Thread: Tapered blades.

There's been a small discussion about a tapered Wade & Butcher over in The Butcher Shop. Pixelfixed asked if I could post pictures of my two tapered blades, and here they are.

Both are in-process of restore (and I am very annoyed to have opened the Elliot today to take the picture only to see that the pivot rusted since the last time I had it out for honing). Both were in pretty bad shape when I got them, but the Greaves lost an old etch in the process of getting cleaned up. My intent is to re-etch the 'An Excellent Razor' slogan onto the blade, but I'm quite a ways from doing that. I still need to test using a 12 volt AC->DC inverter to etch with saltwater. My initial tests were promising, but I need better resist technology.

In any event, these are some of my favorite blades. The Greaves takes a magnificent edge (gone at the moment due to sanding), but the Elliot has been a problem child on the hones for some time. It's currently almost usable (and that round of honing is how it got water in the pivot), but it's been a huge struggle that involved regular assertions that it is Simply Unhonable.

A few more of these have come into my hands since I first posted this.





There's a whole lot of restoration that needs to be happening there, but from top to bottom are:

Two VR stamped Marshes & Shepherd, one with massive hone wear and the other with a J. BEMENT blade etch.

Two Joseph Elliot Silver Steel, the top one is more worn down at the point.

A Fred Fenney with the faintest blade etch of 'AN EXCELLENT RAZOR'.

A Hawcroft & Pearson

A Greaves & Sons (formerly with a blade etch, currently without, but soon to be again).

And finally, the odd-man out, a Ramapo Razor Co. model. Made, most likely about 15 years after the fad. You can tell because it's the most different of the lot, though each has its peculiarities.

Things to pay attention to:

All but the Ramapo have a thumb notch. They all have very similar scales. The Fenney has a slightly different spine profile. Like most razors from the era, they all have quill-backed spines. All but the Ramapo have hollow points (barber's notches).

Wow that's a LOT of tapered blades! I noticed all the barber's notches - though at some point if they keep getting the tips honed hard those notches will become pseudo Spanish points like the Elliot and the Fenney! Do you feel you get better shaves from the tapered blades or just like the look? I don't doubt the Greaves takes a good edge - I have an affinity for them though so I may be biased.

Thx for posting them,If you think about a shave stroke, esp. a scything stroke, those blades look perfect for the task.

I'll just leave this odd man out here. J. Bingham, "An Excellent Razor", but no thumbnotch.

Originally Posted by ScienceGuy

I'll just leave this odd man out here. J. Bingham, "An Excellent Razor", but no thumbnotch.

Is that a WR stamp?

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Is that a WR stamp?

I think it's VR

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Thx for posting them,If you think about a shave stroke, esp. a scything stroke, those blades look perfect for the task.

They're great for scything strokes. Interestingly, the inverse style blade (with the very wide point and narrow heel) is also very good, but obviously much less good for touch-ups around mustache or goatee.

Of all of them, the Ramapo is my favorite shaver (though the Bement-etched Marshes & Shepherd isn't exactly chopped liver).

Originally Posted by ScienceGuy

I think it's VR

Technically, the style does span the last year of William's life. I'm pretty sure I've seen one WR, somewhere.

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Technically, the style does span the last year of William's life. I'm pretty sure I've seen one WR, somewhere.

Dunno if it's mine you're remembering, but my Marshes & Shepherd taper is a WR.