I've snapped two blanks during fabrication... Not to mention it's not very attractive... It looks like brown blobs in acrylic rather than tortoise shell
Finally decided on rescale materials for twin MK31's
- Thread starter Antique Hoosier
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I've snapped two blanks during fabrication... Not to mention it's not very attractive... It looks like brown blobs in acrylic rather than tortoise shell
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- #42
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Sourcing just the right dark tortoise as in the genuine scales is not going to be easy. I will have to honestly consider alternatives no doubt.
Oh man that's a gorgeous blade. It looks like it's part of a 7 day set too 
Mike,
you can just defer to mycarver if he says something can or can't be done. If that's who's going to do the work, then it'll get done right. If you try this yourself, however, I'd be careful about getting the acrylics too thin on razor scales. I've done a bunch of them in acrylic and rescaled stuff in horn and bone (and of course I own a few ivory ones) and the acrylic is highly susceptible to snapping. It's nowhere near as ductile as any of the natural materials. One of my favorite sets of scales actually cracked at the pivot pin days later just sitting in a drawer. I'd put the pin hole too near the end and combined with the stress from the peening there just wasn't enough mass to handle it.
you can just defer to mycarver if he says something can or can't be done. If that's who's going to do the work, then it'll get done right. If you try this yourself, however, I'd be careful about getting the acrylics too thin on razor scales. I've done a bunch of them in acrylic and rescaled stuff in horn and bone (and of course I own a few ivory ones) and the acrylic is highly susceptible to snapping. It's nowhere near as ductile as any of the natural materials. One of my favorite sets of scales actually cracked at the pivot pin days later just sitting in a drawer. I'd put the pin hole too near the end and combined with the stress from the peening there just wasn't enough mass to handle it.
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- #45
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Mark, I am definitely NOT attempting a rescale on these on my own as they are too precious. Mycarver would be my first choice. These are a lifetime set of Heljestrands as a pair. I will take the time and make the proper selection of craftsman...not me!
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- #46
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Rob, this is one of Henry's (professorchaos) Helje's. It does appear to be a part of a seven day set this one being Monday. I borrowed his photo for illustrative purposes. Seems modern technology has not replicated a proper color and mottling of tortoise so the search will be not an easy one. I am going to correspond with some custom knife makers who source their scales from various vendors.
Oh man that's a gorgeous blade. It looks like it's part of a 7 day set too
And I'm going to have federal authorities up the watch at all known turtle nesting grounds just in case anyone gets any ideas.
[This post was meant to be humorous. If it was not, then please remove before spoilage occurs.]
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Very nice!
Hey! Thanks for reminding me of that razor. I'm going to use it tomorrow.
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- #50
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Lucky Dog!
Btw my ivory scales are 0.065" thick for reference
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- #52
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Photos?
Blade is thicker than
Scales put together
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- #54
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Here are some really thin ivory scales that my Mappin & Webb Nulli Secundus had original.... I wouldn't mind scales this thin on the Helje's
Yeah I think thin was the name of the game with ivory as it is brittle and thick ones would require too much force to curve for scales... I also notice no bolsters on a lot of ivory scales as the force spread by the peening transferred to the bolsters could crack the scales?? Dunno
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- #56
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
Echanged a few emails with Mark (mycarver)...... I probably JUMPED the gun on deciding on faux tortoise...seems very hard to source and perhaps these Swedish blades deserve much better than plastique anyway huh? Natural materials seem to make more sense. I am thinking perhaps contrasting...Ebony/Ivory...Or maybe even Bone or Horn. Back to the drawing board.
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- #57
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
My guidelines are ...... Must not "gild the lilly"
Very nice looking material, and I think it will compliment the fantastic MK razors you are looking to rescale.
I say go for the tortoise shell it'll be unique! I'll try laminating two pieces of my tortuga scraps together than sanding that transition and seeing how it looks ... Will report back
Those scales could have come off my Aspreys. Thickness of a dime. And, since Mike insists on pics, I took a few before he had a chance to scold me. You can see the dime in the pic near the tang on the left razor and near the wedge in the third pic also on the left razor. Keep in mind that those scales, on the left, are holding a 7/8ths blade. I think it would be hard to replicate this degree of thinness with bone or horn, but if anyone can, it's Mark.
