Thread: Singing FBU, bellied hollow grind?

Not sure this is where this fits but it didn't seem to fit anywhere so...here we go.

I saw this lot on fleabay a while back. Looking closely at the pics I could see that there was a Wade & Butcher For Barber's Use tucked away in the mix.


I couldn't see until I got it but the blade had been reground. DANG IT was my initial reaction so I set it aside. There were however some other good razors in the lot like the Shapleigh Hardware right above it for instance which is why I decided to go ahead and buy it. However, after some time had passed and out of curiosity as much as anything, I pulled it out and cleaned up the blade.




The first thing I noticed was the belly. Whoever did the regrind did a good job and definitely knew what they were doing. Maybe it is not so bad I thought, but before I went very far in trying to resurrect it I wanted to see what kind of edge it would take. Here is where I noticed the ring on the stones which continued to the strop and the shave. It sings as clearly as any wide extra hollow I have and it shaves spectacularly.

In spite of the fact that I would NEVER do this to an FBU I am shocked at the results. I don't know what their reasoning was for regrinding but at the very least they did not screw it up totally. It is one of the better shavers I own.

I have a hollow ground Frederick Reynolds, a similar situation, done long ago and done well. It shaves very well. I think they were just bringing junky old razors up to modern standards. Likely nearly dead with new life breathed into it.

Seems to have been a lot of regrinding being done in the early 1900s

Yeah I have a few that have been reground. I have reground a couple myself. I just can't imagine regrinding one of these. Although I have no idea the condition it was in before. I guess I just can't help imagining it in it's glory where it may not have been when reground.

Its a nice razor. I have a few regrinds myself. I read guys would send them back to the factory and have them reground. It was the new fad.

I didn't really consider they may been sent back to the factory but I wouldn't doubt it with this one. It was done expertly and may even work better than one in it's original state. Of course they likely didn't have our sentimentality for the original condition in those days.
I remember my sister-in-law throwing away all her vinyl when CDs came out. My son's head exploded when I told him that but that was just how some people thought then: out with the old and in with the new latest, greatest.

Most were wedges, Paul. Regrinding was a way to lengthen the life of the razor.

Wedge to 1/2 hollow, or full hollow.

A lot of cutlers did this back in the day.

Cool piece Mike, thanks. I doubt this one was a wedge based on others that I have otherwise exactly like it but I know that's not really your point anyway.

I have read similar things and seen pictures of guys standing on the street with their big pedal grinders so I know it was quite common. I guess my surprise is that an FBU would be reground in this way since those were high end professional quality blades and I can't imagine how it would be one someone would choose to regrind. But, as I say, that is because I imagine it in a pristine state which it may never have been.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Cool piece Mike, thanks. I doubt this one was a wedge based on others that I have otherwise exactly like it but I know that's not really your point anyway.

I have read similar things and seen pictures of guys standing on the street with their big pedal grinders so I know it was quite common. I guess my surprise is that an FBU would be reground in this way since those were high end professional quality blades and I can't imagine how it would be one someone would choose to regrind. But, as I say, that is because I imagine it in a pristine state which it may never have been.

Hey Paul - for the life of me I can't figure out what the acronym FBU stands for. Please enlighten me! It's driving me crazy! Well, more crazy than I already am anyway.

For Barbers Use
It’s stamped on many of them.