Thread: Wade & Butcher Restoration and Custom Scales

This is my 5th set of wood scales. I do all my work on the razor and the scales by hand with files, sandpaper and a coping saw and CA glue. This razor was very harsh. It had a massive crack in the blade, busted scales and tons of pitting. I ground it down and reshaped the blade. I tried to keep the natural flow of the tang and the geometry of the blade. I made the scales so the tang sits between them out of view sort of like a sheath and only the spine protrudes keeping the blade hidden. The scales are wider at the tang than the blade to keep the scales from flexing when the razor is closed. I layered Padauk and Purpleheart to make the scales and a wedge made of Bocote. I did a CA glue finish to bring it to a nice shine. All washers and pin's are hand made as well. Sorry for the "phone pics" quality and the lack of imagination in my pictures!

Nice save on that blade and an interesting scale design. looks like a great finish on the scales as well. Nice work

Thanks much. I am starting to get the hang of this woodworking. I figure another 100 or so custom scales and I might be to the beginner level!

Nice scales lol speaking of 100 blades or so I'm guessing that about how many you have left in the box to go? .... how's the thumb?

Very nice work..great way to save the blade.. Scales also look amazing. Very well done. Thank you for sharing.

bahaha I have maybe 20 or so. Thumb is looking like someone was hitchhiking and Freddy Kruger drove by! I went and got a cut proof glove. I had to do something to stop all this cuts on the fingertips! My washers seam to cut me more than the blades do. The way I make them leaves a razor sharp edge on them and I drill them to have a very snug fit on the brass rod. If i forget to debur the edges of them and the force them onto the rod the slice right into the meat. All about learning!!

Wish I was better at taking pic's. It looks like the scales are straight on the top and bottom where it covers the blade. in reality they have the save curve as the blade does both top and bottom.

Thats a beautiful restore there sir. I'd dread to think what this could be sold for... Way out of my budget. Ive been reading your threads and im amazed. Youre very talented. I'm currently looking for a set of stones. Once ive got the hang of honing then i intend to do a few restores. Well done sir!

Wow, the scales look fantastic and the blade has been restored well also. Well done

Stu

Originally Posted by Zerandise

The scales are wider at the tang than the blade to keep the scales from flexing when the razor is closed.

To avoid that issue you need to make a wedge for the scales. A spaced will cause the scales to eventually bow inward.