Needed to start another thread to get me off my butt... and yes, I am trying to bring you along with me . The candidates this time: 1. 11/16 Clauss “EX-USU” that i am guessing here, is not in its original pair of shoes. I think ex-usu is referencing the Latin “from practice” or a phrase interpreted as using “to one’s advantage.” Cool razor, great shape, but needs new shoes... YES!!!! 2. 7/8 Gold 14... a new “14” maker for me, but still love these blades. It looks to have lost about a 1/4” in its life and I don’t like the current profile. I’ll change that profile and then debate exactly what to do with this gap. New shoes or modify these at the wedge. And finally, 3. 13/16 Wade & Butcher Celebrated Fine India Steel Set Ready For Use... this one will be a problem. Mangled best describes it, and the reverse is worse. This was probably a mistake, but I loved the design of the tang with the jimps and transition lines. Throw in that the stamping on the spine looked cool and I couldn’t resist. So there is the introduction, I’ve started each to get a feel for what I want, so more to follow soon. Enjoy your projects! Tom
First up, reprofiling the Gold 14. Keeping it simple and using what is there, I thought I would just finish making it a round point, after some initial hand polishing with Flitz. Sharpie and dremel to the rescue... I used a cutting wheel to save my sanding drum from the hard spine, and it was pretty quick work. Came back at it with the drums and tried to mimic that factory bevel look at the spine’s tip from the Fili’s. I could go with a little more angle, but works for now. Still undecided on the scale work- currently on the side of doing some modification on the wedge end...
Clauss is all about the scales. The smallness and roundness of the blade drove me away from any traditional shapes. I came up with this... The top and bottom radius’s are copied straight from the other scale, but the end just gives it the aggressive look I was going for. I got excited, so created the molds for the wood/resin scales and poured them last night (sorry for the lighting). Plan is to have a blackish copper at the pivot and transition to wood at the wedge. I cut the wood design and taped it to aluminum foil. Then mixed the Gede 2 part crystal resin, adding the Pearl Ex Carbon black and Super copper pigment powder. Being not sure what I’ll do for a wedge, I made that little square with the left over concoction.
And the Wade & Butcher is going to break me. I have been working this the past two weekends... sandpaper and a vibratory tumbler to give me a rest. The blade face is SO uneven and realistically is a great candidate for a regrind. But since I don’t have that capability, I will keep plugging away. Some may say I should try and set a bevel to see if it is worth the time... that would be the smart thing... but why would I do it the smart way????? The latest... And the reverse. A LOT of work ahead! But might as well think of scales. I thought traditional horn or maybe another resin/wood hybrid, but then I thought a dark wood would be a nice middle ground... maybe Macassar Ebony or Cocobolo. Yeah, leaning that way.
Thank you Randy. Any thoughts on the Gold 14 scale? Trash them or modify? They are nothing special - just plastic, but in good shape. I had a weird idea to do a beach scene... just got back from a vaca and collected mini shells. Thought I could use them, some beach sand, and encase in a resin. Put light wood on the bottom for the beach, and then use a Blue transitioning to clear. No clue how this would really work?!!???
Think I’d do it last. Like you said, the scales look good and don’t need replacement, but there is nothing special about them. The other scales you are working on look bad to the bone. I think I would work on those other razors that definitely need scales and see how they come out and how excited you are do do another set before deciding. Having said that, if it were me, I’d probably reason that out as the right call and then launch into something unchartered anyway. (Besides, that’d be more fun to watch).
Following for sure. The w&b looks like it will be a headache to clean up completely by hand. I have tried a few like that and have decided to leave some of the imperfections on it just to save etching and to keep the integrity of the stamping and overall size of the blade. But it does look like it’s coming along nicely. The scales you have started making should turn out amazing. And for the scales on the 14 if you modify the existing ones the pivot end would be easier since the pin is closer to the end.
