What to do with the ivory set.

[Doc226]

I am in the midst of restoring a nice 7 day ivory set. When I got the set all the blades protruded out the bottom, I thought it was because the scales were bowed out.
This is what the blade looks like in the scales



In order for the blade not to protrude the blade needs to sit like this

I tried straightening the bow on the scales and it helped a tad
Here you can see how they bow out and this allows the blade to sit lower

I made a jig

Now the scales bow in a bit and should help to support the blade


No NO, the blade still protrudes out the bottom. So I thought, maybe I need to thin out the wedge, a thinner wedge will allow the blade to sit higher
On the left is the original wedge, on the right is a wedge from another razor that is 1/2 as thick


With the new wedge in there a mock up still leaves the edge protruding, so I think I am down to changing the entire shape of the scales-Not ideal as I have about half of them that are in very good condition or adding a third pin

I am inclined to adding a third pin but don't want to drill another hole in the ivory as that is just another place for it to crack in the future.

I am thinking about making a hidden third pin, and gluing it in place with epoxy.

So after a long winded post, does anyone have any other ideas? Would epoxy hold well enough. I think I will make the third pin out of ivory rounds.

 

[ANeat]

I would think a third pin, as you mentioned, of ivory, or even something like black horn, The Ivory sanded smooth/flush would be very discreet, something like brass, black horn, stainless(silver) ?? would stand out more if you wanted that.

 

[daflorc]

I've had that problem on an ivory too. I left it as it was, lol.

What you can do if you are using collars on your peening is fill the pivot hole in epoxy resin, and then re-drill the pivot hole a mm or two higher. It looks like the heel of the blade is just barely protruding so that might be just enough to fix the problem.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Yeah, I'd go for hidden third pin to rest the tang on and draw the blade up a bit when fully closed.

 

[Doc226]

Yeah, I'd go for hidden third pin to rest the tang on and draw the blade up a bit when fully closed.

This is where I am leaning as well.

 

[weizemanner]

What if you take out the wedge completely? Have to be really careful closing them though... I don't know...

 

[Doc226]

What if you take out the wedge completely? Have to be really careful closing them though... I don't know...

Need some space, but I dont think that will work either

 

[tomjr]

This is where I am leaning as well.

+1 there doc. third pin looks like the best option. IMO

 

[MileMarker60]

This is a little outside the box... but. You said it's a 7 day set. What about mix & match the sets (ie: right side of one, left of another) to see of you can get them fitting better with a new wedge.. While the 3 pine may be the best option, I would leave it as a last resort type thing.

 

[Mike H]

Bread knife the blades....

 

[Gamma]

I like Brian's idea.


Another thought

If the wedge had less or zero angle to it, the scales might bow out less and sit closer together.
Pin the pivot, and fit shim stock in at the wedge end incrementally to see how thick/thin it needs to be.
If the width of the tang is keeping the scales too far apart - that won't help.
If the pivot hole is large - then filling it and redrilling a new hole off-center (lower) to the center of the original might work.
This would raise the blade a hair, maybe not enough to really help much, but combined with a thin flat spacer instead of a true wedge it might get it done.

I don't know that I'd epoxy a pin to the scales.
An experienced ivory worker once told me that Ivory 'breathes' with changes in temp/humidity.
So I'm thinking - could a middle pin add stiffness that could create stress that could force the Ivory to split if it shifts?

 

[Doc226]

I like Brian's idea.

I do too, I was already mixing and matching. I was able to get 3 frankenrazors for the set, and 2 halves for the rest of the blades

Another thought

If the wedge had less or zero angle to it, the scales might bow out less and sit closer together.

Pin the pivot, and fit shim stock in at the wedge end incrementally to see how thick/thin it needs to be.
If the width of the tang is keeping the scales too far apart - that won't help.
It's a great idea but the tang is thick

If the pivot hole is large - then filling it and redrilling a new hole off-center (lower) to the center of the original might work.
This would raise the blade a hair, maybe not enough to really help much, but combined with a thin flat spacer instead of a true wedge it might get it done.
Had not thought of this, but the hole is acutally small (for once on these older blades)

I don't know that I'd epoxy a pin to the scales.
An experienced ivory worker once told me that Ivory 'breathes' with changes in temp/humidity.
So I'm thinking - could a middle pin add stiffness that could create stress that could force the Ivory to split if it shifts?
From what I have read then thinness of the scales makes them less prone to changes from temp and humidity, but it is a concern I have.

I done shapping all the "new" scales to match the older one, few more blades to give a final polish on.

I am going to expoxy a "third" pin made from ivory where a typical third pin would go, I just hope the epoxy holds (I think it should).

Original scales right off the blades and mixed to make 3 complete ones as I mentioned



How the color matches new ivory-NOT



New and old


Have to stain to match

 

[Seraphim]

Did you try using a fine sandpaper on the darker one?


It's like brushing the elephant's teeth, industrial style. Give it a try on the backside and see how it goes.

 

[Doc226]

Did you try using a fine sandpaper on the darker one?


It's like brushing the elephant's teeth, industrial style. Give it a try on the backside and see how it goes.

I tried that on one of the cracked ones and its still yellowish. Not enough toothpaste available.

 

[Doc226]

Did you try using a fine sandpaper on the darker one?


It's like brushing the elephant's teeth, industrial style. Give it a try on the backside and see how it goes.

I sanded one of the craked ones tangentially to a paper thin ending, you can see the yellow goes thorugh and through

 

[daflorc]

1. Great job replicating the old scales.

2. Maybe try to match old with old, and new with new since you have several razors to work with.

3. Maybe try soaking the new scales in extremely thick tea. I remember that to "age" paper, you run a wet old tea bag over the paper. As an experiment, maybe try "aging" the new ivory like that. Whatever you do, I'm excited to see how they turn out!

 

[mwhitcraft]

Be forwarned! Epoxy doesn't stick well to Ivory at all. There are special glues made specifically for ivory because of this.

 

[Doc226]

1. Great job replicating the old scales.
Thank you
2. Maybe try to match old with old, and new with new since you have several razors to work with.
I did, I got three sets, all old, the two mixed, and one new
3. Maybe try soaking the new scales in extremely thick tea. I remember that to "age" paper, you run a wet old tea bag over the paper. As an experiment, maybe try "aging" the new ivory like that. Whatever you do, I'm excited to see how they turn out!
Yep, I have some ivory cut up that I soaked in tea and took out at timed intervals to serve as an aging indicator

I am exited as well, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, all the blades are polished, scales made. Still have to sand some of the oxidation off the lead wedges (hard stuff), and stain the scales.

Be forwarned! Epoxy doesn't stick well to Ivory at all. There are special glues made specifically for ivory because of this.

Thanks, I had read that one should use marine epoxy or PVA glue

 

[Gamma]

A forced patina from tea can be fairly superficial. In other words - a scratch can show the underlying white.
Sometimes it's a little uneven too.
UV or sunlight is a preferred method - but it's more involved and takes longer.

Hide glue works well. The real stuff, not the ready made.

 

[daflorc]

A forced patina from tea can be fairly superficial. In other words - a scratch can show the underlying white.
Sometimes it's a little uneven too.
UV or sunlight is a preferred method - but it's more involved and takes longer.
Hide glue works well. The real stuff, not the ready made.

You should post some pictures if you can. I've never forced a patina on ivory before, but thats something that I would surely find a use for. How long would sunlight aging take?