Thread: Wade and Butcher in Bone

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

It sounds to me like you are describing a Faux Frameback, also sometimes called a long grind and seemingly sometimes referred to as a rattler. These were in production for a long time, and there examples from various regions as well. They seemed to be particularly popular in Sweden, but I have seen American, Sheffield, and French razors with that grind as well.

I don't think I have seen any of that type from before 1837, however. Maybe 1870 or 1880.

I believe we are describing the same type, but while others may have made it over an extended period, Wade and Butcher's version, if the SRP Wiki is to be believed, was made between 1830 and 1837:

Wade & Butcher "Full Concave Fine India Steel" 7/8 - Straight Razor Place Wiki

I would suspect that that is accurate, since it doesn't actually offer any advantages over a conventionally hollow grind. I think that probably predates frame back razors, making the term "faux frameback" misleading. I have an "Illustrated London News" illustration of a Sheffield razor grinding workshop in 1861, which shows, as well as the large-diameter grindstones on which the early wedges must have been made, many much smaller stones in storage racks, which were presumably used for hollow grinding of razors.

I think the term "rattler" was used mainly for hollow-ground razors, and certainly was by Wade and Butcher, for their "Barbner's Rattler". It has been suggested, rightly I think, that the name derives from the rasping sound of the deeply hollow-ground razor when shaving, in contrast to the quieter wedges. This suggests a North American origin for the name, as Old World snakes don't rattle.

Originally Posted by Caledonian

I believe we are describing the same type, but while others may have made it over an extended period, Wade and Butcher's version, if the SRP Wiki is to be believed, was made between 1830 and 1837:

Wade & Butcher "Full Concave Fine India Steel" 7/8 - Straight Razor Place Wiki

I would suspect that that is accurate, since it doesn't actually offer any advantages over a conventionally hollow grind. I think that probably predates frame back razors, making the term "faux frameback" misleading. I have an "Illustrated London News" illustration of a Sheffield razor grinding workshop in 1861, which shows, as well as the large-diameter grindstones on which the early wedges must have been made, many much smaller stones in storage racks, which were presumably used for hollow grinding of razors.

I think the term "rattler" was used mainly for hollow-ground razors, and certainly was by Wade and Butcher, for their "Barbner's Rattler". It has been suggested, rightly I think, that the name derives from the rasping sound of the deeply hollow-ground razor when shaving, in contrast to the quieter wedges. This suggests a North American origin for the name, as Old World snakes don't rattle.

I would disagree with the date listed for that razor in the wiki - the tail doesn't match the era based on what I have seen. But maybe it is accurate. That is a more primitive type of faux frameback than what I was thinking of.

I have seen faux framebacks etched with "rattler" or "barber's rattler" - it may or may not actually refer to the grind. Many faux framebacks are quite hollow, and thus make the same noise a full hollow would.

Very nice looking razor, it looks like it will clean up great with just a little hand polishing. Enjoy it.