Thread: Wade & Butcher Comeback

Mike - great to know. I stand corrected - I see my suspicions were wrong that this was a scam. I'm pleased to have been wrong! Best of luck with this and I look forward to seeing how it goes.

Adam

Originally Posted by MichaelC

Hi Guys,

I came across this thread and thought I should join in and just mention a few things. Firstly, this is my venture.

Secondly, I really thought I was giving myself some time with that coming soon page - but I think it rather pertinent now to just (hopefully) ease some of the concerns and give you guys some info for the time being. What I wanted to do and what I still will do (closer to launch), is put up a proper announcement thread where I can convey the whole story and the vision I have for Wade & Butcher, with an outline of where I want to go and what I want to do - so perhaps stick around for that closer to launch..

For now though, let me get down all the important points, so as to be upfront/transparent/clear:

I'm Mike My claims to fame such as they are:
Owner/Operator of Zulu Grey;
Designer by profession (I run my own design agency);
Wet Shaver and dedicated straight razor nut (like you) for the last 10 odd years;
oh and I designed the SRP Logo


Some Background:

I have a deep love for the Wade & Butcher brand, and I wanted to pair my love for the brand with my passion to create custom razors and start my own company – and so I set about investigating the possibilities of ‘reviving’ the Wade & Butcher brand. This led me to discover that indeed the actual company, well both companies (the parent W & S Butcher Ltd, and the primary US brand Wade&Butcher, which was incorporated into it's own Sheffield company in 1921) were in fact still ‘alive’ albeit dormant. The current owner, Charles at Durham Duplex in Sheffield (and Chairman of the Made In Sheffield brand), had privately bought out both companies from the family business for his own keeping, to one day 'do something with them', as he told to me.

So, I made contact and many discussions later over the last two years we settled on an agreement/partnership whereby I will bring the brand back to market through my own vision and at my own quality standards. Charles had attempted to investigate the possibility of bringing the brand back to market himself through mass production, but ultimately he agreed that that wasn't the best course for the brand.

To be clear, this will be legitimate Wade & Butcher in the year 2017, by that I mean it is from the original company that was sold to Durham Duplex in 1920 and that has been maintained and kept as a viable company in Sheffield for 95 years, and with it all the associated brand marks, names, razor designs etc. Others may be using the name, casually using versions of the symbols, it may even be registered in the US by another company.. but only the actual original Sheffield company, passed from hand to hand as it has done, can bear the name and the marks rightfully, on any newly created shaving cutlery. And so that is what I have secured. I want to properly and meticulously bring the brand back to market, but it must be done with great care and respect for the heritage of the brand and of course all the provenance must be intact.

So, what do we plan to make then? Well, this will not be mass-manufacture/production, not one bit. Historical W&B did that, it served the time and it made sense then, but as a modern heritage company my sights are set on turning Wade & Butcher into a more boutique, upper-tier brand. It will be custom, handcrafted - dare I say 'luxury' straight razors of truly impeccable quality. In many ways this is a labour of love for me personally, and it really will not be about volume. We'll be crafting new designed razors, as well as bringing back some classic 'heritage' models (with updated materials and small touches). It will be myself and potentially 2 other artisans here in South Africa, with a complete emphasis on small-batch, high-quality.

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.

As I say, I just wanted to mention a little bit and get the conversation straight, but in time I will update our social media accounts and the mailing list with new info and more details on everything. Talk is good, but I do wholeheartedly understand that many of you will believe it when you see it - and my intention is to pleasantly surprise you.


Cheers,
- Mike

Originally Posted by MichaelC

Hi Guys,

I came across this thread and thought I should join in and just mention a few things. Firstly, this is my venture.

Secondly, I really thought I was giving myself some time with that coming soon page - but I think it rather pertinent now to just (hopefully) ease some of the concerns and give you guys some info for the time being. What I wanted to do and what I still will do (closer to launch), is put up a proper announcement thread where I can convey the whole story and the vision I have for Wade & Butcher, with an outline of where I want to go and what I want to do - so perhaps stick around for that closer to launch..

For now though, let me get down all the important points, so as to be upfront/transparent/clear:

I'm Mike My claims to fame such as they are:
Owner/Operator of Zulu Grey;
Designer by profession (I run my own design agency);
Wet Shaver and dedicated straight razor nut (like you) for the last 10 odd years;
oh and I designed the SRP Logo


Some Background:

I have a deep love for the Wade & Butcher brand, and I wanted to pair my love for the brand with my passion to create custom razors and start my own company – and so I set about investigating the possibilities of ‘reviving’ the Wade & Butcher brand. This led me to discover that indeed the actual company, well both companies (the parent W & S Butcher Ltd, and the primary US brand Wade&Butcher, which was incorporated into it's own Sheffield company in 1921) were in fact still ‘alive’ albeit dormant. The current owner, Charles at Durham Duplex in Sheffield (and Chairman of the Made In Sheffield brand), had privately bought out both companies from the family business for his own keeping, to one day 'do something with them', as he told to me.

So, I made contact and many discussions later over the last two years we settled on an agreement/partnership whereby I will bring the brand back to market through my own vision and at my own quality standards. Charles had attempted to investigate the possibility of bringing the brand back to market himself through mass production, but ultimately he agreed that that wasn't the best course for the brand.

