Thread: What does "Barbers Use" mean?

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.