Thread: The Butchered Blade

This girl is my new project. It's a wade & butcher FBU. I'm going to need some advise on this one guys. It's in need of a lot of work. I took it over to out backs and asked him what he thought. He mentioned bringing the toe up and thinning the stabilizer to bring back the smile, thank you. He said this was the place to post to get some more ideas. Thank you in advance to any ideas. I was also wondering about the horn scales. There is a little flaking at the pivot end and I was wondering how I could fix it. There is enough room to Redrill the pivot hole but if I didn't need to I would like to keep it whole. This is my first Wade&Butcher. I would love to have it as original as possible.

Originally Posted by Cheferik

This girl is my new project. It's a wade & butcher FBU. I'm going to need some advise on this one guys. It's in need of a lot of work. I took it over to out backs and asked him what he thought. He mentioned bringing the toe up and thinning the stabilizer to bring back the smile, thank you. He said this was the place to post to get some more ideas. Thank you in advance to any ideas. I was also wondering about the horn scales. There is a little flaking at the pivot end and I was wondering how I could fix it. There is enough room to Redrill the pivot hole but if I didn't need to I would like to keep it whole. This is my first Wade&Butcher. I would love to have it as original as possible.

Actually chef.. It was the heal that needs brought up and stabilizers thinned.[emoji6]

Definitely a candidate for this thread! Welcome aboard Chef!

Thanks for that correction, I guess I was typing and not thinking. Lol

Thank you engine46. It's good to be here with people that not only enjoy this art but have probably forgotten more then I know about this art. Ha ha

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Got the bone scales down to .11" and aside from a natural fissure on the inside of one that appeared during the clean up I am happy with the profile. Must have been a marrow vein or something.
Left them in some thick coffee grind slurry for a few hours to see if I can darken them somewhat to match the ivory.

Hey Mike, will you describe how you finish them please.
I have some bone for scales, dyed black... If it shines up I might use it

Will post the completion for sure Joe, and welcome into the fbu rebuilders thread Erik. Nice looking axe!

Update on the bone scales:After a days soak in spent espresso grounds, not a lot happened, so I am making some very strong earl gray to try some tea after dinner.

And I bet Mike's shop wouldn't dare fire me. Aside from the delicate stuff that takes time, I bring Canadian beer to the party! That too takes time, to appreciate fully...

B52 those scales are beautiful. Do you use bone in its raw state to make those scales or do you prepare it some way like boiling it? I'm thinking of going to the butcher shop and getting a femur bone from a steer and sawing it into slabs.

Originally Posted by outback

Actually chef.. It was the heal that needs brought up and stabilizers thinned.[emoji6]

I tend to agree, outback. Also, after accomplishing that, tape the spine with a coupla layers and see what sort of bevel can be had.
The razor has been sanded and ground on a good bit, so geometry should be determined. If a good bevel could be produced, I would rid it of the tip, sand and finish it, making proper-fitting scales.
No need going too far til you know what you have?
JMO

B52, I was thinking of a hot soak. So perhaps if you get a good strong tea and dump the scales in hot.