Scale Replacement - Difficulty / Tools Required

Esoteric83 · Post by **Esoteric83** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:40 pm

I have a couple older blades I would like to replace the scales on using something like the TI kits sold by Classic ~

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/i ... 517458.htm

Three questions:

1) What is the difficulty?

More importantly,

2) Are there special tools required to do this?

3 ) Is the factory hardware (pins, I apologize if I don't know the trade name) reusable?

I'll probably try this one one of the cheaper scale sets, but I would like to pair those ram horns scales with a Dubl Duck Pearledge.

Thanks!

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:04 pm

From the Advanced Guide to Straight Razors:

Someone wrote:It won’t be long before you decide to change the scales on an older razor, either because of damage to the existing scales, or simply because you fancy dressing it up a bit. This is a relatively easy task, but you do have to proceed slowly and carefully. I do it in these steps:
1. Put electrician's tape all around the pin you are going to remove.
2. File down the beaten end of the rivet with a small rat-tail file. Go slowly and carefully, the idea is not to damage the scales. Some people use a Dremel for this, but I find myself damaging the scales too easily, and I might want to put them back or use them on another razor.
3. Knock out the old pin using a nail as a punch and a small hammer.
4. Dry fit the new pin, blade and scales together. Check for the blade not catching on the scales. If it is off centre and does catch a scale, you can put a small brass washer on the pin, between the tang and the OPPOSITE scale and see if this allows the blade to close without catching.
5. Tape the scales and blade in the closed position. Try to make sure the tape is tightly holding the scales onto the tang at the pivot - this will save labour later. Make sure you have tape around the collar - it might save a dent if you are careless in hammering. When ready, add the collar to the protruding end of the pin, and cut the pin off just above the collar. I find the wire cutter in the jaws of a pair of pliers is recessed just enough to give about 1/8" pin protruding above the collar.
6. Start gently tapping the pin to rivet the end, using a combination of both flat and ball ends of a small ballpeen hammer. The aim is to make it tight enough to have some resistance to movement at all parts of the travel.
7. If you find it tight enough at some part of the blades travel, but loose at another, open the blade to the place where it is loose, and then hammer the pin a little more with the blade in this position. This will take up the slack available, without extreme overtightening in the rest of the blade’s travel..

By the time you have done this on two or three razors you should be able to do it without any accidents. So don’t go changing the scales on your very best razor as your first attempt!

It's not hard, but it does take a certain minimum of handiness, and it is definitely not smart to learn on your best razor!

Chris

Esoteric83 · Post by **Esoteric83** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:12 pm

Sweet, thanks.

matt321 · Post by **matt321** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:32 pm

Check to see if the replacement scales are pre-drilled for the pivot pin. If not you would need a drill press for that. I think Dovo replacement scales are pre-drilled and TI scales are not.

I've removed scales only about a half dozen times, but the thing that worked best for me was a Dremel with a cuttoff wheel. I just lightly touch the pin head with the edge of the cutoff wheel as if you were trying to cut a slot in it. Use a very light touch and keep grinding the pin with the edge of the spinning wheel until it is completely removed.

loueedacat1 · Post by **loueedacat1** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:55 am

what's the collar?

BruceA · Post by **BruceA** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:08 am

loueedacat1 wrote:what's the collar?

louee,

It could the washer, or in old speak, the burr.

lordjohn · Post by **lordjohn** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:11 am

The collar is a small "washer" which secures the pin and lies on top of the scales being placed prior to peening the pin. Some pins only need one collar as they are like small nails. The method of pin removal I have found best is the use of flush cutters. These are like wire cutters but have no bevel. If the old pin with its head (above the collar) is proud enough..so far this has always worked with me but care is needed and the tape Chris suggests may not be used with this technique..you sneak the cutters under the pin head and snip it off (safety specs needed as the metal chip flies off vertically or place hand over work). Then punch out the pin as described.

matt321 · Post by **matt321** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:55 pm

lordjohn wrote: The method of pin removal I have found best is the use of flush cutters. These are like wire cutters but have no bevel.

Where to get?

lordjohn · Post by **lordjohn** » Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:16 pm

Good hardware shops selling tools here in the UK stock them so I guess they are easily obtained elsewhere. You have to ensure there is no bevel so that the cutters are able to engage on the small protruberance of the pin. In fact I got mine from a local DIY bead shop.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:22 am

matt321 wrote:
lordjohn wrote: The method of pin removal I have found best is the use of flush cutters. These are like wire cutters but have no bevel.
Where to get?

I found the flush cutter at Home Depot. It was back in the hobby area, in a blister pack with another similar cutter. I searched a lot of hardware stores and this is the only place that had them. The difference is critical, when comparing the flush cutter with normal wire cutters. Normal wire cutters are NOT going to cut flush, which is absolutely necessary for removing the pin.