Thread: Scale materials

Can't say for sure what kind of wood I might try...Depends on whats available at lee valley I suppose. In looking at my scales, it wood (pun intended) seem like 1/8 thick should do the trick? Is there a standard thickness I should use?

I dont know about scuba diving but most oily woods will do very well and for a long time with refinishing
when needed.
Woods like Ebony, rosewood, purpleheart, teak,bubinga, and Lignum Vitae the best one for sure used extensively in marine application.

Originally Posted by Scookum

Can't say for sure what kind of wood I might try...Depends on whats available at lee valley I suppose. In looking at my scales, it wood (pun intended) seem like 1/8 thick should do the trick? Is there a standard thickness I should use?

You might be missing my point,, Different woods work better with different finishes, a just for instance, Oily woods of the Rosewood family are quite difficult to finish with Tung oil and Tung oil mixtures... Where the Black Walnut that MLA mentioned is quite easy to get a fantasic Tung oil finish out of.... Pick a wood then check to see which finish is recommended...
Also if you learn about "Wash Coats" and Acetone it will save many heartaches later

Yes 1/8 inch thick is a great starting point...

Nothing tops Amboyna burl for sexy scales! Leevalley has it in pen blank form. 3/4 x 3/4 x 6. Just big enough for razor scales. I did a wade & butcher with it and it's just gorgeous wood.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

You might be missing my point,, Different woods work better with different finishes, a just for instance, Oily woods of the Rosewood family are quite difficult to finish with Tung oil and Tung oil mixtures... Where the Black Walnut that MLA mentioned is quite easy to get a fantasic Tung oil finish out of.... Pick a wood then check to see which finish is recommended...
Also if you learn about "Wash Coats" and Acetone it will save many heartaches later

Yes 1/8 inch thick is a great starting point...

Totally....putting tung on oily woods, such as those from the rosewood family will cause pooling and sticky sections. Cocobolo for sure.

However, as G says, a good acetone coat can help. I love working with bubinga. It starts out purple-ish, but ends up really brown and black grained with a Tung oil finish. It burnishes well and then buffs out really really smooth. I still have a bunch from when I started restoring and they're still in mint shape.

1/8 " is a good starting point, but to balance out it will need to be slightly thinned and the edges will need good deep bevels on them. That should do the trick.

Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

Nothing tops Amboyna burl for sexy scales! Leevalley has it in pen blank form. 3/4 x 3/4 x 6. Just big enough for razor scales. I did a wade & butcher with it and it's just gorgeous wood.

I was looking at those but unfortunatly I dont have a means to rip those down to size. Someone told me that they have thinner project wood. I've got to go shopping.

Originally Posted by Maxi

Totally....putting tung on oily woods, such as those from the rosewood family will cause pooling and sticky sections. Cocobolo for sure.

Deja vu :P Nathan didn't we just answer almost the exact same thread the exact same way last week, or is my old age finally kicking in



Whew ok I thought so, thought I was losing it for a second

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...ml#post1017915

Most know this,but if your dealing with woods of High oil content > 20%, you need zero finish except ren wax,Burnish the wood down with rottenstone and maybe a little linseed oil,that will get you to around 1200/1500 grit,the ebonys,rosewoods etc will start to glow on thier own right,than wax with renwax,will be no need for anything else.

Nah man, you ain't that old. You're just seasoned well....

Let me preface my post with the fact that I have never finished a set of razor scales. I have however, finished a myriad of gun stocks and I do professional restorations of old furniture. Lots of tables that see hard use.

For me, my bullet proof finish that will stand up to moisture, heat, and even kids . . . I start with a mixture of 50% mineral oil and 50% polyurethane, oil base of course, on wood sanded down to 150 grit. If you sand with much finer grit to start, the wood grain is too closed to accept the finish well.

The mineral oil will really pop the grain and ridges of most any wood. Let it set on the wood for 5 to 10 minutes, then wipe it dry with a clean cloth and let it dry over night. Re-sand it with 220 grit paper and wipe down with a tack cloth, and repeat the process twice more.

Final finish with 3 coats of Varathane brand polyethylene, WATER BASE FLOOR FINISH, (no mineral oil). Prep with 0000 steel wool and tack cloth well between coats. If you want a subdued finish, after last coat rub down lightly with steel wool, and paste wax.

The Varathane poly comes in gloss, semi-gloss; I'm partial to the semi-gloss.

Only problem is finding a small quantity of the floor finish as it runs around $50 a gallon, and that's as small a can you can get at the box stores. Ya might try a local hardwood floor finisher and see if he will part with a pint or so if you want to experiment with my process.

Free advise being worth exactly what you pay for it, good luck, U.J.