Scale Building Tip - Centering the razor

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05-13-2012, 12:05 AM
gssixgun

3 Attachment(s)

Scale Building Tip - Centering the razor

In this thread there was a question about getting a razor to sit inside the scales without hitting the sides of the scales...

I posted an answer and had the opportunity to take some pics of a razor that was on the bench to help explain...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...tml#post964626

Before you even start building the scales if you check the razor you will know where you stand it is actually rather easy, all you need is a known straight surface and an set of A-1 Eyeballs :)

Here is how I start..

Attachment 97036

Attachment 97037

See the difference ???? that tells me that the fault is in the razor and not in my scale making abilities, I also know what to expect and can set up the build to compensate for the problem... if you know it isn't your scales it eliminate a ton of variables

Now there are several ways to fix this, from double washers, (not me) to filing the sides carefully to move the razor, (works easy) to bending the tang (better be good) to thinning one side of the scales for a controlled warp (nope not me either) to being really good at knowing how to pin (my favorite)

How you do it is your choice, but knowing in advance sure helps them end up like this

Attachment 97035

Yep, I can push them quite a bit with just the pins :p
05-13-2012, 12:25 AM
pixelfixed

Thx,Great info.
How often to you see blades like that? Would assume when you do see one, it would have to be a manufacturing defect from the gitgo.
cannot Imagine anything anyone could do to a blade to bend the tang without it cracking in half.
05-13-2012, 01:27 AM
TwistedOak

can you explain how "knowing how to pin" can straighten out how a blade sits in the scales? I have an idea but I want to see how you describe the process
05-13-2012, 01:42 AM
pixelfixed

+1????????????
05-13-2012, 02:02 AM
gssixgun

I'll try :)

Oh boy :p

I guess this might get complicated now

I was showing this exact thing at the Yakima meet up and trust me I can show ya in 10 seconds and it is going to take a ton of typing and still it will be confusing

Ok so things we have to accept as givens

1.) The Brass and NiAg rod that we use are a 1/16+ size, and they vary no less, so the hole you drill to use them, is 5/64, which leaves a bit of slop to use
2.) If you glue the wedge you eliminate some ability to move the razor
3.) You have to understand the pins are peened in a tightening mushroom, not squished straight down
4.) Once you understand #3 you will realize that the scales can be "Moved" by using directional peening which in turn moves the razor
5.) You should actually never be peening the pins straight down anyway, and the more you practice the circular peening the better you get at achieving what you want

What I just so badly explained would take no time at all to show :( basically by directing the hammer when peening you can move the scales which moves the razor if you follow the "given" conditions that I mentioned above...
05-13-2012, 02:15 AM
Mick

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwistedOak

can you explain how "knowing how to pin" can straighten out how a blade sits in the scales? I have an idea but I want to see how you describe the process

This video shows it but this guy is fast and not concerned with nice polished peens. It will be somewhere around 7:20 I think It happens quick so watch for it. He checks the centering then sets the scales down and gives a little bend while hitting it. You'll get the idea just go slower and not do drastic.

Dovo wmv - YouTube
05-13-2012, 02:38 AM
pixelfixed

Glen has explained this before,and it works well,If after the blade starts to tighten up,your an RCH to one side,tap on that side of the pivot pin,that will move the blade to the other side,couple taps at a time,your looking to move a 4 inch beam of sorts (at the tip) just a couple thou.at the pivot point.extrapolate that to the wedge end.it becomes alot of movement.
05-13-2012, 03:17 AM
gssixgun

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick

This video shows it but this guy is fast and not concerned with nice polished peens. It will be somewhere around 7:20 I think It happens quick so watch for it. He checks the centering then sets the scales down and gives a little bend while hitting it. You'll get the idea just go slower and not do drastic.

Dovo wmv - YouTube

Yes and no :)

The Dovo pins are limited because they are one sided,, ie: they are only tightened from the back side and some Dovos have glued wedges so the actual movement for a Dovo is minimal because you basically are trying to use 1 point out of 4...

Hope that makes a bit of sense
05-13-2012, 04:18 AM
TwistedOak

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Glen has explained this before,and it works well,If after the blade starts to tighten up,your an RCH to one side,tap on that side of the pivot pin,that will move the blade to the other side,couple taps at a time,your looking to move a 4 inch beam of sorts (at the tip) just a couple thou.at the pivot point.extrapolate that to the wedge end.it becomes alot of movement.

So after you have completely tightened your pivot pin and find the blade is off center by more than you're comfortable with. In order to adjust it you just keep tapping on the side you want to move AWAY from?

For some reason I was thinking you could tap on the pin on the side you want to move TOWARDS and it would swing the point of the razor into the center.
05-13-2012, 01:05 PM
pixelfixed

Yes,tap on the side you want to move the blade
05-13-2012, 02:11 PM
Undream

This thread posted last month has more discussion on the topic

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...ped-blade.html

I do the same thing glen does in his first post here before I start the scales.

One of my concerns with "creative pinning" (drilling 5/64 + pinning with "play") is that there is a chance over time that things could move around.. I had this happen a couple times.. pinned it, it was centered... a few months down the road, it wasn't.. :)
05-13-2012, 02:51 PM
Mick

Quote:

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yes and no :)

The Dovo pins are limited because they are one sided,, ie: they are only tightened from the back side and some Dovos have glued wedges so the actual movement for a Dovo is minimal because you basically are trying to use 1 point out of 4...

Hope that makes a bit of sense

Yes that does make since as I have a dovo that is off center and I would have to work on the flat side of the pin to fix it so it's just going to get a repinning soon anyway now that I've done it. It will be good practice for future restores as I'm not real fond of it anyway.
05-14-2012, 12:01 AM
TwistedOak

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Yes,tap on the side you want to move the blade

awesome! I have some blades to center that I thought I had messed up on somehow...
10-19-2014, 03:13 PM
Jack0458

I've made two sets of razor scales. No expert at all. The second set I glued the end of the razor with the spacer between the scales. I didn't want a pin there. I had not shaped anything. After the glue dried I put the razor in the handle (screw and pin) and when I closed it the blade was off enough for the toe of the edge to hit the scale. I was pushing on the side of the handle when the glue let go on one side of the spacer. This allowed the scales to move and then the blade was centered between them. I squeezed the scales together and clamped them. I drilled a hole in the end of the handle and used a pivot pin/screw to hold the end together. Then I shaped them and now the blade is centered perfectly.

Of course this is with a new handle and I don't know if it works all the time. I may have just been lucky this time. On my next set I plan not to attach the end of the handle until after I put the blade in and tighten the pivot. I like to use a screw/pin instead of permanent pins. Easier to adjust or remove the blade in the future. I have never used permanent pins.