New addition, couldn't pass this up.....
Wade & Butcher, The Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor, For Barber's Use...stellar Sheffield steel as usual.:D
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New addition, couldn't pass this up.....
Wade & Butcher, The Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor, For Barber's Use...stellar Sheffield steel as usual.:D
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Nice one Andrew!
Hey! Yeah...it has a been quite awhile since I've been even somewhat active here on SRP. I do however check in to see what's going on, and to read some posts every now and again. I've had a bout of health challenges the past year or so that have kept me a little restricted, BUT I have been restoring quite few razors the past 6 months or so. My problem is that I just don't seem to take the time to snap some pics and post them up in the restoration forum. I've been thinking of trying to take a few pics of about a dozen or so of my latest projects and put them all in one post...JUST to let everyone know I'm not quite dead yet! :rofl2:
As always it's good to see your name on posts my friend...I always check them out!
Hi Guys,
Brutal comments :( though as always I appreciate the honesty.. It would however be nice I won't lie, if there was just some more kind/optimistic support and less unfounded bitterness - having been part of this community for around a decade, it's a bit disappointing being cast as some nameless/anonymous 'foreign' entity rather than as a passionate fellow enthusiast who's just trying to make something extraordinary happen.. Life is just too short guys..
Anyway, I just wanted to lay down some points:
- We’re starting with the ‘Irontusk’ razor as a ‘new’ model simply because the company/brand is being revived and the inaugural product needs to stand on its own merits, not rely wholly on past success. Had we chosen to first create a re-issue of the FBU, folks would be crying that we’re just creating what already exists, and that we have no forward-moving creativity – so we just can’t win whatever we do…
- Can you imagine any Heritage Brand today that doesn’t create new products along with their ‘classics’ ? That would be ridiculous to only live in your company’s past.
- The Irontusk razor – every aspect of it – is critically being aligned to Wade & Butcher precedents. We aren’t making a random gaudy ‘custom’ razor. Its intention is to be quintessentially ‘Wade & Butcher’, so as to inaugurate this restart of the brand.
- So, we have a notched point, a deep jimped thumb-notch, a shoulderless ½ hollow grind, a smiling edge, flowing/Victorian lines, a ‘black-polish’ mirror finish throughout, a rounded spine, an extended tang/tail that is reminiscent of an African elephant tusk (this is an iteration of W&B’s ‘improved tang’, and of course ties in with the new production locale of South Africa). In fact, the city I’m in is called ‘Place of the Elephants’ in Zulu. Also, 'uncharted Africa', and especially the elephant and their tusks/Ivory are prominent elements in the Victorian era/age of exploration – the real heyday of our brand and an aesthetic that really appeals to me most. So every aspect of our ‘new’ razor is actually painstakingly being thought out to represent the very best of W&B and the era of the brand’s greatest successes. Even the markings on the tang are being deep-engraved (as you would see on the movement of a fine Swiss watch) and their placement and even the kerning of the letters is being carefully thought out. We aren’t using this electro-etch method that most custom makers use (it’s frankly just a terrible marking method in my opinion). And stamped marks leave inconsistent depths and a mushroom effect on the edges, that just signals ‘mass-production’.
- OF COURSE we will bring back all the classics – in due course. Why would folks assume that we wouldn’t, even after I have said repeatedly that it is in our roadmap... We’ll be slowly rebuilding our catalogue with: FBU, Anchor, Diamond Edge, Arrow Razor, Bow Razor, Special, Double Swaged, Frameback. Etc. You can either have it done slowly with extreme care, or rushed and sloppy – you can’t have it all, all at once guys...
- The different models will have different pricing, as indeed the makeup of each model will require different processes/materials. Not all will have custom presentation cases for example, some models will have aluminium cases, some will have embossed cardboard coffins.
- As for the pricing on the Irontusk razor, it's likely going to be around the $1800 mark (which includes intl. courier). This is an inaugural/showpiece model, with incredibly costly materials and processes. The razors will ship with a handcrafted custom wooden presentation case (lined interior), foiled and embossed certificate/art cards, and a fit and finish that is obsessively precise - far in excess of most custom makers work, yet at a comparable price point to some of them. This point we've intensely deliberated upon, and proudly I believe that we will offer more objective value, than any other razor in this bracket.
- Irontusk pre-orders will open closer to end of this year.
So I implore you to please have patience, faith, and hopeful expectations. I know we won’t please everyone (some folks just love to hate), but I’m optimistic that many of you will be very pleased indeed.
Thanks friends,
Sincerely,
- Mike
$1800 USD? Looks like I'll still be buying the old beat up ones.
I look forward to seeing how it goes.
