Here are some pictures of some one piece brass Progress knobs that I've been making. These are a drop in replacement not a mod to an existing knob. I don't have enough post yet to offer then in the vendor section. Just wondering if there's any interest.
Looks like the mergress, but in brass. http://www.leesrazors.com/products/"Mergress"-Adjustable-Safety-Razor-Color-Dots.html#
Yes and no, Eric takes a stock Progress knob assembly and removes the molded on plastic knob and replaces it with his custom Stainless Steel knob. This is a one piece replacement, you keep your stock knob.
Bob, I've seen your offer on other forums. I'm definitely interested, but am just waiting for a little free cash to come up to make a purchase.
mastermute I tried to send you a PM and I received a message that your mailbox is full. I don't have enough post to sell here yet. I sell the knobs for $25 US dollars including domestic postage and recently sold one to a guy in England for $30 US dollars.
Interesting. Well let me say nice work! I really like the look of the wooden knob and the fact that you can use different materials for the knob.
The wooden knob was a modified stock Progress knob and was very difficult to make, the grain is so short and thin that I broke 2 knobs before this one. Rather upsetting to spent quite a bit of time and then have it blow up in your face.
No numbers just the lines. I have no way to make decent numbers, stamps wouldn't work very well. What I do is tighten the knob all the way down then back off 3 lines that what always works for me. That why I've painted the lines red and black so it's easier to keep track of your setting. The number ring on a Progress is a separate ring that pressed onto the knob assemble. The other reason putting numbers on a 1 piece knob isn't a good idea is that every Progress "zeros" differently, they set the ring to "zero" as the last step. I set the blank knob to "zero" in my razor with a blade in it, When I tighten the knob all the way down the dot lines up with a line. Whether it lines up in any other Progress is a crap shoot, but since the lines are 45 degrees apart the farthest away from a line is only 22 1/2 degrees.
Thanks! Mantic has a video on how to "reset" your Progress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FZvMmuX_GE
A better method is to first determine how far off your progress reads with a blade in the razor. Make a water soluble "zero" mark on the plastic knob. Wrap the number ring with several layer of masking tap, mark on the masking tape where you want your razor to "zero". Grip the plastic knob in a padded vise or a padded crescent wretch, grip the tape covered number ring with a pair of pliers and rotate the number ring until the mark you made on the ring lines up with the mark you made on the knob. It's actually easier to do then it is to write down. BTW. now that my post count is sufficient I've started a post in the Vendor section. I also make handles for 3 piece razors. Wall racks for brushes and razors and I can turn custom brush handles.
If the number ring is moveable on the Progress could it somehow be removed and applied to your knobs? BTW: they really look great!
That gets into the whole send me you knob thing which I don't want to do because it complicates things and cost everybody time and money. You'd certainly ruin the Stock Progress knob trying to get the ring off and you could damage the ring and then your screwed. My business model is I provide a drop in replacement knob and the owner still has his stock knob. The only purpose of the number ring is to make it easy for a person to reset their razor to their preferred setting when they change the blade. I'm now painting my reference lines alternating red and black so it's easier to count lines. Now I know that I like my razor set between 3 and 4, so when I change the blade I tighten the knob all the way down then back off 3 1/2 lines.
Oh well it was just an idea. I suppose it would be easy enough to make up some decals if it was a problem.
A person could probably use those dry rub transfer numbers, of course they have to be applied after the knob was mated to the owner razor so the numbers would register properly and they would have to be clear coated. I just tried to use a steel stamp on my personal knob and it didn't work very well I kinda mucked it up. A person would need to make a jig to hold the knob and line up the stamp and there's still the problem of every razor registering differently. Counting lines seem to be the easiest way.
