An odd Wade & Butcher??

I picked up this old W&B for 6 bucks on eBay. There was only one picture, but what the hey, 6 bucks? I planned on restoring it. It came today, and I really was kind of surprised by the blade structure as opposed to practically every other W&B Ive seen. Is this just a less common W&B? It has a good smile on the blade as well. The scales are black horn, in pretty good shape.

The pitting isnt nearly as bad as it looks, its mainly surface gunk on it. I hit most of that with a light wire brush on the dremel, and it came right off, with no harm to the metal underneath. I think it will be a pretty good restoration.

The comparison of the width of the shank/shoulder to the width of the blade makes me think it has been honed a lot. Whether that is the case or not, it's still a good deal with some potential.

looks to be a frameback with the back missing. and it looks like the once smiling blade has the beginnings of a frown to work out...

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Originally Posted by TwistedOak

looks to be a frameback with the back missing. and it looks like the once smiling blade has the beginnings of a frown to work out...

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Indeed, I'd try to hone out the heel (towards the tang) to get the blade relatively even. It might have been a frameback, but I've seen other blades (mainly Sheffields) with a spine like that with no signs of a frame ever having been there. It's hard to say from the picture though, but I would place my bet on a design aspect.

Can you post an end-on shot? the relative width of the spine to the blade would tell if it is a frameback missing the frame or not. But I agree that looks like what it is. If it is a frameback missing the frame, you'll have to do something to adjust the spine width in order to get the proper bevel angle.

are you going to try and restore it?

I had a frameback razor with missing spine, like yours. I managed to make a new one from old auto brake fluid metal tube.

Yeah I will end up restoring it. I love metalwork, so its really nothing new to me, its just the time issue. I will post some more pics up later now that Im off work.

I started a similar thread back on the 16th in the show and tell forum. It was entitled "Different sort of Wade and Butcher". There are good pics there of what the frame looks like. I am going to do something as Zelenbakh did! ...get it on...Tom

For those who are interested . You can buy sheet brass from heimerdingercutlery.com , and trackofthewolf.com. .