Thread: Unusual Wade & Butcher

I acquired this Wade & Butcher in a mixed lot of razors. The scales were black horn and literally falling off. At first I thought this was some sort of regrind or cut down and maybe it is but I don't think so, mostly because it measures a perfect 5/8 width even at the slight smile and has a very sharp bayonet point. It seems to be a full wedge for the lack of anything else to call it. No chips or serious pitting. The edge is still very keen. I put a Norton 8k and a good stropping to it and shaved comfortably without scales just to try it out! Far from perfect but not a face ripper either. Sorry for the terrible pix. I'll try for better and post later. Blade is stamped "celebratedfeatheredge concavesetreadyforuse" all run together and in caps just as I have it here. The tang is stamped "manufactured by Wade & Butcher Sheffield" There is a tapered groove on either side of the blade that looks intentional. I have a pretty fair collection of W&B's but never saw one like this. Anybody else?

AFAIK the tapered groove indicates a "rattler" and the razor looks to me like it has been either ground down or honed to death, hence the "bayonet point." I may be wrong though, I was wrong once before.

Afraid to say that Jimmy is right once again, here what the razor looked like at some point in time.

Looks like you're right. It just amazes me that this thing will still shave! and that someone could make the width so consistant. Thanks for the I.D.

Agreed with both above. This was 100% formal a 7/8' feather edge concave' rattler. Lets just say this razor has been 'compromised'

I have a feather edge and it is second to none. This one looks like its may be past the point if being saved- but hey, I've been wrong in the past.... Good luck!

What a shame, that beautiful razor has just about been honed to death.

A prime example of why you should always use tape,,,,,

It's a shame, but it was in a box of maybe 60 razors and there were some real treasures and some real trash. I felt like the owner paid me to get rid of them! Small antique store and he had no interest in them at all. Some restorable wrecks to keep me busy on bad weather days.

All is not lost- you can make it in to a keychain, or a bottle opener with a few mins of grinding- or if you were ambitious maybe you could even turn it in to a lancet style frameback!

I'm sure something will come of it with the right combination of beer and bad weather.