I was at an antique store today and found 2 razors. The smaller one is marked Wade & Butcher, Sheffield. It then has a circled B with an arrow pointing to a cross to the right. The spine is not the typical spine in that it isn't rounded. It's sort of triangular in shape and has the following etched on it: " Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor". Someone carved their name into the scales. The pictures don't really get the beauty of the spine. Nor do they get the black spotting that's on the blade but a little polish should take care of that. It has a barber's notch and the scales are in really decent condition. The second razor is marked: Manufactured by Frederick Reynolds, Sheffield It also has a barber's notch and with the exception of a little rust on the tip of the spine and a couple of minor instances of black spotting, it looks incredible. It still has a near mirror polish on the blade, the scales are in near perfect condition and the razor has a barber's smile to it (a slight smile). It is already arm hair shaving sharp. I haven't measured it yet but it looks to be a 6/8 or 7/8 sized razor. Certainly the largest in my collection to date. Neither razor indicates excessive hone wear that I can see. These 2 razors came in a double razor coffin marked as Frederick Reynolds. Total cost for both razors was $35. These will get cleaned up and added to my rotation. The first 2 pictures are the W&B, the next 2 are the Reynolds and the last was an attempt to better show the spine of the W&B.
I measured the Reynolds. It is a 7/8ths. I'd also like to research a little about when these two blades might have been made but I don't think I will find anything definitive.
My books show the FR between 1919 and 1926 Can't quite tell what the stamps show on the W&B can you spell it out front and back exactly, the symbols don't matter those are the W&B trademarks... and what exactly does it say across the spine edge????
Sure, when I get home I'll get the information. As best as I can recall though, it reads like this on the W&B: Wade & Butcher Sheffield <emblem placed on this 3rd line> No markings on back of the tang. The spine edge reads "Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor" The blade itself has no other markings either front or back. Thanks for the help. What book are you referencing?
I took the FR to the Swaty and stropped it. Had two shaves with it and they were some of the best shaves I've ever had with a straight. A bit scary at first given its size but, WOW, what a shaver it is.
This is a fast online source I will link others for you too.. http://www.archivingindustry.com/cutlers&toolmakers/razormakers.htm The 2nd edition guide to Straight Razors has many of them too and is available on E-bay,,, cheap!!!!
The Wade & Butcher is much harder to date... The lack of the word England points to pre 1891 but isn't necessarily true either.. It might have been produced for only domestic sale.. You have to look at more clues and that is what is pointing me to a slightly newer guess... The pins and scale design looks newer BUT those might have been changed when the name went on there.. The tail design looks post 1900's also, along with the Hollow Grind style but to be honest unless you find this exact razor advertised in old print it is hard to date it... My WAG based on what I see is 1895-1910 but I could be wrong... sorry
No problem. I appreciate you trying to help with this. I like this particular razor for the spine shape. I've never seen a triangular shaped spine before. Anyway, it cleaned up nicely and this weekend I'm going to sharpen it and enjoy a shave. Then maybe I'll understand why W&B is so sought after.
Update I worked on sharpening the W&B this weekend. I needed to reset the bevel first but then it took a great edge and I had two most enjoyable shaves from this razor. Both the W&B and FR are Sheffield steel razors and both shave incredibly. Much more comfortably than my modern DOVO. I wonder what it is about the steel at the time these razors were made compared to the steel today (although I admit my DOVO is a basic model so maybe they didn't use their best steel for it). Anyway, the W&B could easily become my standard daily razor but I think I'll keep these two in a 4 day rotation along with my Wapi and DOVO. I think the thing that I like most is that I was able to take the W&B from butter knife dull to shaving sharp with just a 1k King and a 4k/8k Norton and a leather strop. I hope that means my honing abilities are improving.