Thread: Wade and Butcher Improved Tang

I just found this one and I want to clean it up. Notice the engraving on the tang. It appears to be electro-etched. Any ideas as to whether or not I will be able to de-rustify this baby and not remove the engraving?

If you don't want to risk losing etching on the blade, it is always a good idea to start twith the least agressive method, and then only go more agressive after more consideration.

I once had a blade that I wanted to preserve as well as possible, so I startd with my dremel, a buffing wheel and polishing compound.
That is an easy way to remove rust and polish the blade.

You will not be able to remove pitting this way, but you will also not damage the etching.

Poona described a method recently where you remove rust by rubbing it with some crumbled up tinfoil. That worked GREAT! Then you polish as Bruno described...

Thank you Bruno and Mastermute. I did clean this one up with a Dremel and a soft plastic brush wheel. It worked great.

Wait, so the standard maker's marks are stamped, the blade looks acid etched and the tang is electro etched?

Very strange.

It's normal for tangs to be stamped because that is the quickest and cheapest way to make a mark. Some custom makers etch their marks, but those are of course not mass producing razors.

So even if a mass-produced blde has etching on the blade face, I'd still expect the tang to be stamped.

I just saw this old post, and was interested in your thoughts on the razor? Is it good to shave with? Is this a sought after model in W&D or a more entry level model. I ask because I have seen for sale and trying to get a feel for price / value.