How to bevel new scales??

[LooneyToons816]

Ciao! I am working on a gilcrest no 43
And i want to bevel the edges of the g10 scales.. i want to get a really clean bevel, do you just use a sanding block wrapped in sandpaper? Ive been trying to use my diamond plate but this is what i got so far! These scales are just practice scales so i use them to test techniques i learn or make up! So how do you get a clean bevel?

 

[Frank Shaves]

I recently went through the same thing. I up ended wrapping sandpaper about a wooden dowel and around a wine cork, and sanding by hand. The result was even and but more rounded than the vintage French scales I was trying to emulate. My guess is the bevel on vintage French scales was ground on a grinder.

 

[LooneyToons816]

I recently went through the same thing. I up ended wrapping sandpaper about a wooden dowel and around a wine cork, and sanding by hand. The result was even and but more rounded than the vintage French scales I was trying to emulate. My guess is the bevel on vintage French scales was ground on a grinder.

I think with more time and using a 1-2” sanding block i can get them pretty crisp, guess well see in the next one! Ive used the wooden dowel and the cork for blade sanding and getting the curves of the scales nice and clean. I tried using my foredom flex shaft with a dremel sanding wheel but that makes a small mistake a huge mistake lol

 

[Frank Shaves]

Here is the bevel on a Rameau that I was trying to emulate. Nice bevel, right?

 

[LooneyToons816]

Here is the bevel on a Rameau that I was trying to emulate. Nice bevel, right?

View attachment 1648704

Heck yeah thats nice!! Gives the razor scales a better softer look in my opinion rather than a hard Squared edge

 

[Frank Shaves]

I just noticed that the top of your blade has a beautiful curve called a swayback. Something to think about is the relationship between curves of the top of the blade and the top of the scales. Personally, I love to see the top of the scales mimic the general curve of the swayback.

Here is a Wade & Butcher swayback. Unfortunately, the razor is not closed so you need to use your imagination.

Here is another example from Griffith Shaving Goods. See how the top curve of the scales mimics the top curve of the blade.

 

[LooneyToons816]

I just noticed that the top of your blade has a beautiful curve called a swayback. Something to think about is the relationship between curves of the top of the blade and the top of the scales. Personally, I love to see the top of the scales mimic the general curve of the swayback.

Here is a Wade & Butcher swayback. Unfortunately, the razor is not closed so you need to use your imagination.

View attachment 1648721

Here is another example from Griffith Shaving Goods. See how the top curve of the scales mimics the top curve of the blade.

View attachment 1648719

I absolutely see that and i have to agree!! I really like this blade the gilchrist so im gonna make new scales until i get just the right look that i want.. the swayback is soooo sexy.. my WB has a little swayback too right? Those scales follow it much better and you’re right it looks much more natural and beautiful

 

[Frank Shaves]

I do like the shape of the scales on the WB - they fit the blade nicely.

 

[LooneyToons816]

I do like the shape of the scales on the WB - they fit the blade nicely.

Yes me too but theyre really thick, 1/8” i wanna make a new set that look better slim it down cause thats alot of weight from the scales while shaving its a bit of a struggle, and id also like it to sit maybe 2-3mm lower in the scales at the tip of the razor. Like this last pic id like it to sit right there closed without forcing it down

 

[mycarver]

If you have a drill you can get various sanding drums to do this. If you have a flex shaft here too drums are available. A Dremel with a large sanding stone will work. If you use a file you’ll need a flat and a curved one to do the job. If you have a belt sander this will work. Lacking power you can easily make sanding sticks , flat and curved that will make short work of it. To get better cutting action line the sticks with thin foam/ rubber and it’ll work better. I also made firm rubber sanding blocks that work really well. Regardless if you want sharp or slightly radius edge. To really crisp up the lines a single edge razor blade or a blade from a utility knife makes a great scraper to get really smooth edges.
For the past 15 years I’ve been a proponent of having the spine parallel the scale edges. As you can see all my razors do this.
This is accomplished by making a proper wedge. The wedge controls how the blade sits in the scales but designing proper scales makes the visual lines flow together. Then, the wedge makes it happen.
Well there’s about half a dozen ways to do it. And these are the results.
Elk antler, Buffalo horn, wood, ivory my own acrylics I made. Not too hard. Just a few examples for you.

 

[mycarver]

Oops sorry about the multiple shots . Haven’t found a way to edit them out.
Lousy with a computer but I can make scales.
And BTW. A cork isn’t a good option lacking sanding stroke length. Neither is a dowel unless it’s a couple inches in diameter. Small ones cause ripples and are difficult to control if you want clean edges.

