Horn scales

[buddydog]

How do you straighten warped ones?

[Munxcub]

I think soaking in hot water softens them up and you can reshape them. There are a few posts around here somewhere. Aim for several rounds of minor adjustments if there is a lot to move. Otherwise you could break them.

[Harvitz81]

I think soaking in hot water softens them up and you can reshape them. There are a few posts around here somewhere. Aim for several rounds of minor adjustments if there is a lot to move. Otherwise you could break them.

This - I soak in hot to boiling water for 10-20 second and then put them on a flat surface with heavy books on them (for horn blanks). Takes a couple treatments. If they are already in the shape of scale I just slowly warp them back to shape by the same method except slightly bending them to shape after the hot water soak.

[onimaru55]

Just playing devil's advocate here but if you're working on a Sheffield wedge with a warped blade &/or asymmetrically ground tang, straightening the scales will still see you with a razor that won't centre on closing. Sometimes you have to bend the scales to shape around the blade.

[dirtychrome]

I steam over put of boiling water, press between wood slabs over the steaming water and let cool off a few days. If dont want wood grain press marks into the horn, I'll put some g10 on each side of the horn in the press.

If blade warped, with true scales few things to consider. Make sure its not the pivot hole that is worn. If so, put a brass tube(or multi telescoping) in the pivot hole and I'll peen to tighten. Pay attention if blade not centering due to peening technique. If blade is warped, you can use caution to straighten tang. A no risk alternative is place an extra washer on the side of pivot that has the larger gap of the off centered blade.

[Legion]

I just did some while they were still on the razor. I just put wooden skewers in between the scales to bend them to the correct position, then steamed them over the kettle a few times. When they cooled they stayed in the corrected position.

[honed]

Just playing devil's advocate here but if you're working on a Sheffield wedge with a warped blade &/or asymmetrically ground tang, straightening the scales will still see you with a razor that won't centre on closing. Sometimes you have bend the scales to shape around the blade.

IMO there is often a reason behind that the scales have warped in the first place. And that reason is described very well by the gentleman above!

[onimaru55]

IMO there is often a reason behind that the scales have warped in the first place. And that reason is described very well by the gentleman above!

Allow me to elucidate even further. Apart from obvious warping from heat or sunlight this is what honed & I are talking about.
Even 5 washers on one side of the pivot would not centre this one.

[Legion]

Yikes! That must have been made after an 8 pint lunch.

The warped scales I just fixed looked like this. They are perfectly straight now. Skewers, rubber bands and steam.

[onimaru55]

Yikes! That must have been made after an 8 pint lunch.

It's a T.I. so must have been 8 pints of Pernod or Pastis

[Legion]

It's a T.I. so must have been 8 pints of Pernod or Pastis

Remind me to tell you about the time we were drinking schooners of cognac.

(No kids, it's not funny OR clever to drink schooners of cognac. It did not end well.)

[onimaru55]

Remind me to tell you about the time we were drinking schooners of cognac.

Hopefully razors were all put away beforehand

[buddydog]

I might just leave it alone....
It works fine the way it is.

[onimaru55]

I might just leave it alone....
It works fine the way it is.

Often a wise choice. If it ain't broke :)