Today's Plundering

[hutch--]

Graham,

Have you found the model number yet. Usually stamped on the inside of the hinge. They look like a 5N but being made in the 1950s, it may have a different number on it.

[Schneiderfrei]

Hi Hutch the number was 4.

They are being sharpened at the moment.

I wanted to ask you if there was a special paint for the handles?

G

[Futura]

Is it a japanned finish?

[Schneiderfrei]

You can have any colour, so long as it is Black!

That is a good suggestion Futura.

What do you think Hutch?

[Futura]

Happy to help!

When I handed my shear collection over to Ernest Wright for refurbishing a while back, they offered to redo the finish on one pair's handles and referred to it as japanning.

[Futura]

I wonder if the term might be used broadly. Some of the images that come up as being japanned don't look the same. Interesting. Do let me know what you use to redo the handles!

[hutch--]

Graham, use a 2 pack polyeurothane, a very good match for new black Japan but far more robust. Don't pain over the old stuff, scrape it all off and scrub it up as smooth as you can get it as it looks so much better that way. The later 4N shears are very good, excellent hard blades and good blade geometry. Your great grand kids will be able to open tin cans with them. 

[Schneiderfrei]

Ok, I hope you won't be cross.  My toolmaker friend advised me to soak the parts in weak acetic acid (yes, vinegar), they were quite rusted.  2 days later scrubbed all the residue off, they look good: nice straight blaes, not very much pitting.  Then I took them to Butlers. He is a good worker, I discussed not removing too much steel.  He has declined from Hollow grinding them, but polished up the blade edges.  They cut well though the edges have moderate pitting still.  That leaves me the option of getting him to hollow grind when the thing eventually gives me the pip.

Do you have any thoughts?

Ps thanks for the background on the model No.

G

[hutch--]

The basic are that if they do the job you want, that is all you need. If the inside faces polished up OK, you don't need to hollow grind them, its mainly if the blade faces are badly pitted that you need to do that. Just be careful with the soaking them in acetic acid, you must fully neutralise them after to avoid further corrosion.

[Schneiderfrei]

Yes, I did a final soak in bicarb. Thoroughly rinsed in water, hand and air dried and dressed in light machine oil.

My toolmaker friend  says that If you time it right you can open up the rust matix and fill it in with oil.

It's a bit late but I will post some photos tomorrow.

G

[Schneiderfrei]

Here are the Wiss N4 shears I showed above.  Sharpened but with minimal other shaping - yet. Not until they are too uncomfortable to use.

[hutch--]

They have shaped up well, as long as they cut the way you want, there is little reason to do much more (apart from lubricating the hinge).