Hey guys so need some help with this new razor I got the other day. When it arrived the scales were loose and I tried fixing it but I couldn't. I sent it away to be honed and told the guy to tighten it up and it's come back not that much better. Add to that it now has marks on it and the little silver pin and been hammered basically into the wood partially as you can see. If anyone knows someone that could fix this for me or any advice it would be really helpful.
Help with loose scales.
- Thread starter nels
- Start date
It looks like it might have nylon internal washers, and that will always limit how tight the scales can be made.
About all you can do is try to tap the pin lightly many many times to try to spread the head, but as long as there is not latteral movement, I would probably just suggest leaving it as is.
What type of razor is it?
About all you can do is try to tap the pin lightly many many times to try to spread the head, but as long as there is not latteral movement, I would probably just suggest leaving it as is.
What type of razor is it?
I have a boker that is the same as your razor. I think it is a combination of bad scale design and poor workmanship during the pinning.
Mine is quite loose in the "stropping" position, but tightens up at 90 deg, which i use during shaving.
I am considering repinning it, because tapping it with a hammer does not work, it just get loose again. There is a limit to how much you can tighten it by just tapping it with a hammer.
I would rather have thinner washers and a steeper wedge the other end. This would allow the tang to get in contact with the scale in the stropping position, and you would utilize the spring effect from the wedge in the 180 deg position.
The tension in the pin should be enough to stiffen it up, but the angled wedge in the scales should have a function.
None of my Dovo or TI razors have this issue.
Mine is quite loose in the "stropping" position, but tightens up at 90 deg, which i use during shaving.
I am considering repinning it, because tapping it with a hammer does not work, it just get loose again. There is a limit to how much you can tighten it by just tapping it with a hammer.
I would rather have thinner washers and a steeper wedge the other end. This would allow the tang to get in contact with the scale in the stropping position, and you would utilize the spring effect from the wedge in the 180 deg position.
The tension in the pin should be enough to stiffen it up, but the angled wedge in the scales should have a function.
None of my Dovo or TI razors have this issue.
- Thread starter
- #4
It's a gold damascus boker limited edition
- Thread starter
- #5
When you say loose, do you mean the blade is moving from side to side, or just not standing to attention in the scales?
On my boker the pin diameter is smaller then the hole in the shank (i said tang in my previous post, but i meant shank). That does not help. This is also a problem with my TI razors. What is the point of having a oversized hole?
I understand you need some clearance, but still. If i compare some of my new production razors to something like a CV. Heljestrand, it just seems like these small details were taken care of.
It does not take that much time to correct it by repinning it, but you should not need to.
I was considering getting the Boker Abalone razor, but the scales seem to be a little bulky, and based on what i am seeing on my other boker i am not sure. Hammering on Abalone does not seem like a good idea to me.
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- #8
I just mean that if I were to hold the razor up the blade would fall from the scales and just flop around.
Firstly anyone that can hone should have been able to fix this easily as it's an easy job. Does it shave ok?
Secondly that's a "nail" style pin so you should never tighten the front "show" side, only the backside. It's actually not even possible to tighten the front so who bashed it into the wood?
Do you have a ball-peen hammer?
- Thread starter
- #10
You can use the under side of a heavy soup spoon in a pinch.
Yup, couple of issues. It is the escutcheon pin/ nail type pin, and the nail head side does not have a collar, which could have prevented the head from imbedding into the scale.
The scales are thick and use a spacer not a wedge. A wedge keeps the scales in tension in all positions, by keeping tension on the pivot pin. But you cannot bend thick wood scales easily, which is likely why they do not use a wedge.
It may also be that the pin hole is too large for the nail head. If so, tightening the pin will just make the pin head sink further into the hole.
Re-pinning, even adding a larger collar will eventually come lose. A larger domed collar might help keep it in tension, but the real solution is to re-scale with some nice thinner scales, and a proper wedge. Perhaps some streaked horn.
Thinner scales will also make the razor much more comfortable and safer to strop and shave. Stropping a thick scaled razor is awkward, stropping a thick scaled razor with a lose pin is awkward and dangerous.
I think JPO is correct, it is a combination of bad design and poor workmanship during pinning.
For what you paid, I would contact Boker, worst they could say is no, it would need to be re-honed, if they did repair/replace the scales.
The scales are thick and use a spacer not a wedge. A wedge keeps the scales in tension in all positions, by keeping tension on the pivot pin. But you cannot bend thick wood scales easily, which is likely why they do not use a wedge.
It may also be that the pin hole is too large for the nail head. If so, tightening the pin will just make the pin head sink further into the hole.
Re-pinning, even adding a larger collar will eventually come lose. A larger domed collar might help keep it in tension, but the real solution is to re-scale with some nice thinner scales, and a proper wedge. Perhaps some streaked horn.
Thinner scales will also make the razor much more comfortable and safer to strop and shave. Stropping a thick scaled razor is awkward, stropping a thick scaled razor with a lose pin is awkward and dangerous.
I think JPO is correct, it is a combination of bad design and poor workmanship during pinning.
For what you paid, I would contact Boker, worst they could say is no, it would need to be re-honed, if they did repair/replace the scales.
That's what
I think in old razors with oversized holes they hammered the hole in with a punch while the steel was hot instead of drilling it which would have allowed a smaller rounder hole.
Here's a simple but decent video on tightening scales with both hammer and spoon for future use.
Yep. Nail. Pull it and repin. Better yet do as marty said and rescale it.
Or just live with it and handle it carefully.
Or just live with it and handle it carefully.
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