Thread: Oh So Close!

I'm working on my second set of scales, micarta with a G10 wedge. Some power tools (orbital sander, dremel, jig saw) but mostly by hand. Got the micarta shaped to where I wanterd it but ran into a problem with the wedge. As I understand it, the wedge, at it's widest point should be half of the size of the tang. Then it should taper to x. The question I have is, what is x? Should x (the narrowest point on the wedge) be half again the width of the wedge? That is if the tang is 1/4" then the wedge would be 1/8" at it widest. Should the narrowest part of the wedge be 1/16"?

I thought that the wedge I made had enough taper but once installed, it didn't create enough flex for the tang to pass into the scale without rubbing. It was fairly centered in the opening but no amount of pinching at the rear of the scale created an opening wide enough for the tang. So either the wedge didn't have enough taper or the sanding on the wedge wasn't completely flat.


The white stuff between the wedge and the scale is powder from the sanding so there wasn't a good bond there, certainly part of the problem.

Anybody know if the solvent for CA will melt micarta?

Originally Posted by DGilloon

I thought that the wedge I made had enough taper but once installed, it didn't create enough flex for the tang to pass into the scale without rubbing. It was fairly centered in the opening but no amount of pinching at the rear of the scale created an opening wide enough for the tang. So either the wedge didn't have enough taper

Thats pretty much your answer there. The angle is really determined by the way the whole thing fits back together.
I haven't really thought about a rule, but if you squeeze the wedge between the scales with your fingers, the pivot end should have maybee 1/2 inch or more gap between the scales at that end.
Grant

One way to fix the problem:

. . . Add a third pin and spacer at the heel of the blade !

That way, you can adjust the spacer thickness to get the tail-end of the scales exactly parallel, which I _think_ is how they should be.

I have only done a few re-pins, and some have used washers between the tail of the razor and the scales. With the washers, you can avoid interference between the razor's tail and converging (non-parallel) scales.

Charles

Posted the finished project here.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...my-second.html

Thanks for all your help.

Originally Posted by cpcohen1945

One way to fix the problem:

. . . Add a third pin and spacer at the heel of the blade !

Third pin will not fix the problem at all. The spacer right now is barely tapered, on the pic looks flat to me, adding a third pin will only cause the scales to bend inwards between the front pin and the middle pin. A solution is to remove the spacer somehow and then remake and test with micro screws that everything fits together before it is glued/pinned, or to make new set of scales and fit everything with screws before gluing/pinning.

An overnight soak in acetone dissolved the CA holding the wedge in place without damaging either the micarta or the G10. That allowed me to take the wedge back to the orbital sander and do a better job in thinning and leveling. That seems to work. See finished project.

Microscrews and bolts will be the next addition to my every growing supply of tools and hardware. Thanks for the advice.