Thread: Frederick Reynolds still one of the best

I have always believed that Frederick Reynolds razors were one of the best quality blades ever made but I have read many times that they are difficult to set the bevel and difficult to hone.

I have three Reynolds blades and Wednesday I decided to pull one of them out of the old pile and see if I can hone the damn thing.. Turns out that it honed up beautifully once the bevel was set. My shave this evening was yet another joy to experience. This Reynolds is scaled in black micarta and shaves magnificently.

I have two more Reynolds to hone. Hopefully they will shave just as well.......................

People will wake up one day and realize that there's a lot more to antique Sheffield razors than Wade and Butcher. Frederick Reynolds and Wostenholm both made sensational shaving razors.

My Freddie, I set the bevel on my King 1k, and then used a coticule with heavy slurry and diluted down to water, and the edge turned out great. It was one of the easier blades I've honed. but, It was also very true, without a twist or bend in the blade, which can make honing more of a challenge. I really love my Freddie.

I LOVE my Freddy R's. I'm not a pro honer by any stretch of the imagination. I've never had any problems setting bevels and honing my any of Mr Reynold's creations that are in my stash.
This one is one of my favorites.
as it looked when it came from the bay.


Here it is now.


Along with its brother


The one in the back was the first razor I ever set a bevel on and honed. Used an old two sided AHCONITE hone. Edge looks like garbage under magnification, but it shaves good. Needs a trip down the water stones, but I leave it as is just for old times sake.

Originally Posted by JimmyWetshaver

I have a FR Hamburgh Ring that is a darn good shaver. In fact this thread has me wanting to dig it out and use it so I think for tomorrows shave I will! I dont remember it being difficult to hone at all but it is more of a modern grind than many of the FR blades are.
I did work on a beautiful FR for a friend with a worked spine & Eagle Etching on the blade that presented some challenges on the stones but ultimately came out very nice. I know to this day it is one of his favorite razors. I keep looking for one like it to purchase one like his for myself but all the ones I have seen for sale want pretty ridiculous prices. Sooner or later ill grab one. Really An older FR with horn scales has been on my want list for quite some time.

You mean like this

Vintage Pre 1900's Frederick Reynolds Straight Razor | eBay

I am not selling this item nor do I know the person who is but this thread got me wanting to look at some FR's and I saw this one. Its only at .99 as of typing this. I wish I could throw 275 at it and snatch it right now.

Yeah good thing I got mine for 15 bucks. It has an etching of George Washington and says "champion of liberty". I saw another one just like it with really bug bitten scales for 150 on the bay. I think I did good.

Yup. IIRC, I got my second and third razor, an FR and Geo, respectively for under $30.

They both took bevel sets and honed up really nicely. Sheffield steel. I was pretty impressed. But not knowing anything from anything, I had to take ya'lls opinions that I'd gotten a pretty good deal and some nice blades.

In hindsight, SRP was right again.

Originally Posted by JimmyWetshaver

Yeah thats the one. See what I mean about the price tags of the ones I have seeen? Crazy. I mean it is a beautiful rzor but to pony up almost $300 I just cannot justify.

That sale is not going very well... To put it mildly. I've bid on that before it ended the last time, nowhere near the buy-it-now price (and I'm guessing the reserve is similar). Now, 10 bids at the time of this writing and 15hrs to go and the thing is at $6.50!

I find the psychology behind eBay shopping very interesting at times like this. I bet that razor would still sell for big bucks if there wasn't for the reserve and the (very steep) buy-it-now ... From personal experience, I've been trying to get a FR for a while willing to spend a relatively large amount of money on similar razors, but the big choppers always go over my budget. I'm talking about auctions with no reserve, of course.

P.S. Oh, I just realized this may be my first post here.. So, HI EVERYONE!

Here's mine, a FR smiling rattler/faux frame back, my 1st Sheffield that I picked up for $50 a few years ago on the Bay. It is probably my best shaver, though I was still learning to hone at the time (still am really!), so I had a devil of a time trying to set a bevel on its extremely soft steel while learning the rolling x-stroke at the same time. But it now takes a stunning edge, and shaves like butter.
I



In fact, I'm on the hunt for another one like this to restore for my son for Christmas if anyone knows where I can find one.

Originally Posted by Srdjan

That sale is not going very well... To put it mildly. I've bid on that before it ended the last time, nowhere near the buy-it-now price (and I'm guessing the reserve is similar). Now, 10 bids at the time of this writing and 15hrs to go and the thing is at $6.50!

I find the psychology behind eBay shopping very interesting at times like this. I bet that razor would still sell for big bucks if there wasn't for the reserve and the (very steep) buy-it-now ... From personal experience, I've been trying to get a FR for a while willing to spend a relatively large amount of money on similar razors, but the big choppers always go over my budget. I'm talking about auctions with no reserve, of course.

P.S. Oh, I just realized this may be my first post here.. So, HI EVERYONE!

First off, Welcome!

Second don't give up hope. looks for lots ending on the weekends. I just picked this up with as part of a lot of 2 for $35.

It is a 7/8 wedge. I honed it sunday and used it monday morning. It was amazing. Just keep and eye out and you will find one.