Thread: Wade & Butcher "The Celebrated" Restore question for the experts

Hi folks,
I've really enjoyed following the conversations in this forum and everyone it seems is very helpful. I thought I would ask for your feedback on this project.

I'm a hands on sort of guy anyhow so I can't wait to start working on this naturally. This is my first restoration project (that involves more than just polishing and honing) and my first Sheffield blade as well - so this is all still fairly new to me.

found this great Sheffield 7/8 blade - and it has some minor pitting that seemingly was cleaned up in the past - but overall no chips, blade even has a decent edge. Originally, was going to mirror polish this - but I find since this razor has such great lines - I am really enjoying the look of the patina on the metal. Will oil (Hoppes no 9 or CLP Breakfree) or another oil keep the metal from rusting if I leave it as it is? Is there any way to darken the script without stripping the patina and starting over?



I know for wooden musical instruments I have used a gold crayon to fill in etching that had been worn out of the wood. Anything similar that can be done here? Shoe polish or something else?

Also - I have no idea how old this razor is - but all the Wade & Butchers I have seen look to have black horn scales. Also the rivet on this razor looks sloppy and the scales seem to be celluloid - which I'm guessing is too late for this razor - right (celluloid is 1920's I'm guessing)? Would black horn scales be the historically accurate thing for this razor?




The razor also seems to have quite a bit of play front to back - as though the pin is too small for the razor. The razor can actually extend beyond the scales and cut them if it isn't pushed backward while closing it. Are there different size pins out there - could this one be too small - or am I opening a can of worms by removing these scales? I'm guessing the scales may be too short - but the fit to the pin does concern me a bit.

What do you think?

Thanks all
John

Oil will keep the blade from rusting.
what the blade has now is mostly patina not rust.
Th pin could be loose, those old W&Bs were not made with drilled pin holes. The pin holes were punched, they are larger than the standard 1/16 size.
If you can tighten the pin a bit the problem might go away.

This is almost certainly a rescale as you suggested. I would venture a guess that those scales are post-1910. The blade is probably late '90's to early century or so. Not only that, the repin is pretty sloppy. In a situation like this, you may want to unpin the razor and move the scales to something more appropriate and then rescale the blade in something more natural like bone or horn.

That is a re-scale...

That is also a later W&B, they have fantastic edges when done right...

Patina is a funny thing, I know there are many here that love that look, but very rarely is there an even patina that doesn't hide pitting...

If there is ANY black, there is pitting under there, that black spot on yours by the toe has pitting under there, that is a typical spot for it, from where the scale touchs the razor...
Probably there on the tang has pitting under it too...

You can oil it, and slow the cancer, but until there is clean steel it will continue...

Look at the darker areas under magnification you will find one of two things, either a spider web of black rust or a slick smooth area of "Devils Spit" either of those will hide pitting...


Oh one other thing,,, "Murphy's Rule of Restore" clearly states that all pitting will always be just deeper then any Etching or Stamping on any razor...

I have restored quit a few of those blades. They alwayse have black buffalo horn on them. Whoever re scaled it did a pretty bad job on those pins.

I can guarentee you there is rust under those darker spots. Take a small pocket knife, gently scrape at one of the larger dark speckels on the blade. The black will turn to brown real fast. Problem with those blades is polishing/restoring it without cutting off the blade etch. You could use wheels and compound to remove the pantina and expose the rust. Then give it a week in a tumbler with some crushed walnut media to scrub off the rust, then compound to final polish it. Or send it out to a restorer to get cleaned.

Those blades take a slightly longer scale than most. The blade is about 1/16-1/8 longer from hinge pin to toe than most razors. Good chance an off the shelf 'standard replacement' mass produced set will not fit properly.

FYI, those are super nice shavers when cleaned up and honed properly

Makes sense. So it sounds like if I really want a 'healthy' razor - then I should at least clean and polish it enough to remove any hiding rust?

Sounds sensible enough. I can always re-start a patina with a light acid solution later on.

Any suggestions on making the engraving stand out?

Originally Posted by hgrail

Any suggestions on making the engraving stand out?

I actually like your own suggestion of gold crayon. A Gold flake Sharpie may also work, as long as you didn't get any in nearby pits or depressions in the steel.

Originally Posted by hgrail

Makes sense. So it sounds like if I really want a 'healthy' razor - then I should at least clean and polish it enough to remove any hiding rust?

Sounds sensible enough. I can always re-start a patina with a light acid solution later on.

Any suggestions on making the engraving stand out?

If you want something really unique, you could clean it up then have it gun blued. I have done that to a few blades and it looks pretty darn sharp, literally and figuratively.

That's an interesting idea - I'm sure I have some cold-blue floating around this house someplace..

Progress: Unpinned the blade and sanded then polished the blade by hand for an hour or so. No rust found - but the pitting that was there - is still there.
I'm guessing this razor was restored back in the '20s when the celluloid scales were attached. But the metal is in good shape (good news).


Do you think any of the scales from this place would fit?

The Scale Shop

It's hard to tell looking at the outside measurements. On this razor from the center of the pin to the far edge of the blade is 4 and 6/8 inches.