Thread: W&B with an uneven smile- breadknifing or honing?

I just bought a Wade & Butcher which I thought looked slightly off while I was examining it at the antique store, and this was confirmed when I got home. In the picture you can see how at about a quarter and half way through the edge there are two separate contact points with back light shining through the middle of them where the edge rises. The blade also has a smile, more of a smirk really, since its pretty one sided. This does not bother me but the uneven arc of the blade does and though I'm sure this will vary depending on opinion, I thought I would ask those with experience if it would be best (or if I even have the option for that matter) to breadknife the blade or hone it down to a smooth arc. In addition if you could tell me where to get the best advice on either method that would be great.

Also if anyone knows when the blade was manufactured I would love to know. There is a very faint inscription on the shank that says "Wade & Butcher's Famous Keen Shaving Bow Razor" and on the other side there is a kind of two hilled symbol of which I provided a picture. There is no inscription on the blade itself, the scales seem to be made of wood and the spacer is metal. Hope that narrows it down.

You know I am a rather large proponent of Bread-knifing , BUT that razor does not need it, not from what I see...

I would start with some of Lynn's now famous circle honing to even it up, and then switch to whatever X stroke you need to keep it even and on a nice gentle smile....

Bread-knifing is for extreme repair/restoration and that one just doesn't look that bad.... at least from the pic

Maybe a slightly modified Rolling x might be a good way to go. I like a little smile in my blades, so I would definitely work to keep it that way.

Rolling X from the wiki

Sorry i have to say previously owner of that blade was a great honer. it is perfectly honed blade leave it alone please. i dream to have such honed blades. Gl.

Welcome to SRP. What you have there is a W&B 'Bow" razor. The stamp in the tang depicts the famed British Long bow which made their armies victorious in many a fight in days of yore. The scales (handles) are horn. Probably made in the late 1800s but before the treaty that required the country of origin to be marked on the blade which IIRC was around 1890.

The smiling blade is fine as is and like Glen says circles to begin with. Here is a tutorial from the 1961 excerpt from the barber manual in the SRP Wiki help files. They talk specifically about honing a smiling blade and recommend that profile for smooth shaving.

Lots more good info in the SRP Wiki in the toolbar above. If you can't find it there or in the individual forums don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks to everyone, I was a bit bummed out when I examined the blade but its good to know that its not a big deal. I think I'll be sending it to Lynn, I don't think I trust myself to hone it properly.

And a big thanks to you JimmyHAD! I could not find a thing anywhere on the internet on W&B symbols, its nice to know the pedigree of this razor.

Here is a nice bit of info in PDF format on W&B thanks to forum member Manah.