W&B Chort Chop

I have had this blade for ages, and always think what a nice shaver it would be.
Finally, I did something about it! :D
This 8/8 thing was reground by an absolute master back when. It must have been truly huge as it was made, The spine has an absolute 5/16 width and a huge tang, and when measuring my other "barber's use" blades, they are all 1/4! It lost some length for whatever reason. It seems common for the regrinders to have cut them short. I always wondered! I now know why!
As I wanted to make an original-looking "beater" out of it, I bought a big barber's use with a cracked heel and damaged scales up top for the purpose. The blade has gone to a member in Canada to work his magic on healing heels!Attachment 138068Attachment 138069Attachment 138070Attachment 138071Attachment 138072Attachment 138073Attachment 138074Attachment 138075 The scales had to be shortened to the pin-hole which took off 1/2 inch. Measuring this blade against my FBU's gave this one a length of 3/8 short. It was gonna be close! I chopped them off, shaped as best I could to original shape and cleaned, sanded, and polished, then waxed them inside and out.
The Holy Hacksaw Blade against the lead wedge provided clearance as well as an aluminum "pop rivet" blade bushing to keep it from walking forward and some blade spacers installed.
It closes very tight to the wedge. All original collars and under collars, although I did not unpin the bottom. I feel a prettier job would have resulted if I had. Oh well! It's a beater!
Some hard work on the blade, I took the heel down a bit to even out the smile, and had to relieve the stabilizers at the bottom to get that shaving edge around the heel. Did not worry much over pitting and such, not too bad. It evened out and honed up nicely. Seldom do I enjoy the chore of honing, but to get this thing off the 1k and over to the Gnomestone and a long BBW/Coti pyramid and finish on a pile of Escher was kinda fun! Best thing is, it shaves like a demon and is super-comfortable to use. Balance is really good and it sings a sweet song!
Thanks for looking! :D

Thanks for that. 'twas an interesting read;)

Came out real nice ! I understand your not unpinning the the other end. Sometimes you find things you don't want to see and putting it back the way it was might not work out so well. Good call. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Wow, you did an excellent job restoring that beauty!

Turned out really nice, thanks for sharing it.

Beautiful work on this razor Tom, its purely elegant! And a great eye dear to shorten the scales at the pivot pin side.

Great save well done.

That is a magnificent razor! Big and yet slightly modest.

I wonder, though, why is your saw blade upside down?

Something to think about: The blade is one inch wide, and the spine is 5/16th thick. The optimal ratio is 1 to 4. This will achieve a bevel angle around 17 degrees. Your spine is going to make that more than 17 degrees, and that will cause problems. Consider grinding the spine down to 1/4 in.. Or, if it shaves well to your standards, leave it alone. Your razor - it's up to you. That said, it's a darn nice razor.

Love it. The stubby look is wonderful

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Originally Posted by Laurens

That is a magnificent razor! Big and yet slightly modest.

I wonder, though, why is your saw blade upside down?

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Thanks! It makes it handy to get in between the scales and make blade clearance by sawing some of the lead wedge down!

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Originally Posted by skipnord

Something to think about: The blade is one inch wide, and the spine is 5/16th thick. The optimal ratio is 1 to 4. This will achieve a bevel angle around 17 degrees. Your spine is going to make that more than 17 degrees, and that will cause problems. Consider grinding the spine down to 1/4 in.. Or, if it shaves well to your standards, leave it alone. Your razor - it's up to you. That said, it's a darn nice razor.

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HA! Thanks! Never thought about that! Honed up with a nice bevel and shaves great. I think I will leave it be!

Tell us more about the pop rivett bushing Sharp,looks interesting.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Tell us more about the pop rivett bushing Sharp,looks interesting.

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I take a dremel diamond tip pointed reamer which is 1/8 to the hole in a drill press. It is pretty trashed, but still goes through with a drop of oil. Most Sheffields like this only need a bit of enlargement. I then put in a 1/8 aluminum pop rivet and pop it with the riveter. Tap the broken-off mandrel out with a punch and dremel-drum sand the head off the rivet to the tang and do same on the other side. Makes a tight-fitting aluminum bushing with a 1/16 hole!

