Thread: Wade & Butcher Comeback

Simple fact is, if he owns the rights to the name, what he puts it on is his business... He could be selling gruel and boxes of tampons with the arrow on it, but at least he is gunning for high-end razors... He could have just pulled a fast one and had them rebrand gold dollars for him in china but he isn't... Hate to break it to you, but the ppl who own the rights to a cluster of equally big sheffield names were interested in doing something similar but knew nothing about how to proceed... Doesn't mean they won't someday...

And I for one don't mind seeing someone try to fill a vacuum to meet demand if he is intending on making things like choppers and the strange, transitional grinds. If prices get any dumber on certain things, shady sorts may very well be compelled to start churning out good fakes... It happened with electric guitars...

Originally Posted by WW243

One more time: "Our razors will be truly pristine, my aspiration is to far exceed the quality, the fit, the finish - that historical Wade & Butcher ever achieved, ever could achieve. Handcrafting individual razors with the best tools and materials of our day affords us this ability. There will be nothing cheaply or casually done - from the steel selection, to the packaging it will be done properly."
Oh man, they are going to be soooooo much better than the old W&B's.....no criticism from me just some questions which won't be answered apparently.

That's not a ridiculous goal. W&S Butcher weren't in the business of producing luxury goods. They were average for a big Sheffield firm. Average Sheffield compared to the product of anyone else was obviously better. However, there were firms in Sheffield producing higher-end goods than the Butchers, or Wostenholm or even Rodgers (with their nose firmly lodged in the aristocracy's behind).

James Crawshaw's razors were significantly better made, from the uniformity of their grind to the precision of their scale fit.

Pickslay & Green genuinely made their own steel which was actually superior in rust-resistance, and they also had better fit & finish.

Joseph Cam. Rhodes & Champion. Thomas Scargill. All the people that either died or went bankrupt before the factory system completely took over. The post-Bessemer crowd.

The Butcher brothers' products were factory goods -- among the best factory goods made at the time, but factory goods all the same. It's a bit silly to argue that a small group working with good funding and time cannot produce superior razors.

Any given W&B branded razor spent no more than ten minutes in the hands of any of the craftsmen working on it. Do you REALLY think someone with hours to spend can't make a more refined product? They were polished by children.

I'm pretty sure well-rested adults with time and resources can do better.

OK Michael, Zak sussed it out. All you have to do is get in your 8 hours every night and everything will be fine!

Michael if you own the rights to the name and trade mark I guess I should ask you if it's ok if I tattoo in on my body��

Originally Posted by WW243

Oh man, they are going to be soooooo much better than the old W&B's.....no criticism from me just some questions which won't be answered apparently.

Voidmonster captured my sentiment on this quite splendidly - but I figured I'd reiterate:


Could you show me a vintage W&B that is without defect? I'm referring to visible grind marks in the hollows; irregular pin/pivot holes; wedges that aren't flush with the scales, jimping that isn't symmetrical, master grinds that aren't symmetrical; tang tapers that aren't symmetrical (well let's just say symmetry overall..); bevels that aren't consistently fine and even; stampings that aren't evenly deep; etchings that aren't consistent; etc. etc.

Any one or more of these defects exist on any vintage W&B that you can show me (or any manufactured razor), and they exist simply because these objects were created with a high-volume mindset.

So rather, we will be approaching this with a boutique/bespoke/luxury mindset. Literally one razor made as impeccably as it can be made, at a time. I mean, I think the Brothers would be proud..

As to the question of why not just put my own name on it? Well, it's simply a branding decision. As I've mentioned, I have a love for the brand and the ethos of the brand, and it is that which inspires me/fuels me to want to create only my best work. And isn't that why we place a name or a logo on the objects we create, that we are the most proud of? As a designer I could certainly construct a new brand for my razors (that's my day job after all), But I've done the research, secured the rights and aligned myself with the ability to select an alternate solution. A solution that allows a brand that clearly many of us love and cherish, to once again be accessible, to be current.

Cheers,
- Mike

At the risk of being redundant .......... I love old Winchester rifles and have always wanted a 'High Wall' single shot in a centerfire smokeless caliber. I could find a custom one from back in the day, but prices are high. Browning (Japan) made the B-78 which is a bit different internally, has better steel and looks like the old High Wall. I've got one in 45-70 ( a mistake but that is another story) and I've got a "Winchester" ( made by Mikuro in Japan) in 38-55 which is gorgeous and shoots way better than I can.

The aforementioned Case knife company started a separate entity called 'Case Classics'. These are old patterns that were discontinued before WWII and bring astronomical prices in the collectors market. They are made by a small outfit of artisans in Tennessee IIRC. So if you want in original 5193 whittler in nice condition you'd pay thousands. The Case Classic 5391 hundreds. They are very nicely done, even if they are not quite as nice as the real McCoy.

As the Rolling Stones said, 'If You Can't Be With The One You Love, Love The One You're With' .........

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

At the risk of being redundant .......... I love old Winchester rifles and have always wanted a 'High Wall' single shot in a centerfire smokeless caliber. I could find a custom one from back in the day, but prices are high. Browning (Japan) made the B-78 which is a bit different internally, has better steel and looks like the old High Wall. I've got one in 45-70 ( a mistake but that is another story) and I've got a "Winchester" ( made by Mikuro in Japan) in 38-55 which is gorgeous and shoots way better than I can.

The aforementioned Case knife company started a separate entity called 'Case Classics'. These are old patterns that were discontinued before WWII and bring astronomical prices in the collectors market. They are made by a small outfit of artisans in Tennessee IIRC. So if you want in original 5193 whittler in nice condition you'd pay thousands. The Case Classic 5391 hundreds. They are very nicely done, even if they are not quite as nice as the real McCoy.

As the Rolling Stones said, 'If You Can't Be With The One You Love, Love The One You're With' .........

Lord knows I hate to be picky....

But, the Jap Brownings were made by Miroku ... and extremely well done, BTW...

And I think the old tune was done by Stephen Stills... don't know if the Stones covered it, but not to my knowledge.

Otherwise... I agree!

BTW, got an old Model 70 in completely original condition from my birth year (1949)... Beautiful rifle in every way except for the stock dimensions that probably fit no one properly! Waaaaay too much drop!

Originally Posted by Druid

Lord knows I hate to be picky....

But, the Jap Brownings were made by Miroku ... and extremely well done, BTW...

And I think the old tune was done by Stephen Stills... don't know if the Stones covered it, but not to my knowledge.

Otherwise... I agree!

BTW, got an old Model 70 in completely original condition from my birth year (1949)... Beautiful rifle in every way except for the stock dimensions that probably fit no one properly! Waaaaay too much drop!

Are you trying to say I was (shudder) ........ wrong twice ? Impossible ! .............

Originally Posted by Utopian

There is no necessity for that.

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Do you notice a difference between the two cars? The red one is "superior in so many truly rarified ways" and yet both of them are Fords. Is that a problem too?

A continuous productions Homes.