Just wondering, I have a few large WAde and Butcher razors, some For Barbers Use and some without saying it. They appear to have the same shape and grind. What do the Barbers Use WBs have that the regular ones don't?
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Just wondering, I have a few large WAde and Butcher razors, some For Barbers Use and some without saying it. They appear to have the same shape and grind. What do the Barbers Use WBs have that the regular ones don't?
They say "For Barbers Use" on them. Thats it, there really isn't any other difference.
the stamp?
I kind of figured that was the case. Were the dates they were made any different?
I've thought about that a bit and IMO it was just another marketing ploy to sell more razors. Since, from what I've observed over many years, most barbers seem to prefer a 5/8 or at most a 6/8 blade it seems to me unlikely that barbers in the 1850s during the heyday of the 'meat chopper' would have been any different.
So one possible explanation I've come up with is that itinerant grinders would go from shop to shop sharpening scissors and razors with one of those grindstones and the expected longevity of the large blade was the selling point. I could be wrong .... I've been wrong twice in the past. :)
Back in the day they liked to put sayings and things on the razors. They actually paid people to do this because they knew in the far future guys would scratch their heads trying to figure out why a razor said this or that and invent all kinds of logical reasons.. (Is it 04/01 yet?)
I have been thinking about this, too. Could it have been that barbers back in those days were also "surgeons?" They were not really doing intricate surgery and most often the procedure was an amputation. That may explain why the "barbers use" razors tended to be the biggest ones.
Since we're all guessing here, my guess is that these razors were built to heavier specifications because they were intended to shave hundreds of customers, not just one owner, and were designed to last through many more honings than a private citizens razor.
Just an observation here...
W&B also made For Gentleman's Use razors. I'm guessing there's no actual difference between the Barber's and the Gentleman's razors.
Ron, its good to see you back! Would've sent a PM but your message box is full. Great to hear from you!
Back on topic, the stamp was a selling point, its like telling a customer that something is of industrial quality and surpasses the usual.
I've yet to meet a barber who was a gentleman so there must be a difference ...:roflmao Just kidding to you barbers out there.... posting while intoxicated. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
Jimmy, I hope you are not playing with needles and ink at the moment, but if you are, let me know how it turns out. All the best!
:OT I promise I will work on my PM box in the near future. I really don't have time for PMs yet. I certainly owe one to you about your hones and the extra stuff I included with them. I never intended to disappear but priorities took over.Quote:
Originally Posted by nun2sharp
Back on topic, I've got lots of Barber's Use W&B's but I didn't realize the "For Gentleman's Use" W&B's existed until recently when I saw one on ebay. Of course now I want one (or more) of them.
Oh Jeez, I'm too tired to do this properly. I thought the above quote was from Jimmy and not from Kelly. I must have gotten confused from the fact that Jimmy's post immediately followed Kelly's. Kelly, disregard the hones and extra stuff comment, that was directed to Jimmy. When I get a chance, I'll go ahead and figure out how to do a friend request and send my first one to you. Hopefully that will make it up to you. As of yet, I have no idea if I can make it to the next Mid Mo meetup as I don't know if what state I will be living in at that point. If at all possible, I do intend to go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
I have to agree that this maybe the reasonQuote:
I have been thinking about this, too. Could it have been that barbers back in those days were also "surgeons?" They were not really doing intricate surgery and most often the procedure was an amputation. That may explain why the "barbers use" razors tended to be the biggest ones.
David