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

I take a dremel diamond tip pointed reamer which is 1/8 to the hole in a drill press. It is pretty trashed, but still goes through with a drop of oil. Most Sheffields like this only need a bit of enlargement. I then put in a 1/8 aluminum pop rivet and pop it with the riveter. Tap the broken-off mandrel out with a punch and dremel-drum sand the head off the rivet to the tang and do same on the other side. Makes a tight-fitting aluminum bushing with a 1/16 hole!

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Fantastic Idea,Thanks

Definitely a "charp chort"!

Great looking shaver. You can't beat that with a stick.

Looks great! I'd love to have a short and fat blade!

Sweet W&B fix Tom. It takes a true craftsmen to turn a problem child into a beautiful work of art.
You achieved such a feat.
Well done!!!
:tu

Thats a great looking razor! Very nice restore, indeed well done! Cool to think at a 4:1 ratio, that could well have been a 10/8!

Awesome job great look. Great addition to your collection of restores!!
Ray

Tom it is hard to believe it is the same razor mate , good story - The Aussie contingent are impressed as always, top shelf - first division.

Thanks, Cobber and thanks to all ! This one is nice! I appreciate your appreciation! ;)

Even though this razor makes me feel like I am hallucinating a little it seems to be the epitome of a save.

WOW, that is one nice razor

Came out great.. It's simplicity in both form and function. Well done.

What an inspiration this is.
I have a 1" W&B in the mail & hopefully here soon, I have been debating leaving the Patina in place & just cleaning up as required to hone & use but the look of that repolished axe makes me want to go whole hog.
I can only hope I can do it the justice you have with this girl
you should be truely Chuffed with it.
A Job well done indeed

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Originally Posted by Substance

What an inspiration this is.
I have a 1" W&B in the mail & hopefully here soon, I have been debating leaving the Patina in place & just cleaning up as required to hone & use but the look of that repolished axe makes me want to go whole hog.
I can only hope I can do it the justice you have with this girl
you should be truely Chuffed with it.
A Job well done indeed

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You can't go wrong with hand sanding and virtually unlimited patience ;)

Well, this started in a different thread which led me to this one but it was because another member had a blade slip from his hands when the buffing wheel caught it & slung it, breaking it & it happened to me on two W&B blades. One of them was a beautiful smiler & it chipped on the edge at the toe, so I ground it to made it smile even more beautiful. I started to keep it & build it but I sold just the blade on eBay & got $63 for it. I started to end the listing after it had bids but I had already listed it & it had bids & i didn't want to disappoint the buyer so I went ahead & sold it but I was surprised at what it sold for. Well, I had pics of it but now I can't find them so I will go to my sold listings & take a pic of it from my computer screen before it is gone forever but I know it will be a beautiful razor when done. I'm happy & content with it since I have several more nice smiling straights.

Attachment 208455

Tom, you did a fantastic job on that & it came out much better than I could imagine! Very well done.

WOW Great save.

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Originally Posted by nicknbleeding

WOW Great save.

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Thanks, Brother! I can say it is still the most ridiculously successful crazy hybrid thing I have done, still with just the strop.
I cannot EVER see it coming out of rotation!
Silly. :D

I thought I had fallen asleep and missed a masterpiece, and then realized it was a two year old thread. Another great job!

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Originally Posted by engine46

Tom, you did a fantastic job on that & it came out much better than I could imagine! Very well done.

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Thanks, Steve! :tu

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Thanks, Steve! :tu

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You're most welcome!

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Thanks, Cobber and thanks to all ! This one is nice! I appreciate your appreciation! ;)

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Dude, Am I the OOOONLY one who has no idea what you said in the original post...I mean dissertation. Believe me I tried to follow along. You lost me after Wade & Butcher. Something about a dremell, rivets, washers and Texas.

Awesome stubby though.

CMP