Huh. Hundreds of razors and I’ve never used G-10. And won’t.

 

[LooneyToons816]

If you have a drill you can get various sanding drums to do this. If you have a flex shaft here too drums are available. A Dremel with a large sanding stone will work. If you use a file you’ll need a flat and a curved one to do the job. If you have a belt sander this will work. Lacking power you can easily make sanding sticks , flat and curved that will make short work of it. To get better cutting action line the sticks with thin foam/ rubber and it’ll work better. I also made firm rubber sanding blocks that work really well. Regardless if you want sharp or slightly radius edge. To really crisp up the lines a single edge razor blade or a blade from a utility knife makes a great scraper to get really smooth edges.
For the past 15 years I’ve been a proponent of having the spine parallel the scale edges. As you can see all my razors do this.
This is accomplished by making a proper wedge. The wedge controls how the blade sits in the scales but designing proper scales makes the visual lines flow together. Then, the wedge makes it happen.
Well there’s about half a dozen ways to do it. And these are the results.
Elk antler, Buffalo horn, wood, ivory my own acrylics I made. Not too hard. Just a few examples for you.View attachment 1648798View attachment 1648799View attachment 1648799View attachment 1648799View attachment 1648800View attachment 1648801View attachment 1648802View attachment 1648803View attachment 1648804

Wow those are gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing with us!

 

[lloydw]

Ciao! I am working on a gilcrest no 43
And i want to bevel the edges of the g10 scales.. i want to get a really clean bevel, do you just use a sanding block wrapped in sandpaper? Ive been trying to use my diamond plate but this is what i got so far! These scales are just practice scales so i use them to test techniques i learn or make up! So how do you get a clean bevel?

I think your shapes and bevels look good - I use little home-made sanding blocks. I’ve just glued and shaped acrylic pieces - probably 15mm x 70mm x 9mm - lets me fully use and wrap the equally sized and cut sandpaper squares while giving a hard surface, which I feel is easier to remove material and shape the edges. With finer grits on acrylic I then move onto the wrapped wine cork.

 

[Frank Shaves]

@mycarver:

Beautiful scales!

By flat and curved sanding sticks, do you mean shaped like flat and curved files? I guess one could also just wrap sandpaper around a file.

I am definitely going to try the single edge razor blade as a scraper - great idea!

 

[LooneyToons816]

I think your shapes and bevels look good - I use little home-made sanding blocks. I’ve just glued and shaped acrylic pieces - probably 15mm x 70mm x 9mm - lets me fully use and wrap the equally sized and cut sandpaper squares while giving a hard surface, which I feel is easier to remove material and shape the edges. With finer grits on acrylic I then move onto the wrapped wine cork.

Ive been using the custom sanding blocks that seems to be my preferred method (custom cause I made them)

 

[mycarver]

Oops sorry about the multiple shots . Haven’t found a way to edit them out.
Lousy with a computer but I can make scales.

I

@mycarver:

Beautiful scales!

By flat and curved sanding sticks, do you mean shaped like flat and curved files? I guess one could also just wrap sandpaper around a file.

I am definitely going to try the single edge razor blade as a scraper - great idea!

If you’re going the manual route these rubber blocks from Woodcraft work well . Sold in sets of round, V , flat and curved shapes. Just cut strips of sandpaper and have at it. Backing paper with something , especially with a bit of give lets
It cut better.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Yup, I use a 1” belt sander, (you can buy a cheap one for well under $100) and use a template glued to both sides of the scales with double stick tape, rubber cement, spray glue or use masking tape to mark even bevels. After doing a few you can mark with a pencil and fingers as a guide and cut to a line by eye. If it looks right, it is right.

Mark how far you want the bevel to come onto the face side and cut to that line and a hair before you reach the inside of the scale. I do the rough work with the sander and finish and blend with sanding sticks made from wood paint stir sticks, tongue depressors, popsicle and coffee stir sticks. I cut the long “flats” first then round the pivot side and wedge by hand. I do not bevel or round the wedge end until the wedge is pinned in place for a gap free finish.

If doing all by hand, files also work, narrow popsicle, and stir stick work well for inside curves. If needed make a stick for a specific curve and glue on sandpaper with different grits on each end.

