Thread: Two W&B’s with Brand New Tuxedos

Today my two Wade & Butcher straights came back from the tailor cackling and carrying on like a couple of school girls. They couldn’t wait to show me the two new tuxedos they custom ordered.

The older Englishman, being the conservative gentleman he is, chose a suit made of buffalo horn, a bone wedge, and traditional brass cufflinks. His son is more flamboyant – some would say eccentric - and he chose a more spiffy outfit of ebony/blackwood, complete with a white lining and contrasting ebony cummerbund. He originally wanted nickel silver cufflinks for a more flashy look, but the tailor’s limited inventory caused him to settle for all brass trimmings as well.

The men look entirely different with their new digs - so much so that I hardly recognized them. To appreciate this statement, you need to see photos of what these gentlemen looked like previously. Unfortunately, I don’t have any old portraits of Junior, but he came in pretty decent shape to start with, other than the dull attire and edge he was sporting. Pops, on the other hand, was showing his age. Pops tried his best to clean up for the occasion, but as you can see from the current day photographs below, some wrinkles just could not be removed. But hey, you can’t expect a centenarian to look like a teenager, right? I think he still looks quite handsome.

What’s interesting is that I happen to know the tailor very well, and he disclosed to me that working on Pop’s outfit was his first time working with horn. The tailor commented how surprised he was at how easy the horn was to work – just shape, sand, and buff – no need for any finishing procedure of any kind. The clothier also mentioned that it was his first time working with ebony (other than making simple wedges) and his first time working with liners. Pops and Junior really took a chance hiring this greenhorn, but they appear to be quite satisfied with their new wardrobes.

In any event, the two are ready to take their ladies out for a night about town!

Thanks for reading. Enjoy.

Brian

Very nice. They definitely are styling.

Great post, and of course razors. What a nice addition to your rotation. Congrats.

What a pair of lovely razors, great restore very well done.

Jamie.

Thanks for the compliments gentlemen.

I really had a fun time on this project (both working on the two razors and writing the post). I especially enjoyed working with the buffalo horn. I started another project last night and used some of the left over horn from this project to make the wedge. It really shines up nice – glassy jet black.

I made the lined ebony scales first and actually had them on the older of the two razors in the beginning. I hadn’t gotten around to photographing the razor before I moved onto the other project – putting buffalo horn on one of my favorite shavers, the “younger” of the two W&B’s (it really is a suburb shaver!). It was only after I was half way finished with the second razor did I realize that the scales should be reversed. After all, the older razor should don the more traditional set of scales, no? So I swapped the scales - you can never get too much practice unpinning and pinning razors, right?

It was only after I had them both finished did it occur to me that the two together would make a fun combined post.

Anyhow, thanks again for reading and thanks again for the compliments everyone.

well done, beautiful razors.
Congrats!

Beautiful job i never seen the w&b stamp must be a really early one!!

Those look great Brian!
I need to try some horn as well.

Mike

Great work!!
By any chance, is this tailor for hire? If so, PM me. I'm looking to get my four boys suited up for the ball.

Sergio