Thread: My first Wade and Butcher

Hello all, hope everyone is doing well today. So I went to the Flea Market today to see if I could find a scuttle or some sort of nice old bowl I could use as a shaving bowl. Well I didn't have much luck with that, but I did find this for $4. W&B found at the bottom of a box of old rusty knives. I'm very surprised the blade is not chipped considering the scales offer no protection at all. And I mean it was waaay at the bottom of a box. I hope it cleans up nicely and is usable. If not, I'll find a way to display it somewhere in my living room. What would be the best way to start cleaning it up? When I restore old axes and hatchets I usually do a vinegar soak to start loosening the rust before i move on to sanding if needed. Should I go about this the same way? Thanks in advance. Have a blessed one.

Wow the bugs got to those scales. Don't think I've seen a set of horn scales that far gone before. Can't wait to see the finished razors. Keep us posted.

Originally Posted by JSmith1983

Wow the bugs got to those scales. Don't think I've seen a set of horn scales that far gone before. Can't wait to see the finished razors. Keep us posted.

Thats exactly what the old feller told me. That he had it in his storage for a long while and the bugs ate it up.

Wow is right with the scales, but the blade looks useable even though it has some deep pitting. Some elbow grease and new scales and that old razor will once again be useful.

I would remove what is left of the scales first. Start with 120 emery and work up to a real fine wet/dry sand paper. On the blade I wrap the sandpaper around a wine cork. It saves the fingers. Finish with metal polish. Rescale and hone. Good luck.

There are as many methods here as restorers. I would remove whats left of the scales and give it quick scrape with a for blade and then into the tumbler with some walnut shell for several days and then onto hand sanding. I would think that 400 would be a good starting point. I use an old wine cork to make the sanding flat and give me something to hang on to. At 600 grit I start dry then wet as with all the grits from there up to 1500 at which point I drop the dry and just go wet. At 2000 or 2500 depending on what paper I actually have a go to polish and steel wool. Very fine steel wool I might add. And then just the polish. If the pits are too deep to get them all out go all the way up in the polish and then drop down to 1500 and in one direction perpendicular to the edge wipe down, wet of course and it should leave a nice satin finish. Good luck

PS
If you don't have a tumbler just skip that step.

love the custom scales LOL
I would keep the scales ( or whats left intact if I could they look great by themselves ) as a reminder to check our blades regularly
lucky it is only horn bugs just think if that was cell rot there woiuld be no blade either

Originally Posted by bouschie

On the blade I wrap the sandpaper around a wine cork.

I use a a couple of pieces of wood dowel also 1/2" & 1" to get into different shapes etc

I think those scales would just buff out with a little work....

Originally Posted by Chevhead

I think those scales would just buff out with a little work....

Yeah, I think I got dooped. I already threw the whole thing away.