Bowdins Wedge

I just got a Bowdins Wedge off of ebay.

It honed up very nicely and seems to be an excellent shaver... Although, it's my first wedge and seems like being in a silent movie after using mostly extra hollow grinds.

Does anyone know the history of these things or have any experience with them?

The handle says Minneapolis, Minn.

i have two or three of them they are great silent mowers. I'm not near my razors right now... but i seem to recall that they are not really US made

They were distributed by Bowdins Barber Supply here in Minneapolis. If I recall correctly Bowdins is still operating from Monticello, MN. I believe one of our guys, Bruce, has been to their storefront. They did not make their own razors.

I have 2 Bowdin's Wedge razors myself... I liked the first one so much, I went out and found a "backup", just in case! They both have yellow scales (celluloid?), but my backup razor scales are horribly warped, as if someone shot it with a melt ray. Someday, this razor will be my first rescaling project.

Yes, it is much quieter than a full hollow razor, such as my beloved bang-for-the-buck-leader Double Arrow razor. I find it works best where my stubble is coarsest/toughest, because it hangs up less (doesn't deflect as much?) and mows through.

I find that I cut myself at least an order of magnitude less with wedges than with flexier blades. I attribute it to the fact that I know where my hand is going at all times, but when a flexy blade encounters tough stubble and flexes, I *don't* know which way it's going to go (out and away from my face, or into my face!).

Don't get me wrong. I think I've cut myself once in the last 3 months... but when I started about a year ago is when I developed a feel for my stiffer blades (Bowdin, Maher & Grosh Rattler, and to a lesser extent my Wapinieca).

Another thing I love about my Bowdin's Wedge is that it is small... maybe 4/8? I have a ring goatee, and the smaller blade makes it much easier to trim between my nose and moustache area. I also love that the space between the pivot and heel of the razor is longer than most razors, and for me, it fits my hand nicely.

If you're up for honing yourself, you might want to put a double bevel on that blade... lot more material to remove with wedges, so once you get close, you can slap a couple layers of electrical tape on the spine and then get a quick, wicked sharp edge on your wedge. Works for me!

Wishing you great shaves!

Thanks for the replies.

It honed and stropped in about 10 mins, regular bevel.

I wasn't expecting much... But I got a really nice one-pass shave out of the thing. It's definitely gonna be in the rotation.

I've ordered three more for backup and as starters for friends. I guess that's Redundant Acquisition Disorder...

I was born in Mpls. I want to make a new rule that those who are born in the city where a certain razor was either manufactured or marked have first dibs on purchasing said razors on Ebay. Now that the cat's been let out of the bag with this post, I guess I'll have more stinkin competition when I bid on the Bowdins.:gaah::rant::rant::rant:......;). Naw, without the wink emoticon. I'll just stick with the: :rant::rant:

Chris L

In that case, I was born in Solingen... Yeah, that's the ticket! ;)

No, er ah, I meant I was born in Sheffield!!

Chris L