Rusty old Cracked W&B.

[dakotaev]

Work in progress on this W&B. These pics were after a few tests on greasless to see how she looked under the rust, so these aren't actually the true before pictures, but you get a sense of how she started.

I'll post more pictures as I progress.


The blade has a rather large vertical crack about 3/8ths from the tip, so she'll have to be shortened a bit. But I have an idea in mind for that.

Stay tuned !

 

[dakotaev]

Some of this work was done before I started the post, I'm not really this quick.

The cracked tip has been forcefully removed with our favorite rotary tool. We all know the dangers of temper loss during this type of work. I've sucessfully shortened razors in the past using this method so It should be pretty solid. Remember to take it easy, I often cut, let cool, cut more, let cool, etc.. I use water to cool down if I feel the blades getting too hot.

The scales cracked while unpinning (I didn't think i'd use them anyway). This Padauk I've pre-cut will be used for the scales.

 

[dakotaev]

So I've always wanted to see a French tip on an English blade.... so here we go. Unfortunately I did all of this work last night, so I didn't get pictures in progress

Blade is all shined and polished up.

Scales are next!

 

[dakotaev]

Ok,

The scales have been cut out and shaped a bit on the sander. As you can see, they are taped together to make sure they're exactly the same size and shape:

I use the scroll saw to cut the general shape out:

Sander to refine the shape, they will look much different when I'm done. They will also be thinned out to less than half of their original thickness. I do all of this work on the sander.

As you can see, dust gets EVERYWHERE, especially this Padauk, its awful. You really have to be careful of your safety. I use a mask with P100 filters and safety glasses, however I'm thinking of upgrading to a full face shield. I also run a shopvac behind the sander while I'm sanding, but it only helps so much.

 

[natchez]

Very cool!Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[dakotaev]

Very cool!Can't wait to see the finished product.

Thanks natchez!

So after the scales have been thinned, and hand sanded up to 1500 grit, I've drilled the pivot hole and finished the inside of the scales.

I'm using gorilla glue to finish these. I find it great on wood, to both pop the color and protect from water. I think it may be CA based. I found it at a local home hardware store.

I've cut and tapered my wedge a bit. I'll be using stainless steel. I bought this sheet at a hobby shop for a few bucks. I've also cut it with the scroll saw and tapered it every so slightly on the sander.

Here you can see the scales, thinned and the insides are finished with a few coats of the gorilla glue. I let it dry over night. You can see how much they've been thinned out sitting next to an original 1/8 cut of the wood.

I've roughed up the insides of the wood and the wedge spacer and will be gluing it with the same Gorilla glue. This is the first time I've done a pinless scales with a metal spacer so I'm unsure if it'll hold. If not ill drill a hole and pin it.

It's been clamped and I'll let it dry overnight. I've put a wood insert to make sure the glue dries in the shape I'm looking for. This stage is critical, if your scales are off or crooked you can train wreck after all this time invested. I've triple-checked everything to make sure they're straight even and the way I want them when they're dry.

I'm now caught up to my current progress, so the updates will be getting slower from here on in.

 

[Skrymr]

Great write up. Thanks. I love what you did with the tip, it looks great.

 

[dakotaev]

Ok glue is done on the end.

I've used the belt sander to get the stainless spacer flush with the wood scales. Looks pretty rough right now:

I've progressed through the sandpaper again back up to 1500 grit, and then given the stainless a good polish on the buffer with white rouge. Now I've applied the first of many coats of the final finishes.

This is all cleaned up and buffed shiny. (I'm running out of sunlight for pictures though unfortunately).

 

[mdunn]

Looking good!!

 

[touchdowntodd]

VERY nice work.. that french tip looks at home!

 

[dakotaev]

Sorry folks, been awhile since my last update. I had to re-glue the spacer, but all is good now. After several CA coats the scales are finally finished and I've pinned the razor.

Here is the end result:

 

[dakotaev]

Some artistic shots which show the real lines of the razor a bit better. I hope you like:

Now time to hone it up and give'r a go!

 

[Pkrankow]

Gorgeous!

(Gorilla glue is a polyurethane)

Phil

 

[dakotaev]

Gorgeous!

(Gorilla glue is a polyurethane)

Phil

Thanks!

There must be some conflicting information about it out on the internet, but regardless it works very nice for finishing.

 

[kehern]

How did you use Gorilla glue for finishing? Everytime that I have used it, it ends up sort of "foaming" as it dries, very unsightly.

 

[dakotaev]

I had this happen to me the first time I tried as well.

The trick is to apply very thin, and then wipe it with pressure. I use an old t-shirt for applying it. Try to get the thinnest layer possible. It will then dry very nicely, unfortunately it makes a bit more work, but the effort is worth it.

 

[kehern]

Ah interesting, it does look absolutely gorgeous! I love the color of that wood.

 

[Nerdman]

Awesome Job man!! The blade came out sickk!! Mad respect on that cleanup! The scales are great too! love the color and the style! Again, Awesome Job!!!

 

[dakotaev]

Awesome Job man!! The blade came out sickk!! Mad respect on that cleanup! The scales are great too! love the color and the style! Again, Awesome Job!!!

Hey Thanks man!

 

[honed]

Great restore & a lot of good information for anyone that want's to make their own scales!