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I have this unusual Wade and Butcher for a while, I did not shave with and is not shave ready. I am not sure if this is a finished , or is just a blank and need more work. Is the biggest razor I know of, almost 12/8 almost full wedge and about 4.2oz or 120 grams. If is a blank for concaving was already forged or is need to be forged? I just want to share with SRP members a very rare razor. I don't think I will ever shave with this as go me even 8/8 is too big. Enjoy.
Very nice...it's huge and has the England stamp on it, so it is post 1891...wonder if you're correct that it is a blank waiting for the further grinding, it definitely is one big honking wedge...fascinating....I'm sure the experts will weigh in soon.
Thanks for sharing that.
edit: looking at the pics closer, looks like there's zero or minimal hone wear...
I have to disagree with you Phrank...
It appears to show quite discernible hone wear, although minimum to be sure. That would indicate to me that it has been honed at some time and used as well, therefore it is a finished razor and not a blank. I'd hone it up if it were mine ...
It looks ground to me :<0) I also believe all grinding was done before the scales were pinned on. It also looks like a factory bevel but hard to tell from the pics. I hate posting below Phrank. Makes me feel like a drool bucket. In this case I am drooling as much for the collect factor alone.
Ah good Mike typed faster than me.. but Look out below :<0)
Thanks Wolfpack...my eyes aren't what they used to be and I think it's time I got a better picture editor/display...you really think it's finished at that size? No Barbers Use...or could an etching have been lost? That is one HUGE blade...I thought it looked, "unfinished" ...what do you think...interesting?Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfpack34
edit: drool bucket...guess I came by that honestly....:o
Holy Mythical Meat Axes! :overkill:
This is one nice looking oversized Spiked pointed Sheffiled wedge
Hone it!, Hone it!, Hone it!, Hone it!, Hone it!, Hone it!, Hone it!, Hone it!
and let us all know how is shaves
I don't think it is a blank as it looks like a finished Wedge & you've been hidingit for how long?
Been a few years, or more, but I recall seeing more than one W&B stamped, or maybe etched, "Blank For Concaving." Since that behemoth does not have that marking on it, I'd assume it is ready for prime time. Zak or Neil ..... manah or Martin may be able to shed more light. Nice whatever the status is.
Reminds me of a Cane Knife...
That is a razor. Seems it is for shaving sheep. Beautiful thing, too big for me! :D (although, I would give it a go!)
Just took another ........ better look ....... at him. The tang is stamped "Blank For Concaving" under the W&B and above the Sheffield, England ........ like I said ....... so I'm not going soft after all. :shrug:
Another thing that's clear about it, is that it's a scale-buster.
I've never seen one quite like it, but since it's got 'Blank for Concaving', I have to assume it was made for the barbering trade to modify as they saw fit, and someone thought that behemoth would fit into those dainty little scales.
If it were mine, I'd give it a few strokes on the butcher's steel and use it for prepping ribs to be barbequed.
It does look like it has hone wear to me too. That's a machete for clearing paths in the Amazon!Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfpack34
It does look like it has hone wear to me too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfpack34
Yes, I said no or minimal hone wear, my eyes and picture software ain't that great...but looks like I was on the mark initially, can see it now that JimmyHAD pointed it out, "Blank for Concaving", and as Zak pointed out was destined for further refining...can see the Celebrated, FBU etching on it now :p....would just have to stop them from putting a darn notch in the thing!Quote:
Originally Posted by engine46
Thank you for all your input, I will try to sharpen it. Is definitely not shave ready, the spine is kind of uneven , that why I was thinking need finishing. It is as close to the wedge as can be. I will post more info once I sharpen it.
Since it is "ready for concaving", why not send it to an expert and have it ground properly to your specs? IOW half hollow, 1/4 hollow, wedge ........ Max or Robert Williams could knock that out in a jiffy. Then you'd have a proper grind with parallel spine and all. IMHO.Quote:
Originally Posted by livio
I say hone as is and enjoy; might be a booger but I wouldn't mess with hollowing it out and just enjoy.
I'm on the fence. I'm not a big fan of wedges, but I'd hate to tamper with such a unique razor.
It's your decision, just make sure you keep us posted.
Maybe you are right , I will think about send it out to one of the experts.
Ooooooo, since you have so much meat to work with in the blank you should have a pro grind a large belly into it... like this W&B
I'm no expert .... so I'd ask an expert, why did they stamp "Blank For Concaving" in the tang if the razor wasn't intended to be ground subsequent to the sale ? I'm thinking that it is not a finished blade. If it were mine, I'd want it to end up still a wedge, or close to it. It is not necessary to have it become a full hollow, unless that is what you want.Quote:
Originally Posted by livio
I had said in an earlier post that I remembered seeing one stamped the same in the past. I wonder what the idea was ? Were there hobbyists around back then who wanted blanks to grind their own ? If the blanks were for another company they wouldn't want the W&B name on the tang, let alone blank for concaving. So what these are about to begin with kind of puzzles me.
The grand old man of tattooing Charlie Wagner had a shop on the Bowery in NYC from 1897 until he died in 1953. He used to sell tattoo machines through the mail. Had an add in Popular Mechanics. His frames were stamped with his name on the upright, unless you wanted it blank, so you could stamp your own name. I could see W&B selling blanks with no name, but can't understand them doing it with their own. :shrug:
Little known fact: The crew at W&B also wore sombreros when they made razor blanks :p.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
My thoughts: That's a lovely big hunk of razor. Whatever you do, start gingerly and with minimal metal removal. That stuff is really hard to put back on once it's removed...
That's correct - and when they made the Masonic ones, they had their right trouser leg rolled up. - fact.Quote:
Originally Posted by entropy1049