Thread: Ebay, Wade and Butcher equals Total Bidding War ?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I think you are right. The funny thing is ..... for me anyway...... I like to shave with the smaller 5 and 6/8 blades better. I think the "meat choppers" look cool. Especially the Sheffield barber notched razors with horn scales.

There is something about shaving with a razor that is 150 to 200 years old. If it could only talk. A sense of history and romance. For me anyway. I've seen the prices go up and down. I did get one a 9/8 W&B with the "Celebrated Barber's Use" etch for $15.00 on a buy it now. I also got a tang stamped 9/8 W&B "For Barber's Use" for $80.00 in a regular ebay auction. Poor photos on the sellers part.

Here is one of the two aforementioned W&Bs and a 10/8 Joe Rodgers I got for $50.00 on a buy it now. The seller happened to be local so I corresponded with him and met him at a donut shop and paid for it with no shipping charge.

I hope you bought him a few donuts for the bargain you got.

At one time not that long ago you could barely give away these meatchoppers.

I remember when gas was 25 cents/gal.

I used to pump it when it when it was 14 cents/gal and there was driveway service.

Anyway, I remember the first W&B I bought (off EBay) and I was so excited to get a wedge from a 'famous' maker (I hadn't been at this very long, at that stage)

When it arrived and I opened the package imagine my surprise when it was a 4/8 - lesson learned, however, it is a great shaver and my first set of horn scales (that I'd made) to boot.

For me it's an opportunity to collect a part of history as i do love lots of things that are vintage. IMO the larger blades aren't as common and something about their size/ design appeals to me. I haven't even been collecting for a year yet but anything under 8/8 usually doesn't interest me. If i knew of a place near Jersey City New Jersey where i could find these huge razors for $50 then believe me Id probably either have alot more or because of the relative availability wouldn't think anything of them. Till the day comes when Jersey is the hot spot for vintage razors I'll do my bidding on Ebay cause I have no place else to get them.

I personal own 7 w&b blades, all of which i purchased off ebay. There are good deals to be had when it comes to 7/8 blades as previously stated. Not to mention a 7/8 is in the grand schedme of things is a very respectable size if your looking to go big. I too like the look of 8/8 and 8/8+ just as much as any other guy. I have a huge 9/8 tillotsons which is super rare and that thing is a massive wedge- got it for $125 on ebay------ if that thing was a w&b forget about it. My wife just finished bidding on a w&b celebrated hollow on ebay last week because i really wanted one. Point in case the guy never mentioned in the description how wide the blade was but i knew it was a big one, then i made the big mistake of asking how wide it was in a p/m. the guy get back to me and tells me its an 8/8 and says he added extra pictures with a tape meassure to prove the size. as soon as those pics went up the bids started to roll in--- not to mention the way the guy meassured was a little screwy and this was clearly a 9/8 blade. long story short the thing cost $227.... is it worth it? my wife paid for it, i will be happy with it and if i didnt buy it for $227 the other guy was going to buy it for $226.... Are there better deals out there..... YES. Should you plan on finding this deal next thime you walk in to an antique store??? NO. The truth is big boy w&b's are trendy right now and chances are they will be for many many moons to come..... It's not likethey are making new 150 yo razors... If you want one cheap my advice is download the ebay app for your phone, save a search for w&b and have the app notify you every single time a new w&b is listed, that way the moment that 8/8 meatchopper comes up bin for less than $100 you snatch it up! Final though imho w&b's are cool, but all sheffield razors of that era will suprise you as well. Keep your eye out for a greaves, they are excellent shavers and unique blades and they often go for less than a w&b, though the prices on them have been on the rise as well. Happy hunting!

heres my tillotsons mentioned in last post

I love Greaves'. Marshes & Shephard, George Wostenholm and Joseph Elliot are other manufacturers that make straights in 8/8 that can be had usually for less than a W&B For Barbers Use at the same size.

I just scored a GEORGE WOSTENHOLM & SONS CELEBRATED "IXL" RAZOR WASHINGTON WORKS SHEFFIELD 8/8 razor for half of what Joe's wife paid for his W&B razor.

Originally Posted by cheetahmeatpheonix

I love Greaves'. Marshes & Shephard, George Wostenholm and Joseph Elliot are other manufacturers that make straights in 8/8 that can be had usually for less than a W&B For Barbers Use at the same size.

I just scored a GEORGE WOSTENHOLM & SONS CELEBRATED "IXL" RAZOR WASHINGTON WORKS SHEFFIELD 8/8 razor for half of what Joe's wife paid for his W&B razor.

Wostenholms are amazing shavers- pop a pic on if you have one. Sounds like the price was right!

Originally Posted by JoeLowett

I personal own 7 w&b blades, all of which i purchased off ebay. There are good deals to be had when it comes to 7/8 blades as previously stated. Not to mention a 7/8 is in the grand schedme of things is a very respectable size if your looking to go big. I too like the look of 8/8 and 8/8+ just as much as any other guy. I have a huge 9/8 tillotsons which is super rare and that thing is a massive wedge- got it for $125 on ebay------ if that thing was a w&b forget about it. My wife just finished bidding on a w&b celebrated hollow on ebay last week because i really wanted one. Point in case the guy never mentioned in the description how wide the blade was but i knew it was a big one, then i made the big mistake of asking how wide it was in a p/m. the guy get back to me and tells me its an 8/8 and says he added extra pictures with a tape meassure to prove the size. as soon as those pics went up the bids started to roll in--- not to mention the way the guy meassured was a little screwy and this was clearly a 9/8 blade. long story short the thing cost $227.... is it worth it? my wife paid for it, i will be happy with it and if i didnt buy it for $227 the other guy was going to buy it for $226.... Are there better deals out there..... YES. Should you plan on finding this deal next thime you walk in to an antique store??? NO. The truth is big boy w&b's are trendy right now and chances are they will be for many many moons to come..... It's not likethey are making new 150 yo razors... If you want one cheap my advice is download the ebay app for your phone, save a search for w&b and have the app notify you every single time a new w&b is listed, that way the moment that 8/8 meatchopper comes up bin for less than $100 you snatch it up! Final though imho w&b's are cool, but all sheffield razors of that era will suprise you as well. Keep your eye out for a greaves, they are excellent shavers and unique blades and they often go for less than a w&b, though the prices on them have been on the rise as well. Happy hunting!

ha ha , i set a limit and walked away on that razor ...lol congrats , i wasnt far off but it jumped quick like the rest of them towards the end ...

there was a 8/8 W&B on there couple weeks ago , guy said priced to sell it was $140 buy it now , i saw it , kept looking down the list and when i came back to it , it was gone ...lol...