Thread: The Butcher Shop

Originally Posted by DennisBarberShop

Picked em up like that, look to be nos condition. No signs of sanding or heavy buffing, and one only needed a touch up honing. Either way 55 bucks each is more than I tend to pay but these were too perfect to pass on.

These both look to me like they've been quite heavily buffed. If you have close-up pics of the pin/collars, that will be informative. On the blades, I'm referencing the distortion of the reflection ('s' shaped).

I don't see the distortion in person.

Not any distortion other than from the near wedge grind...around the tang looks polished slightly so probably been buffed but not heavily. I've seen heavy buffing and the wavyness that it creates and this just looks real light. No pitting definitely.

Just landed this!

The Magnum Bonum...beautiful blade, I have two and they shave superbly, a nice mix between a wedge and a hollow...congratulations on a great piece of history and a fine blade.

I picked this one up last week. 8/8 Celebrated-must be after 1891, sine it has England after Sheffield. I think it seemed to have the original grind marks and the blade looks like it has only been honed a few times, if that. The scale got chipped but Ill replace it with horn soon.

I also have recently acquired a 8/8 FBU with notch. It is getting custom ram horns from a buddy of mine. It will be finished in the next few days. Here is the blade.

I recently read that W&B began using the addition "England" on the tang in 1895 due to the passage of a U.S. import law that henceforth required foreign merchandise to include the country of origin on the product. Conversely, I've also read that Joseph Rodgers & Sons began doing it in 1891, but no reason was offered or identified. Presumably it was for the same reason. Robert Wade, IIRC, was originally a U.S. importer of Butcher open razors before they changed the name.

I picked up this W&B on a B/S/T just yesterday:

my first Wade & Butcher, also my first straight razor



I found this thing in a drawer inside my grandfather's work bench some time after his death, it consisted of the blade, two new scales made by my grandfather and a single old battered horn scale wrapped in fabric and not pinned together. i spent the time to make a new insert for the bottom of the scales and then pinned them together with a bit of brass brazing rod (its all i had). i have no idea how old it is but i know it was used by my great-great grandfather and was partially restored by my grandfather, so it holds great sentimental value.

That's a great background story for a nice antique blade. Have you actually shaved with it? It's never too late to have the restoration completed by one of the several excellent hobbyists in the forum. I'm sure you would have no shortage of recommendations for it.