Thread: First restoration advice/information

One thing that I forgot to mention was how important it was to Campbell that the etching wasn’t lost or diminished!! He fully understood that all gold wash would disappear.

I practice what I preach so just used some 2000 grit wet and dry to see what came off, once I could see a little better I tried some 1000 grit and then 800 and finally 400. At this point in time (thanks Glen hehehe) I was pleased and didn't want to lose the etching so I stopped.I know this process sounds backwards, but when I’m wanting to make sure an etching isn’t lost this is how I do it.I felt it was time to start back up the sanding grits and stopped at the 2K and I finished with some Mothers Mag Wheel polish and was pleased with how it had cleaned up.

I’d told Campbell that I wasn’t a restorer and all I was offering to do was to clean it up a bit and then make it shave ready.

On thing to note is the crack at the pivot. The crack was there when it arrived. This was a Big Concern as I didn’t want it to be me that broke those old bone scales.

My solution was to securely wrap the blade to the scales with plastic electrical tape. The only time this wasn’t done was when I needed to work right around the shank or pivot area and the tail.

It made honing a little interesting but it does shave nice! I set the bevel on a King 1K, then went to the Norton 4/8K and finished on a Naniwa 12K. Initial stropping was 50 laps on the Illinois 827 linen followed by 50 laps on Neil Miller Genuine linen then 100 laps on the Illinois leather and 200 laps on SRD Premium #1 leather. Test shaved, re-stropped on the SRD leather, sanitized, packed and shipped back to the Great White North.

All I was out was some sandpaper, wear in my hones and my time. All Campbell was out was shipping here and back.

It really was my privilege. I'm glad I could help! There's somethings that money can't buy!

Anyway I just thought that I’d add this little bit of info.

Wow, im impressed with the results.
I guess its my feel good story of the day!
That was classy of you cudarunner.

I have that razor, I'm told by an established expert that is also a very rare model, that only hundreds were made. This blade is a true wedge, with bone / horn scales.

The person doing the restore on mine advised me not to get it honed due to it's rarity and excellent condition. He told me it's from around 1840-1890 at first glance, and that the one I have must have been stored and not touched for over a hundred years.

I spent months trying to find out info until I sent it out to be honed, needless to say, got a call telling me that it was a rare find.

I believe these are the same razors:



Are these basically the same razor?

Originally Posted by Phrank

I have that razor, I'm told by an established expert that is also a very rare model, that only hundreds were made. This blade is a true wedge, with bone / horn scales.

The person doing the restore on mine advised me not to get it honed due to it's rarity and excellent condition. He told me it's from around 1840-1890 at first glance, and that the one I have must have been stored and not touched for over a hundred years.

I spent months trying to find out info until I sent it out to be honed, needless to say, got a call telling me that it was a rare find.

I believe these are the same razors:



Are these basically the same razor?

Is not the "England" stamping indicative of POST 1891 manufacture?

Originally Posted by Phrank

I have that razor, I'm told by an established expert that is also a very rare model, that only hundreds were made. This blade is a true wedge, with bone / horn scales.

Do you have a source for this? I can't imagine a company with the manufacturing capacity of WB to make only hundreds of this model, especially when this is a very cheap model itself; undecorated horn scales, easy wedge grind, etc. I bought one of this exact model from ebay a year ago for $25 with no other bids. Here's another: http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...rket-swag.html

If I saw concrete evidence I would be convinced. I am curious.

What I can say is simply what I've been told by a reputable person in the trade. And your point is absolutely correct, this wasn't a popular model by any means, that's why they only made this model in the hundreds.

I've google'd extensively and have only ever seen one other with the square point, in similar condition, and it sold in 2008. Sold for price wasn't listed.

Perhaps you know more sources than I, have a search for this model and see what you can come up...I seem to get everything but this model, and when I do get this model, it's the pics I've posted here.

I don't use this razor, sent it out to get tidied up, and now it's put away, not a big fan of wedges, and if I feel the urge to use a wedge, use my DD Satin Wedge.

Have a go, see if you can come up with more info than I, I maybe own two vintage razors, if you don't count DD's, and have a little to zero knowledge base of them, so any info you could get would be appreciated.

I paid maybe $60 for it?

Originally Posted by Phrank

What I can say is simply what I've been told by a reputable person in the trade. And your point is absolutely correct, this wasn't a popular model by any means, that's why they only made this model in the hundreds.

I've google'd extensively and have only ever seen one other with the square point, in similar condition, and it sold in 2008. Sold for price wasn't listed.

I'm sorry, Phrank, but you were misled. Probably not intentionally -- there's a lot of very bad information out there, things like Goin's and the Standard Guide To Collecting Razors are, honestly, terrible. The razor was definitely made after 1891 (which you can identify by the presence of 'ENGLAND' on the tang. As for the rarity of the model, that's a complicated question.

This early 1900's wholesale catalog page will give you an idea (the two columns on the left are all Wade & Butcher razors, and by 1900, Wade & Butcher was in serious decline):



Razor manufacturers of the time made many, many different models. I can't find the link at the moment, but the president of J.R. Torrey (who got his start working at Wade & Butcher), in testifying on trade restrictions in the 1880's, said his company made over 150 different models of razor. I've seen numerous Wade & Butcher razors from the same time period with the exact same blade. That particular etching was used on several different styles of blade.

How many were made? Maybe only hundreds with that style blade, those scales and that etch. But there were many thousands of that blade made. Think of the etching less as a mark of the 'model' and more like a paint job.

That said, yours is in good shape (though it has been sanded or buffed, that is not the original blade finish), and more to the point, Cudarunner did a fantastic job cleaning up Campbellh's razor.

+1 to what Zak says...I have several of those W&B 5/8 to 6/8 small wedges with different etchings. Wostenholm and Joseph Allen made almost exact duplicates right down to similar etchings as the W&B. I have examples from each of those manufacturers as well.

BTW...most definitely hone it up...they are very nice shavers!

Well thank-you very much!! It's finally excellent to know the story behind this.

Frankly, I paid $60 for it, and when I was told it was somewhat rare, that was interesting, but on the whole, any razor I have now, I don't plan on selling, it's just money, and I'd rather have the blade.

I'm actually glad that it's not something that's rare, that I might have some "duty" to preserve it. I purchased my razors to use, not to put in a drawer!

So, now just to find someone to hone it up for me. Person I usually use is swamped, so have to find someone who can do that razor, a DD Satin Wedge, and potentially one other blade...but am excited that I can get another razor in the rotation.

Thanks for all your help!!

Cheers!

I also had an etched wedge Wostenholm of the same era, and can second that it made a fantastic shaver, and just feels awesome when you have it in the condition like yours.