Wade & Butcher "For Barbers Only"

I have complained in the past about antique market sellers, and their ridiculous expectations in terms of pricing. This weekend was another fine example of that issue. First stop on our antiquing journey was Antiques on 48 who promised a large quantity of Straight Razors on hand. They did not lie. Sadly, the first blade I examined was a Keen Kutter that was split parallel to the spine for a length of over 1". It was a BARGAIN at $19.00. Sadly, the remainder of their merch was of similar defect, either damaged beyond repair and priced cheap, or with a reasonable expectation of salvage, but a premium price tag to boot. Which brings us to today and the Roadshow Antique Market on the 400 by Cookstown. A few past trips have brought disappointment and today was looking to be similarly fruitless. First bin had a lovely set of what looked very much like authentic tortoise shell scales for $42.00. Lest you think it was scales only, the blade inside was literally a 1/4" from spine to edge, with a slight taper from heel to toe. A Dubl Duck was on hand, but again, the blade was less than a 2/8 and the price asked was $75.00. Ridiculous, imo. Soldiering on, there were some promising Safety Razor items that looked worth a flutter for the prices asked, but all was saved by the last bin to be examined. I looked . . . and looked again. Those scales seem much bigger than most I have ever seen previous. I wonder . . . hello, sales? Please have someone open a cabinet for me? Thanks, I'll wait . . . HEY!!! Get away from that cabinet!!! I got here first, hipster . . . take your g/f and wander off.

Oh my, this is big . . . VERY BIG.

Didn't happen without pics. :D

Bob

I felt like a little kid at Christmas . . . the only drawback was the asking price, which seemed pretty steep. Seeking courage, I called MikeB52 for advice. His comments were steel to my spine, and this is the result . . . this one is staying as original as I can possibly keep it.

Great catch...a W&B and an FBO, doesn't get any better than that in my book - congrats! :D

Good job. That's a fine razor!

She's not perfect, and someone has treated her poorly in the past, but I am going to give her a lovely home, and some tender care, and she is going to shave just fine. Blade edge is fine, the scales have a couple cracks, and one gouge on the bottom, but are otherwise okay to my eye. The blade is a full 7/8 across the whole length of the spine. The biggest shame is the loss of whatever trademarks or insignia may have been on the blade. The biggest plus was being able to have the Sales staff get the seller to agree to 40% off the asking price.

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Originally Posted by ChopperDave

Good job. That's a fine razor!

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Cannot post pics in the OP. Look to the second post.

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Originally Posted by BobH

Didn't happen without pics. :D

Bob

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Did it happen now? :rofl2:

You misunderstood me though Orv, FBO actually stands for "For Bolton's Only" I will come take it off you to clear up the confusion.
Glad he worked with you on the $ and congrats on a lovely old find.. Will clean up and shave very well. Just ask Phrank,, :)

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Originally Posted by MikeB52

You misunderstood me though Orv, FBO actually stands for "For Bolton's Only" I will come take it off you to clear up the confusion.
Glad he worked with you on the $ and congrats on a lovely old find.. Will clean up and shave very well. Just ask Phrank,, :)

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Val would make that razor look like it just got put in the shop window 150 years ago in Sheffield...the steel on these razors is so soft, like shaving with silk, yet a close, perfect shave every time....very nice catch and in the wild as well!

Your going to love that one :<0)

Great score! If ya clean it up it will look a lot better or take it to Phrank's razor man, Val & he will do like Phrank said!

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Originally Posted by Orville

She's not perfect, and someone has treated her poorly in the past, but I am going to give her a lovely home, and some tender care, and she is going to shave just fine. Blade edge is fine, the scales have a couple cracks, and one gouge on the bottom, but are otherwise okay to my eye. The blade is a full 7/8 across the whole length of the spine. The biggest shame is the loss of whatever trademarks or insignia may have been on the blade. The biggest plus was being able to have the Sales staff get the seller to agree to 40% off the asking price.

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I think you'll find there was no engraving on the blade itself. Is this 1/4 grind? If so then I have one similar, with the same delicately shaped tail and there are no markings on it other than what you have on the tang of yours.

