Thread: First Resto

I am gearing up to do my first restoration I plan on using real wood for the custom scales. I have not done alot of wood work my question is

1. What do I need to know or keep in mind when finishing the scales.

2. Also should I use hardener I have been looking into the infusion process.

What are your thoughts pros and cons?

Just start with a simple design and a hard wood at first like: bubinga, paduak, olive wood, purpleheart, bocote, maple, mahogony, or similar. It will be easiest to start w/ a board about 1/8"thick x 2 1/2 or 3" wide, by no less than 6" long. The fusion scales require very precise cuts that must then be precisely glued together, and the wood dust mixed w/ paste to fill the voids/ cracks to make them look like one solid piece. I have done a good bit of wood working, and still messed up my first set, haven't attempted a second as of yet.

You need a finish for a first timer, a good one is made by Birchwood Casey called Trueoil, it is a gunstock finish, but I love the way it looks, and once you have applied about 8 coats, a little buffing compound makes it shine really nicely. Check the workshop stickies for ideas and you tube videos by spazola aka charlie lewis.

Originally Posted by Sightless

2. Also should I use hardener I have been looking into the infusion process.

If you are talking about setting up a Vacuum Chamber, I can tell you they work great, but you are looking at a bit of cash layout, and they don't exactly make things easier..
There is a thread on here about making and using them, the finish you load them with is also dependent of the wood going in there, basically the more dense the grain the thinner the finish...

If I ever make another, I will most likely use Thick Plexi or Real Glass, and make it in a Rectangular box style as they use much less product then the Pickle Jar styles...

The outcome however is awesome once you figure them out

Update:

The razor I am restoring is a Geo. Wostenholm, round point FH with wonderful engraving on the blade. And I decided to use Bloodwood for the scales with a birdseye maple wedge. I won't post any photos until Im done so I don't get my hopes up. But if it comes together like I hope it will look amazing.

I just recently made my first set of scales using Bloodwood. Really nice wood, really hard ... make sure you drill the pin holes before you cut/sand the scales to the size you want. I cracked the first set using a pin vise because I waited. This Video helped me get started. I used a series of 800, 1500, 2500 and then a 3 micron lapping film to get a super smooth feel. For the finish, I used Boiled Linseed Oil, smells funny at first but really brings out the color of the wood. I first tried polyurethane but I didn't like the feel of it. I also found this while researching how to make scales ...

Okay: bloodwood is a relatively new species, given the evolutionary history of trees. It does not produce oils like most other tropical woods as it is not a wet soil growing species.. it is an acidic soil dweller. In the forest succession.. it is a “nurse” tree and in the same family as mulberry trees, but can become monodominant and crowd out shade intolerant species. It seems to be a tree that is switching from utilizing vascular tracheid cells in favor of forming short vessels and lots of axial Parenchyma cells which spread out like wings and then interlock to form a open mesh of cells …. supported by thick walled and elongated fibers. It does allow for crystal growth within their parenchyma cells, which is why it also dulls tools. What this means is that the wood is very brittle and heavy and prone to checking and twisting during the drying process. Thus I agree the wood was improperly dried. Most bloodwood is farmed and licensed harvested, because the species is easily climate affected and several endangered monkey species (e.g. Brown Titi) live off this tree … eating it’s leaves, bark and fruit.

The dye from the wood is not dangerous.. BUT inhaling the wood dust is very very bad for MEN’s reproductive organs. The wood is filled with active palodesangrens agents… that bind to the DHT receptor sending more testosterone into the arms of aromatase, leading to an increase in estrogen and effectively causing temporary impotence and sterilization. Use caution if you are a family man.

I myself did NOT have any problems, but I thought you might want to know.