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New Scales on my Dovo

Hi

I have just picked up a nice Dovo from a local junk shop, I have bought it for my Nephew who has just started DE shaving but wants to progress into Str8’s. The blade is fine and has cleaned and honed up well, but the scales have a lot to be desired. I have ordered a new set of Dovo's Tortoise shell scales from Classic Shaving and was wandering how difficult it is to attach them? It says on the advert that all I have to do is drill a hole in the scales and insert the silver pin supplied. Am I correct in assuming you then simply cut the pin to length and using a hollow nail punch round off the end of the pin until the blade is tight? As this is my first attempt at this sort of thing should I really be doing it, or should I send it off to someone who does?:001_unsur

If the latter, does anyone know someone in the UK that can do the job?

Cheers
 
The 'pins' that are used for razors are actually miniature rivets. There is one side that resembles a miniature nail in that it has an included 'head' on it. Along with this one has some miniature washers.

After suitably drilling the scales to take the pin, one inserts the rivet through it and places the tiny washer around it on the other side, after which one cuts off the pin (using a fine pair of cutters) leaving a tiny bit of extra length. You will have to judge this extra length for yourself. Too little and you won't get a good fastening, too much and it might end up being huge and ungainly looking lump... or even bend over.

One does not use a hollow nail punch for setting these rivets. Instead, a small peening hammer is used to mushroom the little bit of extra pin over the retaining washer, thus forming the fastening. Don't try to mash this down in one blow, as the results will be most disappointing. Tap gently on it over and over to gradually spread the metal.

The rivet at the head end of the razor may be peened down without worry, but fastening the rivet at the tail end of the razor must be approached with a bit more caution. Too loose and your razor will be falling open all the time, too tight and you will have to pry open your razor to use it. Be careful with the hammering, as too heavy a hand on the hammer can tighten the rivets so much that the scales can become damaged or broken. Likewise, be careful that your hammer doesn't accidentally strike either the scales or the blade. Gently, softly is the rule and test the opening action of the blade as you perform the riveting.

Naturally, the head of the rivet on the opposite side of the scales must be supported on something during this process. In the factory I have seen them use a lead block for this purpose, but a small steel anvil or even a suitable scrap of iron might serve as well.

If you are at all worried about this operation, I might suggest that you seek out a good clock repairman, as he would have the necessary skills (and tools) to perform this little operation for you with no trouble at all.

...

Taking off the old scales is no trouble whatsoever. Gently grind off the end(s) of the original rivet at the hinge end of the razor (use a bench grinder, rotary tool, or even a coarse hand stone). If the rivet doesn't pop open by itself at that point, just very gently pry (wiggle) the joint open with a tiny screwdriver or such.

If you are careful with the rivet removal operation you will not damage the original scales so that you can reuse them again. This might be desirable, for example. if you wish to remove the scales temporarily to gain access to the blade for an all-over polish or such.

Pay careful attention when you remove the old scales from the razor. Some razors have been fitted with an extra pair of extremely thin brass washers between the inner sides of the scales and the blade. If this is the case, then save them for reuse. These permit freer movement of the blade and the extra bit of space between scales and blades allows trapped moisture to evaporate more easily.

Good luck !!
 
Great post, ignatz! :thumbup1: I have a couple of sets of ebony scales on the way for two of my Wapienicas. Can you be a little more specific about how much length to allow for when you cut the pin?
 
The 'pins' that are used for razors are actually miniature rivets. There is one side that resembles a miniature nail in that it has an included 'head' on it. Along with this one has some miniature washers.

After suitably drilling the scales to take the pin, one inserts the rivet through it and places the tiny washer around it on the other side, after which one cuts off the pin (using a fine pair of cutters) leaving a tiny bit of extra length. You will have to judge this extra length for yourself. Too little and you won't get a good fastening, too much and it might end up being huge and ungainly looking lump... or even bend over.

One does not use a hollow nail punch for setting these rivets. Instead, a small peening hammer is used to mushroom the little bit of extra pin over the retaining washer, thus forming the fastening. Don't try to mash this down in one blow, as the results will be most disappointing. Tap gently on it over and over to gradually spread the metal.

The rivet at the head end of the razor may be peened down without worry, but fastening the rivet at the tail end of the razor must be approached with a bit more caution. Too loose and your razor will be falling open all the time, too tight and you will have to pry open your razor to use it. Be careful with the hammering, as too heavy a hand on the hammer can tighten the rivets so much that the scales can become damaged or broken. Likewise, be careful that your hammer doesn't accidently strike either the scales or the blade. Gently, softly is the rule and test the opening action of the blade as you perform the riveting.

