Thread: The Butcher Shop

Originally Posted by TwistedOak

Does the pivot end of the scales interfere with stropping and honing?

Yes they do so I had them shaved down. I made it to the club. Nice razors everyone.

well i'm glad you fixed it, happy shaving.

Interesting piece of Wade & butcher advertising.

So...I am new to the straight razor bit. I am new to the forum... but I have been doing a lot of reading and I am excited to try my first home done straight shave (having had a couple professionally done shaves as an indulgence). Waiting for a few items (mainly a strop) and I have been purchasing a razor here and there to get my hands busy. The idea, and practice, of cleaning up and restoring something to service that is 100+ years old is very...how do I say this?...Poignant, soul enriching, fulfilling...these are the words that come to mind. As well as the idea of the Zen aspect of straight shaving...I'm hooked, hard.

So recently I made a purchase and I come, not only to officially join the club, but to ask for sage advice. I got a pair of Butchers for a little under the 150 mark with the tax (antique shop sale) and while the first one was a 13/16 concave grind shoulder-less with a hump in the spine at the logo that I have taken apart and hand sanded up through 1200 grit wet, the other is the first jewel in the collection. My question in thus, what to do with the Celebrated Hollow Ground FBU? The scales are in remarkable shape. There is a bulge on both side where the razor has been closed very tightly where the toe end meets the scales, but there are not cracks and only some light flaking near the edges (perhaps some epoxy or CA repair may be in need??).

I am thinking that keeping this razor as close to original is the way to go. I want to clean up the blade a little but I do not want to take it apart or do anything other than a little love with some higher grit wet-sanding. I need to get some proper pics for you guys, but until I have something other than the phone on my camera, these will have to do. Please, all comments, opinions, and thoughts are welcome. I come seeking guidance from those with knowledge and experience. Just saw one in slightly poorer shape go for $475 (40 bids) on the Bay this weekend, so I do not want to cock this up, but I also want to use it, not just keep it as a display queen.

So...I am new to the straight razor bit. I am new to the forum... but I have been doing a lot of reading and I am excited to try my first home done straight shave (having had a couple professionally done shaves as an indulgence). Waiting for a few items (mainly a strop) and I have been purchasing a razor here and there to get my hands busy. The idea, and practice, of cleaning up and restoring something to service that is 100+ years old is very...how do I say this?...Poignant, soul enriching, fulfilling...these are the words that come to mind. As well as the idea of the Zen aspect of straight shaving...I'm hooked, hard.

So recently I made a purchase and I come, not only to officially join the club, but to ask for sage advice. I got a pair of Butchers for a little under the 150 mark with the tax (antique shop sale) and while the first one was a 13/16 concave grind shoulder-less with a hump in the spine at the logo that I have taken apart and hand sanded up through 1200 grit wet (I will get separate photos once she is re-scaled), the other is the first jewel in the collection. My question in thus, what to do with the Celebrated Hollow Ground FBU? The scales are in remarkable shape. There is a bulge on both side where the razor has been closed very tightly where the toe end meets the scales, but there are not cracks and only some light flaking near the edges (perhaps some epoxy or CA repair may be in need??).

I am thinking that keeping this razor as close to original is the way to go. I want to clean up the blade a little but I do not want to take it apart or do anything other than a little love with some higher grit wet-sanding. I need to get some proper pics for you guys, but until I have something other than the phone on my camera, these will have to do. Please, all comments, opinions, and thoughts are welcome. I come seeking guidance from those with knowledge and experience. Just saw one in slightly poorer shape go for $475 (40 bids) on the Bay this weekend, so I do not want to cock this up, but I also want to use it, not just keep it as a display queen.

Originally Posted by LouiePete

My question in thus, what to do with the Celebrated Hollow Ground FBU? .............I am thinking that keeping this razor as close to original is the way to go. I want to clean up the blade a little but I do not want to take it apart or do anything other than a little love with some higher grit wet-sanding.

I first found a Celebrated For Barber's Use Only in 8/8ths for $65 at a gun show and wasn't familiar with the idea of leaving the original patina. So, even though there was a consistent, appealing patina I moved right in with the micromesh (from Woodcraft) sanding pads and brought it to a mirror finish. Originally, I was quite happy with it; but, after seeing so many older razors with such horrible patina(read: plain ugly rusty w/ a fair amount of devil's spit) I now wish I'd elected to leave it. I now have an even older razor which I left the patina and it looks fantastic. I'm happy with both, but wonder if mine could've looked as good as Fonthunter's here:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...4-caption.html

@Costabro-Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about it even more after my initial post and I believe that your experience and feelings for what you have done are similar to my own. I think I am gonna just leave her be, tighten the pivot a bit, get her honed and disinfected and start shaving with her. She has no active rusting, just some mild pitting mostly on the top of the spine and a couple of black spot here and there. I will have to get a better photo up for you guys soon. Mine is not quite as darkened with patina as the photo of Fonthunter's (though it does look pretty good that way, too). I actually think that someone did do some cleaning on it prior to having acquired it myself. Any other thoughts and opinions are still welcome, of course. Hope everyone is having a good day.
Lou

@Costabro-Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about it even more after my initial post and I believe that your experience and feelings for what you have done are similar to my own. I think I am gonna just leave her be, tighten the pivot a bit, get her honed and disinfected and start shaving with her. She has no active rusting, just some mild pitting mostly on the top of the spine and a couple of black spot here and there. I will have to get a better photo up for you guys soon. Mine is not quite as darkened with patina as the photo of Fonthunter's (though it does look pretty good that way, too). I actually think that someone did do some cleaning on it prior to having acquired it myself. Any other thoughts and opinions are still welcome, of course. Hope everyone is having a good day.
Lou

My "new" Bow Razor.

Here's another US market Wade & Butcher - wearing a near perfect etch! Enjoy