an entirly diff ballpark.Is so easy to tighten pins and when done will last for years JMO

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Originally Posted by stonehenge

You brought up a point I have always wondered about. Why don't razor manufacturers and restore artists use screws rather than pins for the pivot pin, as all razors keep getting loose and tightening a screw just a tad is a lot easier than banging on the pin with a small hammer or the back of a spoon?

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Number of scales cracked by me using microfasteners-3. Number of scales cracked by me using traditionals peened pins-0. For me it is way to easy to overtighten screws and crack the scales.

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Originally Posted by stonehenge

You brought up a point I have always wondered about. Why don't razor manufacturers and restore artists use screws rather than pins for the pivot pin, as all razors keep getting loose and tightening a screw just a tad is a lot easier than banging on the pin with a small hammer or the back of a spoon?

When I rescale my 7/8 WB and 6/8 Henckels, I am definitely thinking of going the screw route rather than pinning, at least at the pivot.

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I would encourge all restorists and custom guys to please take this advice please use screws and torx and what ever else you want, I can sure use the money to fix them after about 1 year :)

Many thanks to the OP for this :rofl2:


I am only sorta half kidding since I have done like 6 of them in the last month :)

Length of time we know for a fact traditional pins hold up = 200+ years
Length of times micro bolts have held up maybe = 4-5 years