Naturally, the head of the rivet on the opposite side of the scales must be supported on something during this process. In the factory I have seen them use a lead block for this purpose, but a small steel anvil or even a suitable scrap of iron might serve as well.

If you are at all worried about this operation, I might suggest that you seek out a good clock repairman, as he would have the necessary skills (and tools) to perform this little operation for you with no trouble at all.

Good luck !!

Nothing to it then? Get a big hammer and smash the begeebers out of it!:eek: I like the idea of the Clock Repairer better I know where I can find one of them.:biggrin:

Fantastic reply though, cheers:thumbup1:
 
My scales and tiny 2-oz. ball-peen hammer came in the mail today, so I'll be working on my Wapis this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes. How hard can it be?* :thumbup1:


*Famous last words. :lol:
 
Here is my newly scaled Wapi. Took all of about 20 minutes. The scales were pre-drilled, and the blade fit nicely.

P1000607a_thumb.jpg


P1000605a_thumb.jpg
 
Here is my newly scaled Dovo. Took all of about 20 minutes. The scales were pre-drilled, and the blade fit nicely.

Well done! Maybe I should give it a go, Better go and look for that small hammer I keep for just such occations:biggrin1:
 
It's really no big deal. Getting the washer over the nail was a slight hassle, and the nail really needs to be cut off fairly short -- between 1/8 inch and 1/16 inch. Just pound it down gently and slowly.
 
Great thread. Thanks guys, esp. ignatz. I'm looking to rescale my Wapienicas as well, so the timing couldn't have been better. One question, though: how do you take off the old scales?
 
I would only add that the peening process will go pretty smooth if you use a small ballpeen hammer. Use the round end. This will sound wierd, but if you polish the head of the hammer, it will work better.

Use only taps of the hammer with the amount of force that you would voluntarily hit the end of your fingers with it. It may take 100 taps, or more, to properly peen the head of the pin, depending upon the material the pin is made out of. One trick is to heat the pin red hot and let it air cool before using it. This will put the metal in an annealed state and make it more malleable.

The reason for the soft taps of the hammer is so that the pin does not bend in between the scales and create an offset of the matching ends of the scales. A bent pin can also cause a blade to hug one side of the scales when it is closed. (The other reason for a hugging blade is a bent blade tang)

The length of exposed pin past the washer should around 1mm. Slightly less than a sixteenth for those of us who don't do mm's. Thats a solid 1mm, by the way. If you use large cutters, make the protrusion longer and then grind or sand the end of the pin down square to the 1mm measurement.
 
Thanks Bill, Really useful information. I’ve decided I am definitely going to have a go myself when the scales arrive. I have learnt a lot in this post and I now feel confident I should be ok. Thank you to one and all.:smile:
 
Bill, I got a slight offset in my efforts, though happily the blade is perfectly centered. Is there a way to correct that without replacing the pin? What source do you use for supplies, including wood, and what sizes do you use for pins and washers? Also, if you are using rod stock, do you peen one end before installing the pin?
 
Bill, I got a slight offset in my efforts, ...It got that way because you hit the pin too hard... though happily the blade is perfectly centered. Is there a way to correct that without replacing the pin? Probably not... What source do you use for supplies, including wood, and what sizes do you use for pins and washers? Also, if you are using rod stock, do you peen one end before installing the pin?
I couldn't be sure unless I had it in my mitts, but it doesn't sound like you can fix it without putting in another pin.
  • I cut my own wood from larger stock... run a search on ebay for exotic wood or knife scales to find sizes close to what you need
  • Use any metal 1/16 rod from a hobby shop
  • Get your #0 washers at microfasteners
  • And, of course, detailed instructions are here. :biggrin:
Oh... yes, I do peen/mushroom one side of the pin first, then I put on a washer and run the rod/washer through the hole. Cut the pinning material to length as stated above, and peen that side.
 
Hi,

I just thought I would update this as the replacement scales arrived in the post today from USA. Having read the advice given, I decided that I would have a go myself and had already got the hammer from out local hardware shop. I was amazed at how ease it all was really, I followed the instructions to the letter and it all went perfectly. The blade now looks 'right hansom' so cheers for the help :thumbup:
The razor will be off to my Nephew very soon who I hope will be a new convert to our noble art.
 
Hooray! :thumbup: Soon you'll be making your own scales! The replacement scales really improve the Wapis, IMO. I won't shave with the original metal scales anymore. It pretty much cuts the weight in half and makes for a much more balanced instrument.
 
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