Yet Another Wade and Butcher Age Thread

[Shambolix]

I picked this up on eBay can anyone confirm the WR stamp puts this razor somewhere between 1830 and 1837?





Thanks in advance.

[Martin103]

Welcome to SRP, WR stamp= William IV (1820-1837). Yours seem to be of the later date, and reground,Enjoy!

[Wullie]

Agree with Martin on the date.

Appears it was reground at some point in time to either "modernize" or to make it usable again.

[chewie360]

Teach me something here, fellas. You both mention that it was reground. What do you see that tells you that, and what is the significance of that?

Thanks,
Aaron

[Voidmonster]

Teach me something here, fellas. You both mention that it was reground. What do you see that tells you that, and what is the significance of that?

Thanks,
Aaron

Razors made between 1830 and 1837 were not hollow like that one. The style that has a shoulder (that little 'ledge' that runs spine-to-edge back on the heel) was a much later design.

It was pretty common for people to have their razors reground though, either to repair bad hone wear or, like Wullie says, modernize it.

The significance is simply that the razor isn't 'original'. The value of that depends on two things A) how well it hones up and shaves and B) how you feel about it. Very often, razors like yours that were reground in the 1880s to 1920's end up being superb shavers. Possibly better than they were to begin with. So if it shaves great, it's really all a matter of how you feel about the modification.

For me personally, I would prefer them to be original, but when the regrind is good it doesn't matter that much, it's just more evidence that it was a tool that mattered to someone.

[Shambolix]

For me personally, I would prefer them to be original, but when the regrind is good it doesn't matter that much, it's just more evidence that it was a tool that mattered to someone.

That it isn't original is not really that important to me, that after 177 years it will still be capable of doing the job it was intended to do is I think, remarkable.

[Wullie]

Here's an older W&B that is a bit newer than yours. It too was re-ground. It's a great shaver.


I suspect this one was an 8/8 at one time. It's a 7/8 now.

Also, the razor on the right has been reground to a very full hollow.


As stated earlier, this was a common practice. Razors were tools for the most part and folks had a tendency to get the most out of them.

Yours should tune up and run very nicely as shaver.

[Leatherstockiings]

Wullie, nice razors. What make is the middle razor on the bottom?

[Wullie]

Wullie, nice razors. What make is the middle razor on the bottom?

All three of those are Greaves. The one in the middle you asked about is one of the SHEAFWORKS Greaves.