Thread: The Mysterious W&B For Barbers Only

I've been collecting straight razors on and off since the 1980s and have seen many W&B 'For Barbers Use' on the tang, more 'The Celebrated For Barbers Use' etched on the belly of the blade and very few 'For Barbers Only' stamped on the tang. Years ago, in a lot of a dozen razors, i picked up my only FBO and the blade was cracked. Bummer. I put it on ebay with an accurate description and photos showing the crack and someone bought it anyway.

Well this past week I got a beauty off of the bay. Near mint and since I honed it shaves like a dream. The seller is an antique person and described it as having plastic scales. I went for it anyway and they are horn and darn near perfect. The blade is a 9/8 and goes well with my 10/8 CFBU and 8/8 FBU. In the past I had surmised that W&B called these For Barbers Only but figured out they were losing sales by excluding those who might buy one that weren't barbers.

So they began stamping or etching them FBU in hopes of broadening their sales base. No telling but it intrigues me. If any of our resident, or visiting straight razor historians can enlighten me I'd be grateful. Here is the eye candy. The FBU top is 8/8, the FBO middle is 9/8 and the CFBU at the bottom is 10/8.

Betcha there is a pound of Sheffield steel sitting there Huh ???

your lucky. I would love to own any one of those razors. I have been watching so many on ebay. they just get so high now, I missed one tonight at about 130 that was mint....still kicking my own butt for it. people must be watching the superbowl and not ebay cuz there is crazy deals passing right now. beautiful collection though. Cherish them!

Originally Posted by sleekandsmooth

your lucky. I would love to own any one of those razors. Cherish them!

Well I'm 64 years old and whenever I go I ain't taking them with me, so if you read on the forum that old JimmyHAD kicked the bucket watch out for estate sales ......

..............already thought about that Jimmy; I got your neighbors keeping an eye on your place, I'll have me some W&B's before the doctor signs off.

that is very interesting on the stamps ...
all beauties !!!!!!!!!!!

By looking a a few wade & Butcher "for Barbers only" seems like all of them carry that skinny long tail, that said definately a time period in the company (1845 + -) Like you said maybe non barbers were intimidated in purchasing a FBO razor!

I don't think that there was anything in it other than these FBUs and similar were sold in lots to barbers at special priced. No doubt the rexact-same razors were available to the public, but once there was a trade price for such things - unlike these days when very nearlyeverything is sold for pro-use!

Old Barber-Supply houses had special rates for barbers, so I suppose that the manufacturer helped out by reducing prices to such establishments, as they could sell razors in bulk. One such from 1885 is:



Barbers could be targeted directly by placing trade adverts in newspapers, such as this one form The Californian, 1854:



A Pharmaceutical magazine from 1897 makes it clear that in the case of sponges, on this occasion, that the 'Industry' classification for sponges is according to the intended end-user:



So, at one time it was a valid classification for razors, too. I suppose only quality razors at good prices would be chosen by the trade, helped along by makers such as Wostenholme, Greaves, Allen, Wade & Butcher and others helping to firm-up this division between laymen (or Gentlemen) and Barbers by stating so on the tang. No doubt each type was available to the public, but without the FBU mark on it - that would have been self-defeating.

I would suppose that the man in the street would have no wish to purchase a half-dozen or a dozen razors all of the same kind!

Regards,
Neil

Great info, Neil! I always thought the FBU tag was to distinguish a razor between a shaver and some other use.