Thread: W&B B--tard wedge

On a true wedge I will start with 4 layers of tape. Be sure to get them as evenly draped across the spine as possible. The bevel may be as ugly as can be, but boy will they shave!

I want to see a photo of a "true wedge". A side shot and an in focus point end view.

I've had wedges dating from the late 1700s up through the Sheffields of the 1800s, all the way to the customs of today. I've never yet seen a wedge that didn't have some concave to enable honing. Here are two of the most well known. The W&B 'barber's use'.

The 'Celebrated' at the top has more concave than the tang stamped 'barbers use' below but they both have some. If they ain't a true wedge I don't know what is.

Not saying a 'true wedge' doesn't exist, but in this case .... I'm from Missouri .... you'll have to show me.

Jimmy

There is just the tiniest bit of concave when I used a straight edge to recheck that I did not see with a mod 1 mark 1 eyeball.

nun2sharp

Yea, was careful with the tape to be as even across the spine as possible. Went back and redid it some more, quick test shave and I think I will leave as is for now. We'll see in the morning how great a shaver they can be. I know I sure am starting to like the 1/4 hollows I have so maybe a near wedge will grow on me.

Bob

here are a few pics of my true wedge..

Near wedge photos





Hard to tell by eyeball.

Bob

They are out there Jimmy, and one big PITA to hone as well, you have to remove material across the entire width of the blade. No easy honing here.

Originally Posted by smalltank

here are a few pics of my true wedge..

As wedgy as that looks, you can see the shiny parts on the spine and bevel. IOW, a true wedge has concavity. It has to or a person couldn't hone it properly. I've got a Wosty pipe and a W&B lather well etc that are wedges like that.

Call them true or whatever ..... there is enough concave that the spine and bevel lay on the hone but not the blade in between. If someone has one in which the belly of the blade.... between the edge and spine .... also hits the hone, either it was improperly honed in the past, or made incorrectly to begin with.

it's actually a design on the blade...top n bottom..blade has near 0 honewear and near 0 pitting..great patina though

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

As wedgy as that looks, you can see the shiny parts on the spine and bevel. IOW, a true wedge has concavity. It has to or a person couldn't hone it properly. I've got a Wosty pipe and a W&B lather well etc that are wedges like that.

Call them true or whatever ..... there is enough concave that the spine and bevel lay on the hone but not the blade in between. If someone has one in which the belly of the blade.... between the edge and spine .... also hits the hone, either it was improperly honed in the past, or made incorrectly to begin with.

Just reviving this old thread as I have been playing for months now trying to improve the edge. It had a smile, took that out bread knifing it. Then fitted it quick and dirty with a fake spine so I did not have to grind more material off the blade when honing.



The rubber tubing was taped to the blade. Through all the jigging around the poor girl has 3 bevels in some spots as I tried to get enough thickness in the spine. What a learning experience it has been. If you see something like this.



Really think twice about how easy it will be to hone and consider a false spine might be the way to go. She might not look pretty but she shaves.

Bob