Thread: Sheffields

Originally Posted by rhensley

I would love to get a chance at a new w $ b wedge of some kind. who know the wife might even increase my a launce

I've noticed that there aren't many wedges in production, I wonder why that is? Not to get off track, but does anyone know why this is? A new-production W & B wedge would be amazing.

I really don't know but now that you mention it I haven't seen anything other than custom made blades in wedge. they might be offered in Europe I wonder.

just wondering and thinking of no.s Going by members here an the SRP how this sport has increased in the last few years and by what I see and read nobody can keep up with razor demands. you would think that some young men or women would see the growth and take up this trade. I don't know what the pay would be in Europe but it might be attractive to some folks. I know when I was young I tried the production line and for me I couldn't do it. I guess it's because I grew up on a farm doing out side work. but from what I've seen on videos making a razor physically is not that hard. getting it perfect would be. anyway just a thought.

A LOT of the old brands are still owned.

I believe Joseph Elliot, and the bazillion names they bought out in the early part of the 20th, is currently wholly owned by whoever bought out Alcoa.

Wostenholm might not be currently owned by somebody, but all the old companies got picked over like bones in the desert. Sorting out the rights to the names would be a sizable undertaking. You might manage one of the much lesser known old Sheffield names, like George Savage or James Crawshaw, but the Collectables (Wade & Butcher, Joseph Rodgers, Taylor's Eyewitness, Joseph Elliot, John Barber, etc) are still sizzling away in the huge belly of tactical manufacturing purchases.

I'd guess the capital outlay to set up a new mass production factory is prohibitive. Never mind finding and training all new employees in skill sets that haven't been used in about a half a century would be the answer. That is to satisfy a market that nobody knows if it will continue growing to support such a venture.

People on shaving forums tend to forget how truly miniscule the numbers of people using straights are compared to those using other methods of shaving.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

,,,,,,,,,,,,People on shaving forums tend to forget how truly miniscule the numbers of people using straights are compared to those using other methods of shaving.

Bob

So true,,,,,,,,

Looking at the way old Sheffields were made, no way the dangerous, dirty, health risking techniques would fly today. Total modern, CNC production would have to be used to make any quantities. It would not be the same as the old ones which are all different.
Every one would be a 'Dovo'. Our custom-makers are the closest thing we have and some seem to be embracing the old 'Sheffield' mold more and more these days. JMO

Not only are our numbers small, but who knows if this is just a quick flash in the pan. Perhaps we will in part be enjoying an all new shaving method in five years. Without concrete trends and historical data it would be hard to lay out that kind of cash. I like making hones. Not a snowballs chance in hell I'm going to build a small manufacturing plant.

Unfortunately, I would say that the economics of setting up a plant with tooling and employees and getting all the bugs out and producing proper, quality blades would be too prohibitive. As Bob mentioned, we're all quite keen on straights but comparing the number of members on this site to the amount of people that shave; we're quite small.

Could it be done? Anything is possible but I wouldn't hold my breath, sadly.