Making new scales - tips, tricks and things to consider?

StratMan

StratMan

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2018
Location
Australia
starting to dip my toes into the SR world, not officially yet, but the wheels are certainly in motion.

thanks to the generosity of @rbscebu I have some wattle timber (aka snakewood) blank scales on route to me and also a loaner GD66. If all goes well with my SR experience, that loaner may well end up in my Den :)

have read that extra weight added correctly, will help the balance of the SR so I would like to change out the light plastic scales with the wattle timber and add more weight. I have reasonably handy so, under good guidance am sure this project will turn out real nice.

I would love to tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience of this forum and get your, suggestions, things to look for, tips and tricks of experienced forum members.

cheers
 
@StratMan you are in luck. I will be commencing a rescaling of a GD66 next week using wattle timber blanks. I will cover the full process in a new thread on P&C. You can ask your questions there.

I have no power tools except for a Dremel. All my scaling work is done by hand. The Dremel is only use to drill the ∅1.6mm holes in the scales and wedge for the pins, although this could be done by hand with a pin vice.

In the meantime, you will need to order some pinning materials. I normally get mine from Austin Kennedy of Old School Razors in Gainesville, VA, USA. He may not be the cheapest or most convenient but he provides exceptional customer service. You can expect to pay US$10 to US$15 (including shipping) for enough material to pin about four SRs. He carries brass and nickel alloy.

For wedges, I usually use lead (or a small length of bar of lead/tin solder). Thin double-sided tape also comes in handy.

Tools needed (as a minimum) are fret saw, ball pein hammer of 2oz/50g preferred (4oz/100g max), pin vice with ∅1.6mm drill bit, flush cutters suitable for 1.6mm brass wire, small fine flat jeweller's file, some insulation tape, different grades of sandpaper and a keen eye for detail.

Optional, which helps, is a small (about 2½") bench vice, a fine flat jeweller's file and Dremel with matching drill press. I'm sure others will chime in with their suggestions.
 
Me
rbscebu said:
+1 on that video. I basically used his method with my first go at scale making. It worked!
Click to expand...

Yes, me too. It is clear and precise; mind you, out of lazyness I am only about to begin op.3, but op.1 and 2 turned out rather nice. Will share some pics when I get the chance.
 
Mastropiero said:
Me


Yes, me too. It is clear and precise; mind you, out of lazyness I am only about to begin op.3, but op.1 and 2 turned out rather nice. Will share some pics when I get the chance.
Click to expand...
I have got my system pretty much down to pat now with about 40 sets of scales done. I only work with timber scales because I'm a timber sort of bloke.

If you can source it, ∅1.6mm brass or nickel alloy brazing rod (not flux cored) can be used for the pins. You will still need to source your preferred collars.
 
rbscebu said:
@StratMan you are in luck. I will be commencing a rescaling of a GD66 next week using wattle timber blanks. I will cover the full process in a new thread on P&C. You can ask your questions there.

I have no power tools except for a Dremel. All my scaling work is done by hand. The Dremel is only use to drill the ∅1.6mm holes in the scales and wedge for the pins, although this could be done by hand with a pin vice.

In the meantime, you will need to order some pinning materials. I normally get mine from Austin Kennedy of Old School Razors in Gainesville, VA, USA. He may not be the cheapest or most convenient but he provides exceptional customer service. You can expect to pay US$10 to US$15 (including shipping) for enough material to pin about four SRs. He carries brass and nickel alloy.

For wedges, I usually use lead (or a small length of bar of lead/tin solder). Thin double-sided tape also comes in handy.

Tools needed (as a minimum) are fret saw, ball pein hammer of 2oz/50g preferred (4oz/100g max), pin vice with ∅1.6mm drill bit, flush cutters suitable for 1.6mm brass wire, small fine flat jeweller's file, some insulation tape, different grades of sandpaper and a keen eye for detail.

Optional, which helps, is a small (about 2½") bench vice, a fine flat jeweller's file and Dremel with matching drill press. I'm sure others will chime in with their suggestions.
Click to expand...

excellent thanks, I'll be keeping as eye out for these posts
 
rbscebu said:
I have got my system pretty much down to pat now with about 40 sets of scales done. I only work with timber scales because I'm a timber sort of bloke.

If you can source it, ∅1.6mm brass or nickel alloy brazing rod (not flux cored) can be used for the pins. You will still need to source your preferred collars.
Click to expand...
Oh, I am all set for rods and collars. I said I have just made two sets of scales, but I am very proficient at unpinning and pinning scales when restoring razors. Unless impossible, I go to lenghts trying to make them look just like the originals.
 
Any welding supplies shop should be good for any type of brazing rod. Just ask, they're used to all sorts of strange requests.
 
rbscebu said:
+1 on that video. I basically used his method with my first go at scale making. It worked!

Were I differed was using a lead wedge and not glueing the wedge to the scales. I needed the lead for better razor balance.
Click to expand...

so you make a led piece and bolt it in there? or do U melt and pour the lead into a pre-prepared cavity?
 
StratMan said:
excellent video, doesn't look difficult at all just some time and care.. just didn't show how to remove all scales. what do U recommend?

I was just gonna try Rip em out with a flush cutter. don't see much value with GD pins
Click to expand...

Unless I want to preserve the original collars, in which case I will drill out, slowly, the rod, with my Dremel, I always cut them with a flush cutter. It usually leaves a mark in the scales, but nothing that a bit of sanding and polishing won't solve.

Now, I threatened you earlier with pics of my op.1 and op.2 scales. There you have them.

Op. 1

cOWq5w7.jpg


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Mann und Federlein Mannos 14, blue perspex scales with a cow, shin bone wedge.


Op. 2

ECMr49V.jpg


PeUpoPD.jpg


UpEEYlD.jpg


3cbMNwM.jpg


XdNzIYR.jpg


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4IWOUDb.jpg



C. Friedrich Katz & Co. Fram. Beveled, black perspex scale, cow shin bone wedge (same cow), bi-colored pins.

This one I am rather proud of, I had to manufacture myself an angled piece of wood, to which I attached sand paper (difficult process, actually, and did all the bevel manually, spending hours until I got it right.
 
StratMan said:
so you make a led piece and bolt it in there? or do U melt and pour the lead into a pre-prepared cavity?
Click to expand...
Lead is easy to cold-form. Melting it, unless you do it with really excellent ventilation, is a Bad Idea(TM), as the fumes are incompatible with human health.
 
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