Thread: WB love...

Its likely that this has been covered before, but i got lazy after the 9th or 10th page in my search.

so here it is. See, when i think of something that is stamped "FOR BARBERS USE" it's just seems... not all that striking. I terms of just imagery i mean. I conjure up a burly turn of the century chap with mutton chops pulling whiskars all day ever day, and i think he (or she) would likely choose a blade that'd be good for just that... steady as a rock, but not exactly something stellar. You know meat and potatoes kind of job. So why are WB Barbers getting so much love. Crazy how 13 words can set the roof on fire.

whats the insider marketing secret here. or am i just out to lunch.

"Barbas Duras", now thats convincing.... if it can cut through steel wool, its got to be good.

Who knows why something becomes a collector's item. There is the size, but beyond that, I don't know. Sort of like why do people collect DD's? They were very common and also made for barbers.

Especial Por Barbas Duras was just a marketing slogan. Similar phrases can be found all over shaving advertisements and razors.

It has to do with age. Soon enough, I will be a collector's item!!

just curious. Back in the day, when these were in production. Does any one know roughly what the prices of WB used to be compared with there brother Wosty's or Elliotts? I understand no real comparison is possible cause of the different models, but a general picture? I assumed all in all they would probably be roughly the same, but curious still.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Who knows why something becomes a collector's item.

Usually a low production run of a particular item gets the collectors running.
IMHE of collecting stuff, low production runs does not mean a better product per se.
It usually means the product is not up to snuff for one reason or another, hence the low production and sales numbers.

A example of low production numbers are the 2 door station wagons.
Regardless of year or manufacturer, these vehicles always have a low production number and are quite collectible now-a-days.
When these vehicles were new, people didn't want a 2 door station wagon ... they wanted the 4 door model. Why? I have no idea.
For an example :
1964 Falcon 2-door Station Wagon : 6,034 vehicles
1964 Falcon 4-door Station Wagon : 17,779 vehicles
(data courtesy of LOVEfords - Ford Mercury Edsel Lincoln car production)

It's my understanding that market demand drove these numbers and not the quality of the vehicle itself.
That 'must have it' mentality goes through the roof with low production numbers.
This above is describing advanced collecting.


Most get into collecting and catch the collecting bug simply because they like or enjoy something.
It is rare that people get into collecting based on money or item worth alone ... it happens, sure, but not as often.
Usually 'item worth' buyers are actually resellers looking to make a buck.

All well and good, but we are not talking about low production run razors. W&B for barber's use razors are very common. As are Filly's and DD's. Yet all are still collector's items.

I remember the first time I ever saw a "For Barber's Use" W&B. It was in the mid 1980s and I was hanging out at my friend's barber shop. He collected straight razors and customers would sometimes bring him razors they found in their attic or wherever.

A guy brought in two FBUs and I was blown away. I had never seen such large wedges and there was something about the for barber's stamping that made them more desirable to me.

Speaking as a collector I can say that we are a weird bunch. Some of us anyway. It is sort of a curse IME. Whatever the 'obscure object of desire', we tend to collect more of the same because of minor variances. A slightly different scale or blade pattern, different labels on Escher stones ..... seldom satisfied and usually it is "on to the next" rather than happy with what we have. Hard if you have the collecting disease.

With NOS razors i understand hype as its in a state that is pristine. But WB like Holli4Pirating said are abundant. And never going to be NOS, their use in effect does not reduce their value (of course i mean careful use). So i cant see them suddenly becoming not available anymore. So i cant really understand price increases. (except more people shaving means less to go around, but i doubt thats really a factor)

But i agree that if people "perceive" that there is a shortage, they pay for the shortage rather than the item. But again where is the shortage,

P.S. I like your story of first seeing a WB FBU, funny that we would have different reactions.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

All well and good, but we are not talking about low production run razors. W&B for barber's use razors are very common. As are Filly's and DD's. Yet all are still collector's items.

My first W&B was a mint bow razor. I paid all of $10 for it. I had to have it.
My second W&B was made from 'Fine India Steel' that I had to have.

When I first saw a W&B Barber's use razor, I had to have it.
Then, I found a W&B for Gentleman's use razor and I had to have it.

Next were the wedges ... which I had to have ...



I wanted them because I didn't have an example and they looked cool to me.
I never really set out to collect the things.
My inner collector took over.