To be clear, this will be legitimate Wade & Butcher in the year 2017, by that I mean it is from the original company that was sold to Durham Duplex in 1920 and that has been maintained and kept as a viable company in Sheffield for 95 years, and with it all the associated brand marks, names, razor designs etc. Others may be using the name, casually using versions of the symbols, it may even be registered in the US by another company.. but only the actual original Sheffield company, passed from hand to hand as it has done, can bear the name and the marks rightfully, on any newly created shaving cutlery. And so that is what I have secured. I want to properly and meticulously bring the brand back to market, but it must be done with great care and respect for the heritage of the brand and of course all the provenance must be intact.

So, what do we plan to make then? Well, this will not be mass-manufacture/production, not one bit. Historical W&B did that, it served the time and it made sense then, but as a modern heritage company my sights are set on turning Wade & Butcher into a more boutique, upper-tier brand. It will be custom, handcrafted - dare I say 'luxury' straight razors of truly impeccable quality. In many ways this is a labour of love for me personally, and it really will not be about volume. We'll be crafting new designed razors, as well as bringing back some classic 'heritage' models (with updated materials and small touches). It will be myself and potentially 2 other artisans here in South Africa, with a complete emphasis on small-batch, high-quality.

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.

As I say, I just wanted to mention a little bit and get the conversation straight, but in time I will update our social media accounts and the mailing list with new info and more details on everything. Talk is good, but I do wholeheartedly understand that many of you will believe it when you see it - and my intention is to pleasantly surprise you.


Cheers,
- Mike

From what I understand from the Made in Sheffield brand that Charles Turner chairs is that one of the conditions that must be met to carry the word "Made in Sheffield" is that:

"The company must be located in the 'S' (Sheffield) postcode area (broadly consistent with the historical county of Hallamshire) and consistent with the Sheffield City Region."

How will the three of you do this from South Africa? Are you going to actually use artisans in Sheffield - that would be cool!

Adam

No no, I just noted Charles was Chair of that org out of interest to the community here. Very specifically our razors will not carry the 'Made in Sheffield' mark, as indeed they will be fully handcrafted in SA from Swedish Steels.

I would like to down the road, by adhering to the stipulations of the MIS certificate and with Charles' say-so, offer some blades that are perhaps made with Sheffield steel (cut, stamped in Sheffield) but then finished in SA, that then bear the MIS mark.. but that is down the road and only some inner plannings of mine for the time being.

- Mike

Thank you Michael for setting the records straight and for your vision. There will always be ones that say the new W&B will never be the same but Mark Waterson turned around a flagging Simpson brand into the success it is today. So I say good luck and I can't wait to see what happens.

Michael I wish you the best of luck with your efforts. I've never had a particular hankering for moving to SA but if there's a job opening let me know!

Thanks for setting us straight Michael ! Many of us as well,hold the W&B name in high regard and it is comforting to learn of the future plans you have for this historically grand name. I will be looking forward with great interest in your product and your venture. Good luck !

Originally Posted by MichaelC

Hi Guys,

I came across this thread and thought I should join in and just mention a few things. Firstly, this is my venture.

<snip>

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.

As I say, I just wanted to mention a little bit and get the conversation straight, but in time I will update our social media accounts and the mailing list with new info and more details on everything. Talk is good, but I do wholeheartedly understand that many of you will believe it when you see it - and my intention is to pleasantly surprise you.


Cheers,
- Mike

Yes!!!

That was beautiful to read, I'm trying not to weep with joy.....:-)

I too love the Wade and Butcher brand and their razors, and from reading your post, and thank-you by the way for posting that, I'm truly excited and look forward to owning and trying one of your razors.

I've been hooked on them since virtually the start, there's just something about Sheffield steel that for me at least, Wade & Butcher captures so perfectly. While I enjoy having many fine razors in my collection, I always come back to W&B, they do it for me every time...

Good luck, and am truly looking forward to seeing your work.

Here's to the day when we see on of these again, newly crafted circa 2017...

So to buy a new W&B razor that is not made in Sheffield, will be high, paying for an over priced imitation, that right??
Good luck on your venture, i signed up but I personally think if you had such a high regard for W&B you should have left it where it was.
I hope i am wrong but all i see is dollar signs in your eyes.

Originally Posted by GabrielMartin

So to buy a new W&B razor that is not made in Sheffield, will be high, paying for an over priced imitation, that right??
Good luck on your venture, i signed up but I personally think if you had such a high regard for W&B you should have left it where it was.
I hope i am wrong but all i see is dollar signs in your eyes.

Not too nice there, Gabriel?

The man is working to accomplish something within the realm of what he enjoys.

In fact, there is a lot of 'England' in SA, AFAIK. He has stated it will be a lower-production custom affair. We have no idea as of yet what the prices shall be.

Don't write yourself off as not being able to afford one and insult the idea just yet......

We should all encourage his efforts and applaud them until we see how things go. JMO

Just stating a fact. There may be a lot of England in SA but SA aint England and it wont be Sheffield steel.
Sheffield steel is hard good stuff as i'm sure your well aware of.
In buying the W&B name, he is making "original" Wades more valuable which in turn making them harder to buy from sellers on Ebay and the likes that already ask a fortune from selling original Wades.
As to your comment on my not affording them, i have a few good original Wade & Butcher razors that have cost a fortune but a fortune differs from one to another.
I was referring to the working man being able to afford, after all, it was the working men that made the original W&B razors that this he is trying to revive but it simply wont be the same, nothing to it.
The blood, sweat, tears and even their lives went into making the razors.
So please, dont try to make me out to be the bad guy here, i am entitled to my opinion, i do wish him luck but his razors will be nothing like the originals. Period.