I used the same wood the scales were made from for the wedge. I also use double sided tape for shaping as Gamma said above. I always drill the pin holes by hand with a pin vice to eliminate alignment issues. Yours came out great. Keep it up, each one gets better than the last.
Making My First Set of Scales (timber)
- Thread starter rbscebu
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Very nice R! Your first foray into scale making turned out great! I've a few laying around where I made out of walnut, bubinga, and Brazilian teak. I want to do some horn scales next... I want to try carving a design.
Alpster that is a nice looking razor and scales! I also traditionally use wood wedges. In fact, I think I'll share pics...
To be fair I also make decorative wood cases, jewelry boxes, pistol grips, etc. I've also made a number of knife scales. So jumping over to razors was kind of natural. I commend all of the beautiful scales here that are first time tries. I'm fortunate in that I can get live edge slabs and pieces often rejected for lumber. Forks of trees and where large limbs join the trunk can be sources of beautiful burl-like patterns. Not so good if you want lumber for furniture, great for beautiful small trim like razor or knife scales.
This one I tried to match the wedge grain pattern to the scales. Walnut sapwood stains pretty easy when you work it, as evidenced by the seam at the wedge. Haven't figured out how to prevent that.
This is the first set I did. It's Brazilian teak. I wanted a warm matte finish so I used wax. I need to re-wax and buff the scales again. Also a Bengal.
Alpster that is a nice looking razor and scales! I also traditionally use wood wedges. In fact, I think I'll share pics...
To be fair I also make decorative wood cases, jewelry boxes, pistol grips, etc. I've also made a number of knife scales. So jumping over to razors was kind of natural. I commend all of the beautiful scales here that are first time tries. I'm fortunate in that I can get live edge slabs and pieces often rejected for lumber. Forks of trees and where large limbs join the trunk can be sources of beautiful burl-like patterns. Not so good if you want lumber for furniture, great for beautiful small trim like razor or knife scales.
This one I tried to match the wedge grain pattern to the scales. Walnut sapwood stains pretty easy when you work it, as evidenced by the seam at the wedge. Haven't figured out how to prevent that.
This is the first set I did. It's Brazilian teak. I wanted a warm matte finish so I used wax. I need to re-wax and buff the scales again. Also a Bengal.
That's great, Alpster. I imagine I can't be the only one who sees a whale in them thar scales.
Well done! I’m going to attempt making scales soon myself. Your example is reassuring, especially given the use of simple tools. Thanks for sharing this.
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rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I have now made and fitted three sets of scales to SRs. First were of silver ash timber (flindersia bourjotiana) and French point, second Burmese teak (tectona grandis) and American point, and third jarrah timber (eucalyptus marginata) and Spanish point.
All are with lead-like wedges, although I am now using a bar of Sn/Pb solder as base stock for my wedges. I need to use a dense material for my wedges as my scales are relatively light in mass (not bulky) and I prefer my SRs to balance at about the pivot pin, like most SRs, when opened 180°.
I now have some well seasoned kwila timber (intsia bijuga). Just waiting to find another suitable Bengall SR to modify to a spike point and re-scale.
All are with lead-like wedges, although I am now using a bar of Sn/Pb solder as base stock for my wedges. I need to use a dense material for my wedges as my scales are relatively light in mass (not bulky) and I prefer my SRs to balance at about the pivot pin, like most SRs, when opened 180°.
I now have some well seasoned kwila timber (intsia bijuga). Just waiting to find another suitable Bengall SR to modify to a spike point and re-scale.
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Those look fantastic! Keep up the good work.
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