Thread: 7/8 W&B Wedge

So I was on my way from OK to West Virginia to do some work last week and had been in the car for about 8 hours or so. I needed to get out of my truck and walk around for a bit so I pulled in to an antique mall and started looking. And look what I found (sorry the pics suck all I have with me is my cell phone and my camera is 18 hours or so away) It has just a little bit of rust around the tang pin and some minor pitting but should clean up very well. The scales are not in good shape so I will have to build some new ones but overall it is great. Nice smile and from what I can tell looking at it on a flat surface it is real close to a true wedge maybe just a little grind but slight if any. The only thing that suck is I am still in West Virginia so I am no where near my hones so right now all I can do is look at it

That's a great looking old wedge. Does it have a maker's name or any other identifying marks?

Regards - Walt

Originally Posted by Walt

That's a great looking old wedge. Does it have a maker's name or any other identifying marks?

Regards - Walt

Why yes it does it is a Wade & Butcher. It just says Sheffield and does not say England it has the circle B arrow and iron cross. From my understanding the ones that say England are made at a certain time and later due to import laws in the US in the late 1800's but I might be wrong.

Nice grab. I had a W&B with the same design and she was a great shaver (in addition to feeling great in my hand). Congrats!

WOW, nice blade.. and scales don't look so bad to me! Really a 7/8??

Originally Posted by clavichord

WOW, nice blade.. and scales don't look so bad to me! Really a 7/8??

The scales are split on one side long ways at the back pin. It is pretty bad but it's ok I can build new ones no problem. It is right at 7/8" I will get a ruler behind it and take a better pic when I get home.

Originally Posted by sbrouwers

Why yes it does it is a Wade & Butcher. It just says Sheffield and does not say England it has the circle B arrow and iron cross. From my understanding the ones that say England are made at a certain time and later due to import laws in the US in the late 1800's but I might be wrong.

The US passed an import law that (for this particular rule) went into effect in 1891 which stipulated that the country of origin must be visibly present in English letters on the item before it could be received into the US. Other countries passed similar import laws in the late 19th century

Nice looking wedge!

I read that that rule, before being written as rule in 1891, was a common practice, so it could be the country started to be an important part of the mark before 1891.

Originally Posted by clavichord

I read that that rule, before being written as rule in 1891, was a common practice, so it could be the country started to be an important part of the mark before 1891.

England had enacted a trademark act as early as 1864 requiring trademarks to be printed on imported items, but I have not been able to find when the makers would have been obligated (if ever) to label their goods whether they were to be exported or not

I am curious to find out where you read that it was common practice (in what country(ies)?) before that time to mark the razors with country of origin?

I made a short investigation some months ago with "Madrid Trade Accords 1891" as keywords, but now I can't find the links I saved. The info I found were about goods in general.