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What should I do with this "Bengall"?

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
I have a Cadman ¾ "Bengall" in my stable with a broken scale tip at the pivot pin end. It shaves beautifully like my other 9 (soon to be 10) "Bengall" SRs.

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I also have some 3.6mm thick quarter-sawn vintage Burmese teak for making a new set of SR scales.

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I would really like to do something with this SR to correct the broken scale. The options I am considering are:
  1. Shorten the existing scales to remove the current pivot pin hole, reprofile the pivot pin end and refit the scales. This will mean the blade length will need to be also shortened by about 12mm, in which case I will give the blade an American (square) point to keep the edge length (currently 67mm) as long as possible. This will reduce the edge length down to about 57mm.
  2. Make a new set of scales from vintage Burmese teak to replace the existing scales.
The work load does not worry me. I am open to ideas. What would you suggest?
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Would it be possible to add the teak to the scale tips? Might conserve material and give a unique look.
I'm sure it would be possible. It's just that I am not sure if I have the skill to do so, having never done anything like that before.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
If fitting teak scales, I also might convert the current Dutch point to an American point.
 
I was thinking cut them below the pins a bit then glue and clamp. Could add a thin liner for strength. My experience is strictly with knives so I'm just throwing out an idea
I'm sure it would be possible. It's just that I am not sure if I have the skill to do so, having never done anything like that before.
 
I have a Cadman ¾ "Bengall" in my stable with a broken scale tip at the pivot pin end. It shaves beautifully like my other 9 (soon to be 10) "Bengall" SRs.

I also have some 3.6mm thick quarter-sawn vintage Burmese teak for making a new set of SR scales.

I would really like to do something with this SR to correct the broken scale. The options I am considering are:
  1. Shorten the existing scales to remove the current pivot pin hole, reprofile the pivot pin end and refit the scales. This will mean the blade length will need to be also shortened by about 12mm, in which case I will give the blade an American (square) point to keep the edge length (currently 67mm) as long as possible. This will reduce the edge length down to about 57mm.
  2. Make a new set of scales from vintage Burmese teak to replace the existing scales.
The work load does not worry me. I am open to ideas. What would you suggest?

(2.)
 
My personal preference is to not reshape and cut up a perfectly good 100 year old English blade. No judgement if you decide to do that... to each their own. But, if you solicit opinions you will get them! With that said, I choose option 2... rescale it. You're already making very nice scales you can make this razor pop!
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Thank you all for your input.

I have decided to replace the scales with ones of timber. While doing so, I will modify the point to an American (square) style.

Now to decide upon which timber to use. I have three types currently available and two more from @Derwent on their way to me. They are; Queensland silver ash, Burmese teak, black beenatree, Tasmanian blackwood and huon pine. I have scaled with the ash before but none of the others. I am tending towards the teak or black timbers.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
But late in replying on this. Here is the finished product. I reground the point to an American style and fitted new scales of Burmese teak.

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Honed up, it shaves beautifully, as was to be expected from a Cadman "Bengall".

I have now done another with damaged scales. This time converting it to a Spanish point and fitting Western Australian Jarrah timber scales.

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Here, rather than use Pb for the wedge, I used a Sn/Pb alloy. I found this easier to work with with almost no loss of mass.

For my next broken-scale Bengall restoration, I will try a spike point. This time with a dark coloured timber, possibly with something like an Australian Redgum.​
 
Very nice scales there. I have only seen Tasmanian blackwood once, and that was a 'ukulele. Very nice looking wood. Not exactly an easy timber to find in Europe.
 
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