Wow, cheap horn scales

**leighton** · 07-16-2009, 04:33 PM

So I was just checking out some razor pictures and then I kept scrolling down and noticed the real horn scales offerings. Under $50 for what looks like brand new horn scales.

Anyway, the seller is a forum member at another site and I trust her. She also writes perfect English, so you can communicate with her directly.

Just thought I'd let everyone know there really are inexpensive horn scales to be had. Just not in the US apparently. :) But I'm sure Olivia's shipping prices are at least reasonable or maybe someone will get a group buy going.

http://www.oliviaseife.de/messer.htm Scroll to bottom. She even has antler and some sort of natural looking white stuff.

**joshmpdx** · 07-16-2009, 04:41 PM

Olivia is a member at B&B under the same name. She is very nice and has a great tallow based cream/soap.

**professorchaos** · 07-16-2009, 04:46 PM

Did you see that Wade & Butcher "The Ottoman Egyptian and Royal Windsor Razor" in the "My Collection" section? I want.

The natural whitish scales look like bone to me.

**leighton** · 07-16-2009, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by professorchaos

Did you see that Wade & Butcher "The Ottoman Egyptian and Royal Windsor Razor" in the "My Collection" section? I want.

The natural whitish scales look like bone to me.

I can't read German. :( Got the link?

**professorchaos** · 07-16-2009, 05:27 PM

I cannot read German either! Got frustrated looking at the razors, the razor rolls, scales and pastes and not knowing what they said. So I cheated...click HERE and you can cheat too.

**The Knize** · 07-16-2009, 05:28 PM

Your Deutsch may be better than mine--not a tough feat--but, no, I could not find that. Or find anything much on razors on the in sight in English. [And you all type faster than me, too!]

Looks like lots of fun stuff on there, though. Are those razor rolls for $3.50 Euros? Not bad.

The soaps sound amazing. Is she saying her Bay Rum is "the typical spicy carnation scent." had not thought of bay rum as smelling quite like carnations, but what the heck. And the "Masculine scent of . . . spikenard." And Myrhh. "stranded Bavarian in Berlin, Germany, she says.

I am impressed--if not falling in love. Very nice looking items.

**professorchaos** · 07-16-2009, 05:39 PM

Her bay rum soap is among the best smelling things ever! At least until someone makes a cooked bacon scented soap.

Here is the picture, hope she doesn't mind... Razor on the top.

**leighton** · 07-16-2009, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by professorchaos

Her bay rum soap is among the best smelling things ever! At least until someone makes a cooked bacon scented soap.

Here is the picture, hope she doesn't mind... Razor on the top.

I've seen that before. I agree, it looks awesome.

**The Knize** · 07-16-2009, 06:54 PM

That razor is amazing, and I am always up for trying a new bay rum anything. "Spicey carnation" sounds fabulous. How come we do not hear about carnation along with the other floral scents anyway!? Seems like a great scent to me! All of her scent descriptions even in the roughest of translations sounded great!

**professorchaos** · 07-17-2009, 08:27 AM

Her Myrhhe and Dark Rhassoul are pretty damn good too. They really shine in the winter.

**gratewhitehuntr** · 07-17-2009, 08:31 AM

Olivia

is that $50 or E50 ?

**SavantStrike** · 07-17-2009, 12:03 PM

Hot dang!

I had no idea Olivia made soaps and scales.

**Fnord5** · 07-19-2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by professorchaos

did you see that wade & butcher "the ottoman egyptian and royal windsor razor" in the "my collection" section? I want.

+1

**Leon** · 07-22-2009, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by SavantStrike

Hot dang!

I had no idea Olivia made soaps and scales.

I already knew. The scales are definitely worth to try. Much cheaper than the TI's, for example. There is in fact a lack of scale suppliers. Anyone who wants a new set of scale either buys a cheap plastic scales, a more expensive TI set or get an even more expensive custom made scales.

**ambrose** · 07-22-2009, 08:05 AM

If you look at the black horn ones you can see that the only one thats usable is the center one. The others are warped, Im only saying this because I have used black horn and had only 4 of 10 sets usable. I am personally not going to be using any horn any longer. I know lax1mxr has placed some horn projects on the back burner for the same reason. I just wanted to say something in case someone goes through the trouble of getting some in and they are disappointed when their blades dont center. None the less a great price and great find, thank you for sharing I hope no one takes this the wrong way.

**English** · 07-22-2009, 01:04 PM

Thanks, really thanks Ambrose.

I've always wanted to use horn but I never knew what to look for.

**leighton** · 07-22-2009, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by ambrose

If you look at the black horn ones you can see that the only one thats usable is the center one. The others are warped, Im only saying this because I have used black horn and had only 4 of 10 sets usable. I am personally not going to be using any horn any longer. I know lax1mxr has placed some horn projects on the back burner for the same reason. I just wanted to say something in case someone goes through the trouble of getting some in and they are disappointed when their blades dont center. None the less a great price and great find, thank you for sharing I hope no one takes this the wrong way.

I am always disappointed when my blades don't center. Then I boil the scales for 10 seconds and straighten them.

Alright, its a crummy thing to have to do, but it works.

Just throwing that out there for anyone having trouble with that. Its better if you boil them after depinning and stick them in between two hard, straight objects. They get all flimsy and papery sometimes. Not for the inexperienced.

**ambrose** · 07-22-2009, 03:31 PM

If that works thats cool, I have found it likes to go back to its warped state over time. YMMV

**leighton** · 07-22-2009, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by ambrose

If that works thats cool, I have found it likes to go back to its warped state over time. YMMV

Hmmm...

Now I'm going to have to see if that is the case all the time. Maybe old horn behaves differently. I haven't had that happen to me.

I suppose, worst case scenario would be having to redo it every few months or so. It doesn't harm the blade, but I question what it does to the scales.

**The Knize** · 07-22-2009, 04:40 PM

I just ordered up a bunch of soap and the like from Olivia. She was great to deal with and I will report further when it gets here. I exchanged some e-mail with her, and apparently the bay rum soap has carnation fragrance added, and I think someone else said it was wonderful. I am excited about that one. I am a big bay rum fan, but no bay rum per se has even had much tenacity on me that did not seem to be more cinnamon and cloves that actual bay laurel. I like the Ogallala takes on bay rum with lime and sandalwood okay, and am a really big fan of their regular bay rum soap/shampoo bar--I know that some folks adore the lime AS--but I am thinking a floral and bay rum might be just the ticket!

I have been following Ambrose's commentary on using horn to rather much disappointment frankly. A very good looking scale material, but it is sounding like it is really not very practical for that purpose. I guess I am not completely surprised. Horn is pretty porous, if I recall and it is a pretty long way from something like ivory. Closer to a hoof than to a tusk, isn't it, not that ivory does not have its strengths and weaknesses. Oh well. I do appreciate the masters of this stuff being willing to talk openly about these things, including how they do it!