Restored/Mildly Customized Wade & Butcher "Meat Cleaver"

[rchljoey]

Hello Gent's!

My wife bought me a W&B from the 1800's a few years back to get me started in Straight Razors. I FINALLY got the chance, funds, and located a great Metal Smith for the job! Initially, the Meat Cleaver was in rough shape to say the least. The good thing about this project is that the original scales, pivot pins, lead/metal wedge, and razor were all intact! There is minor but noticeable pitting on the blade's surface and I had to clean the rust from around the tang, spine, and blade faces, common. A gentleman, Dylan Fordham, took time away from his custom projects to commission this one for me. I wanted to have subtle modifications, and have it shave-ready as my "Sunday Shaver". Dylan came through for me in a great way! He deepened the Barber Notch in the front, accentuated and softened the lower tip of the blade, hand-engraved a "Tree Bark" pattern on the spine and Barber's Notch, applied Gunkote to the whole blade, re-set the pivot pins, and restored the original buffalo horn scales. My razor looks and is Purpose-built, restored but not brought to "new" status; and all of the aging, patina, and imperfections make this Sunday Driver a Killer! Out of all my SRs, this is by far my BEST shaver! The weight and balance of this one is so much that the blade glides effortlessly across my face without a hitch! I'm happy to share this with you all and please feel free to share your honest opinions and comments with me, Thank you!