Thread: A Couple of W&B Restorations by Joe Chandler

I had bought a couple of Wade & Butcher straight razors on eBay months ago when I was still getting into wetshaving. They sat around for awhile before I finally got them to Joe Chandler for all out restoration. Joe serviced these razors with re-grinding and handle replacement.

He did a really great job, was patient with my questions and responsive to my e-mails (primary means of communication for me). The razors look brand new (hardly would think they're 100+ yrs old!). He also managed to clear some warping out of one of the blades. I can't wait to put these to use once again!

Each razor is shown before & after restoration consecutively in the photos below.

Wade & Butcher Celebrated Fine India Steel Razor before restoration efforts...

Wade & Butcher Celebrated Fine India Steel Razor after restoration with maple scales and a malachite wedge...

Wade & Butcher Swayback before restoration...

Wade & Butcher Swayback after restoration with bubinga scales and a turquoise wedge...






After checking out so much of Joe's work -- including the re-grinding service -- I knew these razors were great candidates for his work. While he helped me to select the woods, I gave him carte blanche on the scale designs. I'm glad I was smart enough to hand these over to someone (not me) that could really bring out the potential of these razors.

what kind of woods you got there? maple and cocobolo?

also what are the spacers made out of? that blue marbled one at the bottom is interesting.. is that G-10 stuff?

~J

ps. regrinds made your razors quite nice.. thumbs up

Those Maple scales look fantastic.

I swear, every time one of these posts on Joe's restorations come up I find myself saying I'd like one like that, and that..... and that..................... and...........

Originally Posted by jscott

what kind of woods you got there? maple and cocobolo?

also what are the spacers made out of? that blue marbled one at the bottom is interesting.. is that G-10 stuff?

~J

ps. regrinds made your razors quite nice.. thumbs up

Razor one is maple with a malachite wedge. Razor two is [curly] bubinga with a turquoise wedge (if I'm not mistaken?).

I hadn't thought of using stones for wedges. I grew up in the small town of Bisbee, Arizona. It is an old mining town that is know for its minerals. Phelps Dogde has been there for years.

There is a type of turquoise that can only be found in Bisbee, hence it is called Bisbee Blue Turquoise. The little town actually has its own section in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, believe it or not.

Mining has all but ceased, and it is now more of a tourist attraction, and hippie haven.

I will have to talk to my uncle about using stones as wedges. Anybody ever try using azurite by any chance? I bet it would look great with ebony.

Matt

The lad's unnatural I tell ya!

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