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Originally Posted by Orville

I felt like a little kid at Christmas . . . the only drawback was the asking price, which seemed pretty steep. Seeking courage, I called MikeB52 for advice. His comments were steel to my spine, and this is the result . . . this one is staying as original as I can possibly keep it.

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Nice razor ... .so your that one that out bid me :rofl2:

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Originally Posted by puketui41

I think you'll find there was no engraving on the blade itself. Is this 1/4 grind? If so then I have one similar, with the same delicately shaped tail and there are no markings on it other than what you have on the tang of yours.

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Thanks for that info. I hope you are correct. Don't know enough about them to be sure. Not sure about the grind, other than that it's very wedge like. Will take a picture from that end later today and you guys can weigh in.

Was really "back and forth" on this razor for a few minutes. The capper came when I called Mike. He mentioned how he had been into Straights for a few years and still didn't have an FBU of his own. That decided me on getting it, but still trying to force a better deal. Was nervous about that, because the pricing on the rest of his stuff was what I thought to be "ambitious". Definitely pricing his stuff high, though, as he did not even counter my offer, just took the deal. Yummy.

Here's a pic of one I found, it's all original, it was not quite in the wild find, but close enough - this one is a 9/8, and aside from a zit on the blade face, it's in great shape.

And I agree, like yours this one is a 1/4 hollow, and I think these were made to shave a lot of people on a daily basis, these seem to be real workhorses, you'll be very pleased:

Attachment 201356

Gorgeous blade(s) gents. Im green with envy, but in a good way.
I will find something this summer hopefully on the way to or from the cottage.. Lots of small towns with quaint shops to poke round in.
I fell prey to buy everything shiny syndrome in the beginning. Quantity over quality in some cases. Need to cull my herd and keep just the few I actually seek out come shave time.
Been great blades to learn on though..;)
Be it shaving, and honing, scale making and restoring.
Cheers and enjoy the shaves.

Here are some photos of my razor showing the grind
Attachment 201429Attachment 201430Attachment 201431

I am definitely a fan of that razor. I own several W&Bs myself. The bigger the better.

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Originally Posted by cheetahmeatpheonix

I am definitely a fan of that razor. I own several W&Bs myself. The bigger the better.

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That's what the ladies say . . .

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Originally Posted by Orville

That's what the ladies say . . .

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................:rofl2:

Orville, Lovely score! Gotta love the rush of the hunt when you see something like this in a glass case. I love the feeling! Glad you got to experience it!

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Originally Posted by Phrank

................:rofl2:

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True dat . . . I have always said that I am white and have the anatomy to prove it. :gaah:

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but that looks like a lot of hone wear on both the edge and the spine. I'm sure she'll still be a great shaver, though.

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but that looks like a lot of hone wear on both the edge and the spine. I'm sure she'll still be a great shaver, though.

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I have a few of 'em................along with everything else I've got!!!

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but that looks like a lot of hone wear on both the edge and the spine. I'm sure she'll still be a great shaver, though.

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Oh, I am aware of the wear . . . not counting on this to be a "show-piece", but I think, based on what I can see up close, that the majority of the damage was done by someone like me who did not know how to sharpen it properly. I plan to send it out for some TLC, and expect to have it back looking just fine.

And, like you alluded to, the key for me is that it will shave just fine.

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Originally Posted by Orville

Oh, I am aware of the wear . . . not counting on this to be a "show-piece", but I think, based on what I can see up close, that the majority of the damage was done by someone like me who did not know how to sharpen it properly. I plan to send it out for some TLC, and expect to have it back looking just fine.

And, like you alluded to, the key for me is that it will shave just fine.

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It'll be ok!

That's a nice find. It may never be a show piece, but as a user it should be fine.

I have a couple of W&B FBU's and while I don't like large blades much, I do break them out for a shave every now and then. They're fun razors to use that take a comfy edge.

Both mine are also not pretty. I don't like mirror finishes on older blades like these. They're old! They should look it. I also wonder if the original finish was mirror-like ----- probably not.

