Thread: W&B Question...Is this normal

Is it normal for an old, very old Wade & Butcher to be wider at the toe than at the heel?? The blade is about 1" at the toe and approx 7/8 at the heel.

I don't have the razor so no picture available.

Thanks
Jacques

Some razors are like that, especially the really old ones. I've got a W&B pseudo-frameback that has a toe that's a bit more than 1/8" wider than the heel. It's not from hone wear as the toe is actually the only part of the razor with any particular hone wear. Really really old razors (like from the 1700's) were basically triangle-shaped pieces of steel without a thinned shank area, and you occasionally see transitional razors with triangular blades and only minimal machining in the shank area. But most razors in that condition got that way from hone wear.

I think it's typical of the design of the time as can be seen in THIS ONE that I picked up last Saturday. Others I've seen look like this as well and not just W&B. Improper honing could do the same thing, but IME it's such a commonality for that age and type of razor that they had big toes.

Chris L

+1 to that. I picked an old W&B off ebay a little while ago and it's the same, about 1/8 larger at the toe than the heel. Hone wear is significantly less at the heel than the toe, due to the shape/curvature of the edge. Had to have been made that way.

I have a big 'for barbers use' W&B in my resto pile that is wider at the toe, by approx 1/8. It is not wear, and I have seen this with other blades that age.

Thanks everybody for your informative anwsers.

I'll try to pick it up this week. The guy is asking 15$ for it. The scales are long gone and the blade ia lots of honing mark but it's a W&B so....

I'll post pics if I get it.

Jacques
Laval, Quebec