Thread: What are the top English Straight Razor Manufacturers?

Originally Posted by BobH

Jimbo

Then finding that one bad one would be considered the holy grail of Sheffield razors?

Bob

I guess it would, yes! But you'd have to prove it was a manufacturing issue, and not a function of time, mistreatment, "restoration" etc.

I'm not a gambling man, but if I were ever to put down a wager it would be on this issue, so strongly do I feel about the Sheffield straight razor manufacturing industry. God Bless the Queen!

James.

In this interesting thread I see no mention of Wheatly Brothers Sheaf Works razors. Can anyone shed some light on them. Good, bad or indifferent?

Bob

Originally Posted by Wullie

I can ONLY DREAM!

Now Tom on the other hand probably has three of everything from that list and some that aren't on the list...............



I don't know, I see a LOT more Frederick Reynolds stuff for sale than I do Joseph Rodgers.

Using that TOTALLY non-scientific assumption makes me think that Freddy and the boys outdid Joseph and sons in production numbers. I've got several of both and they ALL give stellar shaves.

Dunno. I do know that Rodgers and Wostenholm mfgd into the 1970s. W&B maybe the fifties. I think Reynolds was long gone well before that.

Here's the thing. When it comes to classic-era Sheffield razors, the cut-rate knock-offs -- like I. Barber and J. Wostenholm -- are superb razors.

That said, I've never seen a Hunter & Sons razor that was in good shape, and I have no idea why.

Here in America we've got a skewed sense of who the biggest producers were, largely because between Wade & Butcher and Wostenholm our streets were paved with Sheffield razors. The great bulk of all the production from those two companies went directly to America, moreso Wostenholm that W&B, but all the same, they were major exporters.

My perception of 'largest' (which doesn't equal best) is, in order of prevalence:
Wade & Butcher
George Wostenholm
Frederick Reynolds
Joseph Elliot
Joseph Rodgers

(depending on wind speed and humidity, my ordering of the last three will change)

I've never seen a Hunter & Sons razor that was in good shape

http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...eld-wedge.html
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ield-ebay.html

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

The great bulk of all the production from those two companies went directly to America, moreso Wostenholm that W&B, but all the same, they were major exporters.

I was surprised when I found out that Butcher ..... IIRC .... was not even a razor maker. He was the NY based facilitator of Wade's importing into the USA. Anyway .... I know someone will correct me if I'm (shudder) wrong.

I go by what i like in a razor so for me most of mine are sheffield's and most of those are joseph rogers,i do have others it's just some look better to me than others but the best looking razor i've seen are the fenney tally ho's,i just can't find one for the right price before they're sold so i'm not buying another razor until i get one

Originally Posted by manah

http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...eld-wedge.html
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ield-ebay.html

Awesome! I knew they had to be out there!

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I was surprised when I found out that Butcher ..... IIRC .... was not even a razor maker. He was the NY based facilitator of Wade's importing into the USA. Anyway .... I know someone will correct me if I'm (shudder) wrong.

It's the other way around. Robert Wade was the American agent for William and Samuel Butcher. But it's not at all clear that Wade was, himself, American. He produced razors of his own in Sheffield before there was a Wade & Butcher, and as Neil has pointed out, his wife continued producing razors after his death in the early 1820's. But it's also confusing because Samuel acted as the American agent after Robert Wade's death.

The entire lot of them produced razors.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Dunno. I do know that Rodgers and Wostenholm mfgd into the 1970s. W&B maybe the fifties. I think Reynolds was long gone well before that.

Can't argue that, but the bulk of straight razor manufacture had pretty much died off by the 1930's. Wostenholm continued to make knives and cutlery until the 70's.

I own one Wostenholm's "end of days" knives. It's unused with all the paperwork. I've seen better examples of knives coming from China. In other words, they were just a faint shadow of their former prowess and glory.

I'm just basing my statement on the number of razors that I generally remember seeing for sale on the bay.
( My rememberer ain't that great these days either )