Thread: Wade & butcher FBU

I have 2 wade and butcher FBU one looks like a wedge the other a full hollow. how many different grids did they make on the FBU?


sorry for the mess I was cleaning and oiling a few of my so so razors.

The wedges are typically older. They started making chopper wedges in the 1850's, almost all at that point were wedges. They continued to make FBUs and transitioned to a half hollow in the mid 1860's. Chopper blades were popular for both barber and individual use through the 1870's when smaller, more hollow grind razors became more desirable. They made 'Celebrated' FBUs and Celebrated Hollows from the late 60's to after 1891, i would have to say production of those blades probably ceased by the turn of the 20th century. W&B offered progressively more hollow grinds as time went on.... Ie 'Celebrated' Extra hollow grind ....... I think that w&b and other brands alike kept wedges in their line up until close to the end of their popularity.

Yes, I tend to think also that the wedges were sold alongside the hollows for a while to give the barbers a choice. It is most interesting to see how many reground wedge ones are out there! They ground them from lightly, up to so thin the notch and some of the blade was sacrificed! So many are square and even round points which look short in the scales. Hot rod razors, for certain! I have a reground one in my rotation, not extreme, though. One of my top shavers!

Uh, Dude! You have a skeeery Grim Reaper! I see some silver too!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Yes, I tend to think also that the wedges were sold alongside the hollows for a while to give the barbers a choice. It is most interesting to see how many reground wedge ones are out there! They ground them from lightly, up to so thin the notch and some of the blade was sacrificed! So many are square and even round points which look short in the scales. Hot rod razors, for certain! I have a reground one in my rotation, not extreme, though. One of my top shavers!

Uh, Dude! You have a skeeery Grim Reaper! I see some silver too!

I myself have a W&B hot rod that i think out performs most of the razors in my rotation.... Its a w&b 6/8 India steel, with hollow point and thumb notch with top and bottom jimps---- it was reground (well done too i might add) to a little less than 1/2 hollow from a full wedge. That thing means business!

I must confess. I am a sucker for reground ones. (most of)My best old razors are. They were done long ago when they knew what was what about altering an old heavy wedge. They also obviously knew how to cool the blade or the grinding process. Temper is still there in all of them! Gives them a personality. Only one like it!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

I must confess. I am a sucker for reground ones. (most of)My best old razors are. They were done long ago when they knew what was what about altering an old heavy wedge. They also obviously knew how to cool the blade or the grinding process. Temper is still there in all of them! Gives them a personality. Only one like it!

One of my very best shavers -- an old Fenney 'Tally Ho' (from when Fred was still among the living) got reground during its long life. The thing is nearly paper thin now, but wow does it shave great. I used it again recently after spending a bunch of time with heavy wedges and I gave myself some razorburn because I'd forgotten what a light touch it calls for.

The full hollow ones were reground to be that way. Or at least I am 90% sure they were. On the full hollow ones I have seen, the tails don't match the grinds, and the grinds never look original.

The ones with the writing/etching on the blade are obviously original, and maybe about half hollow. I have never seen one that appeared original that was more hollow than those.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

The full hollow ones were reground to be that way. Or at least I am 90% sure they were. On the full hollow ones I have seen, the tails don't match the grinds, and the grinds never look original.

The ones with the writing/etching on the blade are obviously original, and maybe about half hollow. I have never seen one that appeared original that was more hollow than those.

So your saying that my full hollow W&B FBU has been reground ?

Originally Posted by bokerblade

So your saying that my full hollow W&B FBU has been reground ?

I would bet that it was.

Originally Posted by bokerblade

So your saying that my full hollow W&B FBU has been reground ?

I agree, the most hollow w&b made barbers blades was the 'celebrated extra hollow' which was still not full hollow. 'Celebrates hollow FBUs" are absolutely 1/2 hollow. If u have a full hollow barber blade it's not the original grind, for certain.