While the Clauss scales are forming, went after the W&B scales. I think these are Cocobolo but not completely sure as they were part of a large lot. Beautiful black with streaks of reddish brown and very hard. Had a couple of thoughts for the shape... Went with the bottom one. I used the coping saw to cut my shape and a 60 then 120 grit sanding drum on a dremel to finish. Taped them together and hand sanded with 220 then 400. I decided to start the CA glue finish. I think it will make the brown pop. Tom
Now off to see if I can shorten some “14” scales... Oh, and here is a picture of the mold for the Clauss scales:
So interesting enough the wedge pin was about 1/16” closer to the end then the pivot pin on the Gold 14, so I went after that end. My goal was just to close this gap and keep the original wedge for ease of work, if possible. I needed 5/16” of less real estate. This was a pain to remove the wedge pin and wedge for that matter - some serious glue. Finally got it out and repositioned... and used glue too. Then did a quick pin to provide stability for the removal of the end. Then proceeded to cut with a dremel... did you know this was flammable?!?!?? I do now. The rest went off pretty uneventfully... sanded through 1000 wet. Gap closed. Not great but not bad. Time for some more glue on the wood scales... Tom.
One down with two to go... Gold “14” is sharpened and did well for the shave. I might go back and try to put the contour back along the scales edge. I tried blending but it looks fat to me by the wedge. Just don’t want it to catch fire again... though it was sort of cool... for a millisecond . On the 3rd or 4th application of CA glue to the wood scales and the resin is still tacky for the Clauss. Normally 72 hours is good but maybe I messed up the resin:hardener ratio.
Update on the 2 pairs of scales... W&B wood ones: All week I have been throwing on 2 or 3 coats of thin super glue, letting that dry, and then sanding with 400. I probably did that about 5 times. The 5th time I sanded quickly with 400, but then spent most of my time at 600 & 800. I knew I didn’t have a good surface to move on, but I got impatient and reasoned that the blade will have flaws, so it will be okay. Not so much... . I liked how the coloring was showing up so went 1000/1500/2000 and then Turtlewax rubbing compound and Flitz. I do think it will look nice when I go back and do it right. The Clauss: The resin scales are out of the aluminum foil mold but weirdly still tacky. I could probably get away with cutting out the shape but don’t want to risk it. Here is how I was thinking I would orient the wood: Still plugging away! Tom.
Wow, those first scales are stunning! The second ones look like they will be too. I have serious razor envy. Nice work, Tom.
Thank you Randy. I will need to go back to 600 or 800 to get rid of those divots/dimples and I knew better than to move on... but I got bored. I guess it can be used to show what happens when you don’t take out all the blemishes. Here is a better look:
Thanks, Tom. I need all the help I can get as a newbie to honing. My experience so far is that information on honing is kind of scattered all over the internet and kind of tough to put all together, so I figured I'd set it up a thread where everyone could ask questions, and participate. Since I'm starting at ground 0, I'd try to set it up for the potential to be a "one stop" reference destination for anyone trying to learn honing or anyone who needed answers to honing questions. If some knowledgeable guys jump in, I think it that could happen. Worst case scenario is that I'll become more competent at honing and avoid some major pitfalls (which is actually already starting to happen). By the way, I'm really following this thread with interest, as if I become competent at restoring a razor or two, replacing old, ugly scales would be the next logical step.
[QUOTE="BaylorGator, post: 1452136] By the way, I'm really following this thread with interest, as if I become competent at restoring a razor or two, replacing old, ugly scales would be the next logical step.[/QUOTE] Once you want to take a stab at scales, hit me up, I would be happy to send you a set of blanks (or two). I got slightly carried away over the years... Tom
Once you want to take a stab at scales, hit me up, I would be happy to send you a set of blanks (or two). I got slightly carried away over the years... View attachment 170400 Tom[/QUOTE] I have that same problem with soaps. Maybe we'll both send each other some flotsam and jetsam from each of our respective hoarding shipwrecks.
Didn’t get a chance to pick up a razor for a while, but jumped back in today. A quick update on the Clauss... I think I did mess up the resin:hardener ratio a little but it still seems to work. Maybe the CA glue finish will strengthen it a little more. So I cut the shape with a coping saw, used a 120 grit dremel sanding drum to rough shape, and then 220/400 paper to get me to this point. Old scales on the left, though pretty sure they were ill fitting replacements. And a quick shot of a mock-up before I start the CA glue process. You can faintly see the copper in the darker mix. I hope it comes out more with the finish. We’ll see. Tom