I have a bunch of sanding sticks, dowels, and PVC that I use for repairing tool handles. A PVC pipe cut in half length wise is a perfect concave to sand razor scale heels, beveled or rounded, with sandpaper glued to the inside. Experiment with different pipe or fittings until you find the radius for your project.

I do all my layout on paper, fold the paper in half and cut out 2 templets. Making mistakes on paper is a snap to repair. The best design begins on paper.

If using a Dremel, make your life easy, a $15 flex shaft is much safer and gives you way more control, also invest in a variable speed Dremel vs scary single speed.

I think horn is the most forgiving and easiest scale material to work with, comes in a variety of colors and patterns and is inexpensive. Horn can easily and quickly be scraped to shape and polished to a high shine or matt finish and easily, invisibly repaired.

Do whatever Mycarver says, he’s the master.

 

[mycarver]

Yup, I use a 1” belt sander, (you can buy a cheap one for well under $100) and use a template glued to both sides of the scales with double stick tape, rubber cement, spray glue or use masking tape to mark even bevels. After doing a few you can mark with a pencil and fingers as a guide and cut to a line by eye. If it looks right, it is right.

Mark how far you want the bevel to come onto the face side and cut to that line and a hair before you reach the inside of the scale. I do the rough work with the sander and finish and blend with sanding sticks made from wood paint stir sticks, tongue depressors, popsicle and coffee stir sticks. I cut the long “flats” first then round the pivot side and wedge by hand. I do not bevel or round the wedge end until the wedge is pinned in place for a gap free finish.

If doing all by hand, files also work, narrow popsicle, and stir stick work well for inside curves. If needed make a stick for a specific curve and glue on sandpaper with different grits on each end.

I have a bunch of sanding sticks, dowels, and PVC that I use for repairing tool handles. A PVC pipe cut in half length wise is a perfect concave to sand razor scale heels, beveled or rounded, with sandpaper glued to the inside. Experiment with different pipe or fittings until you find the radius for your project.

I do all my layout on paper, fold the paper in half and cut out 2 templets. Making mistakes on paper is a snap to repair. The best design begins on paper.

If using a Dremel, make your life easy, a $15 flex shaft is much safer and gives you way more control, also invest in a variable speed Dremel vs scary single speed.

I think horn is the most forgiving and easiest scale material to work with, comes in a variety of colors and patterns and is inexpensive. Horn can easily and quickly be scraped to shape and polished to a high shine or matt finish and easily, invisibly repaired.

Do whatever Mycarver says, he’s the master.

Sounds like you’ve thought this through . Good going. And thank you for the compliment.

Bevels can run the gamut I kinda use basically around a 45 degree. But you can take a bevel straight to the back surface,, leave a flat ( nice as it’s less likely to chip if bumped. Though on some scales I’ll do a radius from the face to the back. There too the face can remain flat or give it a bit of a curve if you want.

Some quick sketches ( exaggerated for clarity) and a GD I cleverly disguised as a traditional razor less makers marks.
But the horn scales I think look understated and kinda classy somehow but the bevel is similar to the second in the sketch leaving a slight flat all around the perimeter. The one photo which is kinda wonky but it’s the bottom edge and once you’re oriented you’ll make out the small flat.
Touchy to do as one slip and you eye will catch the reflection showing the mistake easily if your sander/ file go off course. Naturally the goal is to keep the bevels consistent , the edges crisp and clean and no ripples or waves to disrupt those hard fought lines.

 

[LooneyToons816]

I

If you’re going the manual route these rubber blocks from Woodcraft work well . Sold in sets of round, V , flat and curved shapes. Just cut strips of sandpaper and have at it. Backing paper with something , especially with a bit of give lets
It cut better.View attachment 1649032View attachment 1649033

Woah those must come in handy for razor restoration! Ill have to look into getting a set, thank you for sharing!

 

[Slash McCoy]

You have got some good advice here from some guys who know their stuff. Those rubber sanding blocks look very handy. Never seen those before.

I use a belt sander for putting a chamfer on the edges of scales. For curved scales, the round nose roller (you might have to remove a guard to get to it good.) is good for the concave side. Slow and steady, easy does it, if you think you need a 100 grit belt you actually want a 200 grit belt. Then I finish in hand, with loose bits of sandpaper, hitting the entire external surface of the scale. For belt sanders, I have two big green stationary ones from harbor freight I have been meaning for years to turn into a razor hollowgrinding machine and sometimes I use one of them, but I really like using a Black & Decker "Dragster" type portable, clamped upside down in the bench vise.