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Thanks for the post Mike, although out of my price range, you'll get no hate from me. Good luck to you. As much as I would love to add one to my large Wade and Butcher collection, doesn't look like it will happen sadly now that I know the pricing :-(
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Pretty sure, seeing as the "production locale" is in South Africa, Mike is saying that the new razor is $1,800 in South African Rand. So, that is roughly $138 in US dollars. :o
He also said pricing inline with similar custom razors. $1800 seems high for that... I've never bought one but looking around... it seems two or three times what I've seen. Not saying it couldn't go that high but... all the bells whistles on a Korat, for instance, not the same ball park.
Damascus maybe.
Dunno
He's sell bucket loads if that's the S.A. Rands.
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I think it's US dollars. Think about the description of that Razor $138 I don't think so. Out of my league but I'm sure there will be different pricing once it gets going. That I'm looking forward to. What would you spend on a new FBU 8/8?
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I agree with the tusk scaled and such materials I imagine $1800 is what was meant. I bet it's gonna be beautiful.
Quote Originally Posted by Blamo
Pretty sure, seeing as the "production locale" is in South Africa, Mike is saying that the new razor is $1,800 in South African Rand. So, that is roughly $138 in US dollars. :o
Sorry fellas...I meant that as a joke. Threw the smiley face in there but it obviously wasn't enough and I didn't mean it seriously.
I was hoping that bringing the Butcher brand back meant it was going to be a production company similar to Dovo, Boker, Thiers Issard, etc... It looks like, with pricing being in the upper thousands in US currency, this will just be a high end custom razor.
Not knocking Mike, he seems to be trying to do the right thing (maybe a little thin skinned) in honoring the brand. I guess when you look at the market closely, there really is no room for another production razor no matter what the brand is. I wish him luck.
It's really crisp
My little colection.
Magnum bonum
The Celebrated
The Keenhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...432eb22d10.jpg
Poslano z mojega SM-G870F z uporabo Tapatalk
These are a few of my Wade & Butcher straights...
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Nice, did you get them all drom the same place?
Went somewhat under the radar, listed as 7/8, knew it was a chopper, it's 9/8 + (by just a tad), and came at a steal...beautiful, massive chunk of Sheffield steel arrived yesterday.
Here's a pic after a quick clean, have it soaking in some WD40 to loosen up the gunk a bit, won't do much else but a light sanding(2k/3k grit), then onto the stones.
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I was bidding on one just like that fairly recently. Glad it went to a good home!
Damn fine score Phrank, I need to rework mine, had a nasty chip in it but got a heck of a deal, so when I got it I did my best to reshape the blade without loosing too much. and it has a big ol belly on it, but I kept it as close to 8/8 as I could. I bet we would have fun looking at each others W&B collection :D
PS, I think yours is nicer than mine :D
All Wade and Butcher's are beautiful, and each and every one completes me in it's own unique way:o....this one has cleaned up beautifully so far, been sitting doing some light sanding, and darnit, think it's going to hit the stones tonight, waiting then on a beautiful finish on the Escher's Barber's Delight....:D
Congrats Phrank, that's a beauty! Looks to have nearly zero wear. I don't consider myself the jealous sort... but you leave me little choice!!! :dropjaw:
Great score Phrank. You're da W&B King!
You should be able to clean it up. Yes, it does look like it has hardly any wear to it at all.
Here's one i'mm gonna clean up in the near future, a nice Masonic with a deep etch. I don't think the blade needs anything but some polishing. It has no wear, in fact it will shave still but not good enough. The scales, I'll unpin it & sand 'em nice. They're perfect, no bug bites or warpage.
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Beautiful Steve, have that exact same Masonic blade, only the scales on mine didn't live on mine.
Those aren't the original scales for that one either are they?
You're welcome buddy. I saw one a couple months ago on eBay & it was so worn out, the etch was half gone & the seller wanted around $200 BIN. I don't think he ever found a fool to buy it.
@ Steve and Phrank.
Great lookin blades, men.
Phrank, you got the knack for finding the choppas
I always love seeing the great Butchers in this thread. W&B is one of my favorite razors as well.
A couple of real fine ones there fellas
When one mentions Wade & Butcher, it is a reflection of the magnificent steel they produced in the day but so are many of the other makers who were all so closely knitted together in that area of the 19th century Sheffield like George Wostenholm & Sons, Joseph Rodgers & Sons, W. Greaves & Sons, Joseph Elliot, Frederick Reynolds, Frederick Fenney, Mappin Brothers/Mappin & Webb, John Barber & Son plus many more but those were just on the top of my head. I can't think of one that didn't shave well because they were all excellent razors & still are, some 200+ years later. Some grew enormously into factories while others remained quite small but made an excellent whisker chopper. :tu
Yes Phrank, so right.
A new W&B is on its way...
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