DIY Acrylic scales

**onimaru55** · 10-31-2010, 05:19 PM

Nice tutorial Legion.
The only problem with gluing in the wedge all nice & square is that not all razors are perfectly straight. Traditionally wedges were not glued because it is easier to compensate for warped blades & bent tangs if the scales & wedge can move during the pinning.

**Legion** · 11-01-2010, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Nice tutorial Legion.
The only problem with gluing in the wedge all nice & square is that not all razors are perfectly straight. Traditionally wedges were not glued because it is easier to compensate for warped blades & bent tangs if the scales & wedge can move during the pinning.

Good advice! Thanks Oz.

What order would you drill and peen the different holes and pins to compensate for this?

**johnmrson** · 11-01-2010, 01:29 AM

I bought a coping saw and a couple of sanding blocks today ready for having a go in the next week or so at making a basic set of scales.

**Muscles** · 11-01-2010, 01:42 AM

Originally Posted by legion

Hopefully this has helped someone and not been too confusing. If you have any questions or noticed things I have obviously left out feel free to comment or PM me.

Awesome work champ! It helped me decide I don't have the patience or the tools for doing it so thanks! Also, I have a question, are you taking requests?

**onimaru55** · 11-01-2010, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by legion

Good advice! Thanks Oz.

What order would you drill and peen the different holes and pins to compensate for this?

No problemo amigo.
Drilling order is immaterial & peening order would be as usual with the exception of not fully tightening up the wedge spacer. You can then flex the scales into the right shape for the blade as you peen. A bit like doing up wheel nuts. A little extra play in the drilled holes can help too. If the blade is real bad you may end up having to refinish the wedge end of the scales.
I think some of the warped scales we see may have been fitted that way to compensate for the blade.

**Legion** · 11-01-2010, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by Muscles

Awesome work champ! It helped me decide I don't have the patience or the tools for doing it so thanks! Also, I have a question, are you taking requests?

Ha!

I have a few too many projects of my own half done to be hanging out the "open for business" sign just at the moment. Give me a couple of months to get my affairs in order though, and I might be able to accommodate you.

Oh, and John. Well done. Can't wait to see some photos.

**Legion** · 11-06-2010, 06:54 PM

OK. The tutorial about making your own pins and peening is at last done. It is over here.

**azmark** · 11-06-2010, 07:07 PM

Love the fact you used an actual wedge.

Very well done!

**nipper** · 11-10-2010, 09:55 PM

Fantastic,another great tutorial.Thanks for sharing it with us.

**Christopher_loaf** · 12-13-2010, 10:52 AM

Ok one question though, how exactally is the wedge supposed to go into the scales? 1/8 inch back? 1/16? You said to just put it in there but I don't know/understand how far back it's supposed to sit, how thick the thick side is supposed to be etc. This would help me greatly! Thanks!!!

Chris

**Munxcub** · 12-13-2010, 11:46 AM

What do you mean how far back? It should be flush at the tip, and goes in towards the blade as far as it can/you want without interfering with the blade closing.

**Legion** · 12-13-2010, 01:36 PM

The thick part of the wedge is about 1/8" thick usually, the thickness of the acrylic. There is nothing to stop you sanding it thinner if you want to, and you have a really thin blade. How deep it fits into the scales is really a matter of aesthetics. It can vary from razor to razor but I guess they are usually around 1/2" long? There is no hard and fast rule, though the more acutely tapered they are, the longer they would have to be, so the scales do not have to bow so much. If that makes sense.

**Christopher_loaf** · 12-14-2010, 02:25 PM

Munxcub and Legion, thanks! Both answered my question and made sense. Basically they go in to keep the scales from bowing and as far back as I'd like assuming they don't interfere with the blade. My next question is, how to you get the blade to stop "in" the scales instead of just pivoting all the way through? I know these are dumb-@$$ questions but I'm a rookie when it comes to making anything with a straight razor.

**Munxcub** · 12-14-2010, 02:27 PM

The gap between the scales is wider than the blade, narrower than the spine. It just gets stuck. Make sure you make them deep enough that the edge doesn't hang out the bottom when it gets to that point.

I found tracing my blade on paper and sketching my scale design around it to be a pretty fool proof approach. (got that from Undream's video series before this thread existed)

**Christopher_loaf** · 12-14-2010, 08:05 PM

Fantastic, sounds fun to do actually. I can't wait to get started. I have some purple heart and black walnut to work with!

**azmark** · 12-14-2010, 08:11 PM

And don't forget.....................

Taper Your Wedges

**rambus007** · 12-24-2010, 03:09 AM

Originally Posted by azmark

And don't forget.....................

Taper Your Wedges

+1 It's important but I can't explain the scientific reason!

**danielcv** · 12-30-2010, 09:09 AM

very nice work sir.

**Munxcub** · 12-31-2010, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by rambus007

+1 It's important but I can't explain the scientific reason!

I don't know if this is right or not, but in my head it checks out. Taper the wedge and it makes the scales slightly bowed out, when you flip the blade around to shave position, instead of adding tension to the scales, it takes them more to neutral.

Also, the bowing out creates more space for centering the blade.

That could be right out of'r but it makes sense to me and just plain looks great.