Anyway, congrats on the find. I hope you enjoy using it.

I love them Butcher's. Any idea on the year?

No clue . . . seller had nothing on the tag with respect to year. Not learned enough to know for sure. In post #10 Phrank mentions 150 years, so I will happily use that as a starting point to narrow it down. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by yohannrjm

That's a nice find. It may never be a show piece, but as a user it should be fine.
Both mine are also not pretty. I don't like mirror finishes on older blades like these. They're old! They should look it. I also wonder if the original finish was mirror-like ----- probably not.

Anyway, congrats on the find. I hope you enjoy using it.

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What I've found with the blades I've restored to a mirror finish is that the finish is fleeting. Within a year of them having been polished age starts to reclaim them, they start to take on a patina and get some real character, minus all the crud that has built up from years of neglect.

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Originally Posted by Orville

No clue . . . seller had nothing on the tag with respect to year. Not learned enough to know for sure. In post #10 Phrank mentions 150 years, so I will happily use that as a starting point to narrow it down. :shrug:

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I'd say your particular razor, same stamping as mine, around 1850 as an average, maybe a bit earlier or a bit later....range for those I'd read, always with a grain of salt of course, was 1840-1860....

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Originally Posted by puketui41

What I've found with the blades I've restored to a mirror finish is that the finish is fleeting. Within a year of them having been polished age starts to reclaim them, they start to take on a patina and get some real character, minus all the crud that has built up from years of neglect.

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God, I hope that happens with the one Val is restoring for me, to say nothing of my other vintage blades. Love the patina, hate the crud.

So . . . I sent it off for restoration, and look at how she is coming home.

AS you can see from the last picture, a LOT of work went into getting this blade back to the point where even a schlub like me will be able to maintain the edge (THREE layers of tape). I am also picking up my Medium Hollow Ground W&B, but that will be getting it's own thread later.

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Originally Posted by Orville

AS you can see from the last picture, a LOT of work went into getting this blade back to the point where even a schlub like me will be able to maintain the edge (THREE layers of tape). I am also picking up my Medium Hollow Ground W&B, but that will be getting it's own thread later.

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Turned out beautifully - can't even tell it's the same razor - will be looking for a great SOTD pic and report and how it shaved! Congrats!;)

Almost forgot to mention what ELSE I am picking up . . .

It looks beautiful! Isn't it amazing what a simple restore will do???? Great score!

Second one was just a honing, but that first one took more than a few hours, I am told. LOTS of work.

Put my FBO into action tonight. Review follows . . .

Talk about a completely different feel . . . even from the other near wedge blades that I own. The size and weight of this razor was quite an adjustment. It was fun, but it was definitely a shave that made me think. This blade is taller than my PRC, but it's also just as thick. Some of the spots that have been routine required a fair bit more care, and some of the delicate places on my neck were reduced to small little (1/4") strokes for the entire pass.
The edge was beautiful, moving through my stubble like a plow clearing snow. The Taconic soap provided an invigorating lather very reminiscent of Vicks Vaporub in aroma, but with a touch more mint. Very nice stimulation to the senses before blade even touched skin. The lather was very durable, too. I managed three passes and touch while only reloading once, after the second pass. usually I reload the brush after each pass, but my head shave last night led me to try and stretch things out. It worked, just not as well as hoped. Still, I am pleased with this soap and look forward to trying the Lime scented one later this week.
Overall, the shave was successful in the usual areas but somewhat less so in the spots I am still figuring out. I put this down to the awkwardness I felt with such a heavy blade in my hand. My FBU is a hollow ground razor as opposed to this wedge, and it felt much lighter in my hands. I also think that my neck benefits more from using a smiling blade in certain areas, as it seems to allow for a more even coverage across a wider pass. This last could be my imagination, but I will keep an eye on it. Might come in handy for when I need/want a closer performance than usual.

Takeaway: I can see why some people get so enamored of the "Barber's Use Only" blades. When it was working well for me the feel was almost one of total effortless shaving. A more experienced shaver, having better technique than I, would quickly find nirvana with blades like these.