Where Do You Buy Scales?

[Saloogie]

Hope this is in the right place.

Hey guys, I tragically dropped one of my favorite razors and I put a crack in the scales right by the pivot pin. It will need new scales.

But I can't seem to find "the" place to buy scales. Everyone seems to carry a couple or a few, but not many and nothing really interesting. Just a smattering on eBay, Griffiths or some of the other usual suspects.

This guy, Max Sprecher, has some really beautiful scales and razors to, but he does the work and it's not cheap. Anyone hear of him?

Scales | Straight Razor Scales | Max Sprecher

Straight Razor Custom Made Scales by Max Sprecher in a Razor Handle/Scale Photo Gallery with Straight Razor Images showing Scale Materials.

www.maxsprecher.com

So where do you guys shop for scales? Thanks!

 

[psfred]

I make my own, but that's not always an option for everyone. However, all you really need is a coping saw, some sandpaper, some acrylic sheet, and a means of drilling a 1/16" hole straight through a pair of scales.

You might not make stellar quality ones the first time, but you will have unbroken ones.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Yeah, Max does good work. @Doc226 does too. You can make your own too, it can be fun and rewarding, sometimes frustrating, but always instructive.

 

[Saloogie]

@psfred & @Darth Scandalous

I would love to do my own someday, but I'm still fairly new at all of this and getting my technique down and learning to hone and strop is enough for now!

Yeah, Max has some wild scales. I've fallen for a few of them, but they can run up to $150 installed. Pretty rich.

Is @Doc226 the gentleman from Rhode Island? I think I heard about him in another thread.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Yes, @Doc226 is Alfredo from RI. Alfredo makes very nice scales.

I have made my own. I was recently feeling lazy and bought two pair of horn scales from GSG which I did addition shaping of. Very happy with the result. Saved a bunch of time.

 

[Koop]

I also bought a few scales from GSG. The blonde horn scales are appealing to me.

 

[Saloogie]

Yeah, I noticed a few nice scales at Griffith. The price is right as well.

Question, when putting in the pivot pin, how does one make sure it's fairly tight to hold the blade in place? I have a razor that is a bit loose where the blade moves to easily and doesn't hold as firmly as I would like when in shaving position.

 

[psfred]

Razors are riveted with pins, if it's not tight, either you haven't rolled the head of the pin down enough or the pin it too long so it won't tighten up. More taps on the head of the pin, if that doesn't work, file some off and re-work it.

It has taken me a few sets of scales to figure out just how long to leave the pin so I don't have to peen forever to get them tight enough.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Yeah, I noticed a few nice scales at Griffith. The price is right as well.

Question, when putting in the pivot pin, how does one make sure it's fairly tight to hold the blade in place? I have a razor that is a bit loose where the blade moves to easily and doesn't hold as firmly as I would like when in shaving position.

There are a bunch of threads on tightening pins. You will need a light hammer and an "anvil". Some folks use a heavy tablespoon. I use the small ball of a 4 oz chasing hammer I bought from Rio Grande with the flat part of a splitting maul. Some folks use the top of their bench vise. Use lots of light taps.

Took me a long time to learn to effectively peen pins. My problem was holding back out of fear of bending the pin or cracking the scale. I eventually learned to relax and apply just enough pressure to tighten the pin.

I would start on a beater razor, not on a NOS Filarmonica 14.

Here is a video:

 

[Saloogie]

Thanks @Frank Shaves & @psfred

Good video, thanks Frank. It helped me to tighten up that loose razor. I went slow and checked the tightness a lot as I went. It didn't take much tapping really. Maybe 15 hits. It was quick and fairly easy.

It's great to learn all the aspects of this "hobby".

 

[psfred]

I use a flat faced jeweler's hammer, maybe one ounce? Very light. I just let it swing free between two finger and pretty much just bounce on the pin, don't really drive it down. Takes a while, but then I'm using either nickel silver brazing rod or stainless steel (308 or 316) infill rod for pins. I have used brass, but I like the harder nickel sliver or stainless too.

Brass pins tighten up very quickly, stainless takes a long time, especially if you cut the pin too long.

 

[rhgg2]

Hope this is in the right place.

Hey guys, I tragically dropped one of my favorite razors and I put a crack in the scales right by the pivot pin. It will need new scales.

But I can't seem to find "the" place to buy scales. Everyone seems to carry a couple or a few, but not many and nothing really interesting. Just a smattering on eBay, Griffiths or some of the other usual suspects.

This guy, Max Sprecher, has some really beautiful scales and razors to, but he does the work and it's not cheap. Anyone hear of him?

Scales | Straight Razor Scales | Max Sprecher

Straight Razor Custom Made Scales by Max Sprecher in a Razor Handle/Scale Photo Gallery with Straight Razor Images showing Scale Materials.

www.maxsprecher.com

So where do you guys shop for scales? Thanks!

If you go on eBay looking for "vintage razors in great condition" you can probably find some nice scales attached to a razor with 1/4" chunks missing from the blade and a massive crack.

 

[Saloogie]

If you go on eBay looking for "vintage razors in great condition" you can probably find some nice scales attached to a razor with 1/4" chunks missing from the blade and a massive crack.

That's actually a great idea! Simple, but great. I'll definitely check this out.

Its funny though that with all of the on-line shops out there, they're doesn't seem to be a go-to place for scales. Each place just has a few and most are pretty plain. There seems to be room for somebody to come in and put some fancy scales out there. But maybe there isn't a market to support it, I'm not sure.