Tonight, I took the razor off of these scales (first picture in the thread) http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21380&highlight=wade+butcher I intended to put them on a pair of Dovo red pakkawood scales like these http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/523001/312576.htm that I had modified with a brass oval plate on each side (one for my father and one for my grandfather) engraved the US Navy ship and ship designation that each one served on. Well, I got the razor off the old black scales and put them on the red scales only to find out the razor wouldn't close. Turns out the old W&B from the first thread is longer than the scales and when I tried to close it, the razor touched the wedge. I took the wedge off and put the pin in so I could see how much clearance I had. It turns out that because of the barber's notch, I can't even clear the pin. So I measured the black scales the razor came with at the antique shop and the scales measure 5 6/8". Now how do I fix this? I ruined the old scales because I was going to replace them anyway so I can't put the blade back into the black scales. I don't know where to get a pair of scales with a brass spacer that will fit the W&B blade. I could drill a new pivot hole in the W&B but I think that would make the tang stick out too far and look too odd for my taste. I just measured the full length of the W&B from end of tang to razor tip and it's 5 6/8" long, which is the same length of the old black scales. I wanted to keep the red scales with the brass plates for my daily use razor. I can't pull the plates off as they were epoxied on by someone at work. They are not coming off without damage. Help, please.
Going back quite a ways... This thread is one of my first restore threads over on SRP...it gives a unique perspective about those Dovo Pakkawood scales.. I don't know if it will help much ... http://www.straightrazorplace.com/forums/workshop/14362-re-placing-scales.html
Nice info, Glen but not much help here. Not sure if it will make a difference to add that I'm not using standard pins, rather I'm using the bolts and nuts that are adjustable which come from Micro Fastners. I've used them before and like them better than the standard pin that has to be peened over the washer. Thinking more about this, I think my easiest solution will be to have a new pair of scales made for the W&B and keep the pakkawood with the Dovo razor. I don't know how much a new pair would cost (many variables I'm sure) and I know I couldn't make them. There was a place it CT called Gentlemens' Best. They have a website that used to offer scales in different shapes and sizes but the owner has taken ill and the site is not accepting orders at this point. If I could get a pair of nice but plain scales to fit and then find a way to remove the brass plates from my pakkawood scales, I could always have them re-epoxied onto the new set of scales but I don't know if I could get them removed since it was professional grade epoxy. I'll have to ask our expert at work. Maybe she could do with without damaging the plates. As Commander Data would say.. Processing, processing...processing.
Glen, Let me take some pictures after work of the W&B in the red scales. I'll post them for you to look at. When I go to close the razor, it touches the top of the wedge by what looks to be betwwen 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch. Of course, I'm concerned about what the final overage would be as the arc continues downward toward the botttom of the scale. I'll get some pictures up by late tomorrow night and, if I can, I'll include a ruler next to it. Problem is, I've not encountered this problem so I might be making a mountain out of a mole hill and there's a real simple fix.
If it is over 1/8 then what I was thinking wont work. Often times if they are just barely missing then you can square up the Barbers notch just a touch and drop them right in.. those notches were pretty square when they started life they tended to get rounded as the honing progressed .. But with that large of a miss then you would be changing to much of the contour... Sorry.. Is there room on the far side of the pivot to drill a longer hole and fill the first one ??????
pictures finally sorry for the incredibly long delay. Other priorities cropped up. Here is a picture of the razor with the tip of the razor hitting the spacer. I need just a little more room and the blade would fit but I don't think I can make the room for it.
can you trim the wedge a bit to allow for the blade? Looking at the picture it wouldn't take a whole lot of effort. just a thought.
I don't think so. I try to see where the blade ends up fully closed and I see the very tip, coming down from the barber's notch, extends even beyond the shaving edge, which would put the razor such that it would be nearly in line with the pin hole. Someone might be able to redrill the pin hole and take some metal of the rounded side of the wedge but I can't do that.
Update I took another look and found some wiggle room so I drilled a new pin hole. Using the micro washers with the new pin, the original holes are barely noticeable (at least on one side). My father used his power grinder to grind down the excess wedge material that resulted from shifting the wedge more toward the end of the scales. I have >< this much room between end of razor and the wedge. Take a look.
