Thread: Neil's Pair: W&B's 'Crown VR' circa 1830's-40's

I was finishing these up this past weekend after learning of Neil Miller's passing and I couldn't stop thinking about all the times he made me laugh and made me think. I'll miss his quick wit and wealth of knowledge. So, although I restored these for Andrew, I will always remember them as "Neil's Pair". I think he would have liked them.



Wade and Butcher set with Crown and VR stamp from sometime around the late 1830's to early 1840's....Original scales and Rosette washers:

They look quite nice. Those rosette collars remind me of Neil busting Darl's chops about picking up collars in an old thread. Was funnier than hell. Wot's with the nutsy-boltsys?

..................clunk!

I can't believe those are the same razors...Spectacular save and restore Mike!

Thank-you, I couldn't agree more, been thinking about Neil for the last while as well, a nice tribute to Neil - I'm glad you think he'd like these razors.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

They look quite nice. Those rosette collars remind me of Neil busting Darl's chops about picking up collars in an old thread. Was funnier than hell. Wot's with the nutsy-boltsys?

Yeah...they still need to get pinned up after they're honed. Couldn't quite get that done today but I decided to post the pics anyway. BUT...just so it doesn't drive you crazy TOM, I'll update tomorrow with a couple of pics with the pins pinned.

Originally Posted by Phrank

..................clunk!

I can't believe those are the same razors...Spectacular save and restore Mike!

Thank-you, I couldn't agree more, been thinking about Neil for the last while as well, a nice tribute to Neil - I'm glad you think he'd like these razors.

Thanks Andrew...I think you'll like 'em. The one is honed and shaves like the dickens. The other gets honed tomorrow and tested and then pinned up. They were fun to work on...

Beautiful, and with meaning. Thanks for posting, I'm sure Neil would have loved them.

That would be nice, to see them pinned. I am already crazy, so no since in intensifying it!

So are these an actual pair from the factory, or were you lucky enough to find 2 alike?
Not that it would matter to someone like me! Real beauties, Indeed!

Wow! I mean WOW
Those look brand new. Great work, and clearly beautiful shaves ahead.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

That would be nice, to see them pinned. I am already crazy, so no since in intensifying it!

So are these an actual pair from the factory, or were you lucky enough to find 2 alike?
Not that it would matter to someone like me! Real beauties, Indeed!

Andrew can answer that one Tom. I believe he picked them up as a pair from France some time ago. They're the same razor and the same scales and collars, BUT as to when they were paired up in the distant past...Who Can Say? Like you say though...really doesn't matter. They match!

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Wow! I mean WOW
Those look brand new. Great work, and clearly beautiful shaves ahead.

Thanks Mike! I appreciate it...

Originally Posted by sharptonn

That would be nice, to see them pinned. I am already crazy, so no since in intensifying it!

So are these an actual pair from the factory, or were you lucky enough to find 2 alike?
Not that it would matter to someone like me! Real beauties, Indeed!

Yes - they were a matched pair sold together.

They came in a double coffin box, but Wolfpack said that it is not the original coffin box, maybe he can further explain. I thought one part of the coffin box had the W&B Arrow on it, but alas, I defer to Wolfpacks far superior knowledge on those issues.

But they are identical blades as you can see....

I am very glad now I sent them to Wolfpack, as it was clear I was doing a dumb-a$$ job on them, and clearly they deserved better! Hopefully his shop didn't stink of neatsfoot oil for to long...as IIRC I basically soaked the things in them for two weeks...

Mike can save some cool old wedges to shavers, makes them look nice as well. Getting them going, What matters!