Scales change center daily?

[CpnStumpy]

Has anyone noticed with any of their razors that one day it seems they're way off center, then the next they're perfect, then they seem off center again later?

This can't possibly be warping as it's over days not months or years. Not most razors either, just a few I've received - thankfully seemed way off center on purchase and significantly more centered now, but they still seem to be different every other time I look at them..

Surely I'm not the only one who's noticed this with some blades, then shrugged and shaved. Anyone noticed this? Any explanations? It's specifically some type of plastic, not wood/bone/horn/rubber. Not super loose either.

Am I crazy? I'm crazy aren't I?

 

[Legion]

Pins probably bent. Or there is some play at the wedge end.

 

[Gamma]

scales can 'move', pins can be warped/bent. Loose pins allow shift. Sometimes the scales will react to how you hold the razor, or open it, store it, etc..., showing a lilt to one side or another. Most of the time I think it's due to the scales shifting a wee bit and/or the pivot hole/pin being wonky.

 

[JPO]

I have seen this with some of my TI razors. When i got them the blade did not center in the scales. After storing them for a while on one side to allow gravity to work it's magic they improved. The pinning job on these were also not perfect. They were all a bit off center. I do not see this with the razor that are pinned better. So it is probably caused by a wonky pinning job like Gamma said.

 

[CpnStumpy]

Pins probably bent. Or there is some play at the wedge end.

Say I wanted to hit the wedge pin to see if it'll effect this? Which side do I hit?

 

[CpnStumpy]

I have seen this with some of my TI razors. When i got them the blade did not center in the scales. After storing them for a while on one side to allow gravity to work it's magic they improved. The pinning job on these were also not perfect. They were all a bit off center. I do not see this with the razor that are pinned better. So it is probably caused by a wonky pinning job like Gamma said.

Ah, gravity! This could make sense for sure, pins aren't loose but maybe there's just enough play for gravity to move it barely...

I have the scales to rescale each of these razors with this problem and forget about it, but it's been such an oddity I've been unable to explain, so I've been holding off

 

[JPO]

Ah, gravity! This could make sense for sure, pins aren't loose but maybe there's just enough play for gravity to move it barely...

I have the scales to rescale each of these razors with this problem and forget about it, but it's been such an oddity I've been unable to explain, so I've been holding off

Natural material will adjust over time. When/if you store the razor on the side you introduce a small moment in the pin. This will effect how the blade centers in the scales to some extent. Horn scales seems to be a material that seem to be changing over time.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Yep. The blade will sometimes move around a bit.

Close the razor. Hold the razor with your dominant hand on the hinge pin looking down. Using the thumb of your dominant hand, gently apply pressure to the tip of the hinge pin end of the scales in both directions. The center of the blade at the wedge pin end will move. Try to center the blade this way and then just put the razor down. It is possible that after doing this a few times, the blade will stay more centered.

I repeat, use gentle pressure. No need for strong pressure.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

You can move the blade centering by tapping the pivot pin forward or back.

As you are looking straight down on the razor with the blade closed, toe pointed away from you. If you want to move the toe to the left, tap the back side of the right pivot pin forward, (side closest to the tail). You can also tap the wedge pin on the side closest to the tail forward (towards the narrow side of the wedge, if you need a little more movement.

You are moving the scale on the right forward. It does not take a lot of movement to get the toe to move quite a bit, so tap lightly, tap the back of the pin head not the collar. A small 2oz polished ball peen hammer is the best tool for this.

To move the toe to the right, tap the left pivot pin forward.

As said, it could be the pivot pin is bent, the only way to correct this is to re-pin.

It could also be the pivot hole was punched and it too large. To test this, open the razor fully so the blade and scales are in a straight line, (tail between the scales), grab the blade and pull the blade away from the scales gently. You will feel if there is any movement, now close the blade slowly, the blade centering may change.

If the pivot hole is large, you can move the pivot pin and the blade, without moving the scales by tapping the pivot pin.

Bent pins are common, most of the pins of razors I have re scaled the pins were bent. If the pin is bent the toe can change position each time the razor is opened and closed.

If you watch videos of factory pinning, it is no wonder why, they give the pin 3-4 hard whacks and call it good.

This is a good reason for not gluing the wedge in place, it allows for movement to adjust blade centering, if glued it will not move and you are stuck with the blade centering where it wants.

Also using domed collars will keep the pivot pin in tension with out excess side pressure, (potential of cracking the scale). The dome acts as a spring.

A lot goes into pinning and scale making design than just mushrooming a pin head. There is a lot of movement in the scales at the pivot when the blade is opened fully and closed. This is all part of the blade, scale, collar and pinning design.

On vintage razors these old guys had pretty much perfected scaling and pinning of razors. Much of there work has lasted hundreds of years and make you appreciate collarless pinning that much more.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I found moving the blade to center can act just the opisite of what i think. So i have to think about it twice as much before tapping. And Marty explained it just about like what ive figured over the years.
Thanks for putting it in print Marty.

 

[aussie]

Yes I would say you likely have a bent pin.

 

[Eastcoast30]

I have tried just about every tapping and twisting method. When a blade does not want to center, it just does not want to center or stay centered.

However, there is one method that has worked for me. That is to dip the pivot end in boiling water for about five seconds and then adjust. This is for plastic scales only. There is a video out there for this by zen razor japan. The video is specifically for bent scales but works very well for blades that are a bit off center. Your mileage may vary and be careful not to overdo it:

 

[CpnStumpy]

I have tried just about every tapping and twisting method. When a blade does not want to center, it just does not want to center or stay centered.

However, there is one method that has worked for me. That is to dip the pivot end in boiling water for about five seconds and then adjust. This is for plastic scales only. There is a video out there for this by zen razor japan. The video is specifically for bent scales but works very well for blades that are a bit off center. Your mileage may vary and be careful not to overdo it:

You say plastic, but I presume you include celluloid? Bakelite? Acrylic? No wood, bone, or horn of course. Though hot steaming horn was how they used to create pressed designs in horn, so that might work too..

But this issue is usually some old celluloid or more modern plastic material.

Can't hurt, if I can't get consistent centering I'm going to toss the scales anyway and replace them

 

[Eastcoast30]

^ It has worked for me, so you might give it a try. Nothing to lose as you will toss the scales anyway. If you try it, please post your results, thanks.