I got a Wade & Butcher for $10 at an Antique Store

[Shangas]

Hi Gigabitz,

Yes, the scales are most certainly bone. Once you've seen ivory, you'll be able to identify ivory pretty easily from then on. Ivory is smooth and clear and unblemished, sometimes slightly grainy to the touch (if unpolished or if the polish has worn off).

Bone is pockmarked, with little streaks or dark spots on it and it has a significantly rougher texture and looks less "clean" and "crisp" than ivory.

That said, I don't think bone is particularly valuable. I've never heard of it being valuable, at least. Ivory, silver, ebony and gold were the scale-materials which had/have value.

 

[honed]

Good looking straight!

If it was mine, I'd leave it as is. Give it a good rub with naptha & alcohol, gets rid of all possible nasties & loose gunk.

As for the scales I'm pretty sure they are bone.
Sometimes it's possbile to tighten them with some light peening with a hammer.
Or if not, re-pin them.
A pretty easy task for someone who knows how to do it.
And not very hard to learn either IMO, but that one is far to nice to be used as a training object

 

[Pkrankow]

I would clean it up and send it for honing. Not a good idea to learn honing on your first shave...

I would clean the blade with some rubbing compound on a denim rag, or some very fine sandpaper. I am not sure what to do about the bone.

It sounds like the pivot may be "loose" but you can tolerate a lot of freedom in the joint as the scales are only used to help stabilize the razor while stropping, they are just present while shaving. The important job of the scales is to protect the blade.

Good score.

Phil

 

[Gigabitz]

To clarify about the tightness/looseness of the pin, it's not free-spinning the whole rotation. It actually tightens up pretty nicely past 180 degrees, which is where I'd want it tight. It's just that currently, it flops open pretty easily from the "closed" position, and I see it as an inconvenience and a safety concern.

 

[Pkrankow]

To clarify about the tightness/looseness of the pin, it's not free-spinning the whole rotation. It actually tightens up pretty nicely past 180 degrees, which is where I'd want it tight. It's just that currently, it flops open pretty easily from the "closed" position, and I see it as an inconvenience and a safety concern.

Order some means of storing the razor. I have a few "socks" from The Superior Shave that I ordered with my coticule. As long as the razor stays inside the sock it can't open, but the sock is a slippery answer and you need to be sure of carrying the sock so the opening is up.

A multi-day roll, box, or zipper case is another option. Apparently an artist's pencil case can work rather well if it has elastic bands to organize the contents.

Phil