Thread: Wooden Scale Advice

Xander and Jamie --
Thanks, guys! I really appreciate your insight!

Originally Posted by BRGriff

I have toyed around with the brake bleeder and even my FoodSaver. The FoodSaver gets the vacuum down to 20 in.Hg saving a lot of hand pumping. The brake bleeder then takes it down to 26 in.Hg. I would very much like to know how to "stabilize wood". Any information you are willing to share would be appreciated. If this thread is not the correct place for input, please PM me or start a new thread to which I can subscribe and learn. I really did think that the wood hardener and a vacuum pressure would stabilize the wood.

Randy

Stabilizing wood takes quite a bit more of a set up than even the most ardent hobbyist is willing to go. By stabilizing the wood, you are basically changing its very nature from wood to plastic. I think you also need heat to stabilize properly but I'm not sure. You can get somewhat close with homemade set ups, but nothing like professionally stabilized wood.

Stabilizing wood at home has been tried, with little success, by many, many people. Minwax Wood Hardener is designed to penetrate rotten wood to stop further rotting. Easy to do when full of bug holes and such. The only chemica I have seen any success with for the at home set up was called "cactus juice." No joke, that's the name of it. It's in the price range of $100/gal, so not for the timid tinkerer. It also required l-o-n-g soaks under vacuum, like two weeks, and then l-o-n-g periods under pressure, maybe another week, then a bake cycle.

For my burls and nicer blocks I will use K&G or WSSI professional stabilization services. Its cheaper and better results. You pay by the finished pound, anywhere from $10 to $15 depending on the amount of wood. I have a large walnut burl that I am going to be sending them shortly for stabilizing, and it will likely be used on a razor at some point.

Parker, I wouldn't worry about have plain walnut stabilized, its pretty durable on it own. It takes an oil finish beautifully, and it easy to work. Just please do were a GOOD mask, or work outside and wear a cheap mask. Wood dust and black boogers are no fun.


-Xander

OK guys thanks for all of the great information! I'm not gonna worry about stablizing the wood, as I feel there will be 2 pairs or scales after these within the next 4 months. Jamie, those scales are beautiful! Thanks guys, may start the rough shape today!

Parker

Originally Posted by AdamN

Do not use a jig saw. It is not suited for cutting out small pieces and can be quite dangerous depending on the size of the stock. A coping saw is a few dollars and will zip through the rough shape in a couple minutes. It is also easier to control since you can slow down, adjust, etc. Another problem with a jigsaw is that the blade tends to drift out of perpendicular with your board, leaving two asymmetrical pieces when you pull apart the two halves.

I have a couple of points - why not use a jig saw? Isn't this what they were designed for? Secondly, using a saw if for the rough shape which will them be cleaned up and hand sanded before the two pieces are separated. That way you ensure that the scales are exactly symetrical.

Shape,Contour,drill all before separating them.JMO

Originally Posted by UKRob

I have a couple of points - why not use a jig saw? Isn't this what they were designed for? Secondly, using a saw if for the rough shape which will them be cleaned up and hand sanded before the two pieces are separated. That way you ensure that the scales are exactly symetrical.

That's what I am planning on doing. I will just cut far enough that blade warp won't affect it, then take it to the low grit disc sander!

Originally Posted by parkerskouson

That's what I am planning on doing. I will just cut far enough that blade warp won't affect it, then take it to the low grit disc sander!

But, I'll do everything except final polishing while they are attached!

Having worked just about every material mentioned in this thread, I honestly don't have a favorite, each has it's attributes and each has is detriments there is no perfect one.. If durability is the only goal then Natural Materials are not the path

With todays choices for finishes wood is very viable, the real problem with it is that each type is different like Jamie was mentioning and you have to learn how to make each type work for scales... I am very careful now about using numbers for thinning it down, but starting at the 1/8 in mark is a good idea.. It needs to flex so it needs to be thin enough to flex

Been messing with the Home "Stabilization" I wouldn't even call it stabilization myself, what it does do very well especially for what we do is Impregnate the wood completely with finish.. It does not have the Plastic look that the pros create but it is waterproof so yes it works.. Also I have had NO problems with warping during drying the 1x6x1/8 blanks after using the Vac Chamber, I leave them in there overnight at pressure then dry them for a minimum of 1 week..
I just did two Cocobolo brush handles, so far they have been drying for 2 weeks and it looks like they are fine..

When you think you are done with the scales, before you pin them simply do a quick water test, throw them in the sink with the hot water while you shave, if they change at all then you haven't done your part well

Thoughts on Wax only finishes:
If it is somehow forced into the wood then perhaps, but keep in mind that the scales not only have to be waterproof they have to be Hot water and Soap proof, Lignum Vitae is probably the best wood for durability for scales, at least what I have seen so far, but even using it with just a wax finish would make me leary.. Wax over another finish makes me feel better but they are after all your razors so the choice is yours, for me they are not often my razors, so I build in a bit of extra safety...

Thoughts on Saws:
Myself I have tried quite a few ways of doing the cuts, for me it is all about not wrecking the wood in the first place, for wood, the easiest way I have found is a Bandsaw and a fine tooth scroll blade.. Even with that I never cut on the line I cut to the outside and then sand it to shape, this is fast easy and accurate for me.. Use a fine tooth flexible saw would be my advice

@Parker
The wiki is good but this thread is way better and always at the top of this forum, and I try and update it with new stuff when I see it

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...wers-here.html

Thank you, Glen!