Alright, my emotions got the better of me. Doesn't that happen to everyone from time to time? I bought a Wade and Butcher. Well, I've always wanted one, especially since @HolyRollah posts up his W&B beauties on occasion. Anyway, I walked into an antique shop today that was loaded wall to wall with all sorts of goodies. I came across some straight razors and found the one below. He had a crazy asking price of $125. After looking, I told him I wasn't interested at that price. He said "make me an offer" and I said "how about $35?" He said "sold!" The blade looks nice and the scales are good. With a little cleaning, this might make a great razor. Does anyone know the vintage and the significance of "Elite " on the blade?
It is likely late 1800s to early 1900s since it states "England" on it. Earlier models said Sheffield only. The elite model was a nicer version with higher quality scales. I can't tell enough from the pic, but be very careful when cleaning the dark spots since they can hide pitting and rust. I think $35 was a fair price. Not too high, but not a big winner either. The problem with antique stores is they tend to ask waaaaayyyy too much. If it cleans up nice, then you should be proud.
Era-wise, Dandy has it right— many of the early 1900s razors had those ornate scale motifs as a decoration. 'Elite'—another marketing blade stamp (akin to 'special'''fine india steel' "only the best" and the common,"For Barber's Use"). By this time W&B had begun to move away from the big-bladed FBU wedge or near-wedge models (7/8 or larger) and you see more of these 5/8 more delicate full-hollow blades—catering to their largest export market: the USA.
It will clean up and shave quite nicely I expect. You will have to decide how far you would like to take it. It is probably a half hollow by modern standards. You can start with 0000 steel wool and some WD-40, combine that with some elbow grease and you will be surprised as to how much prettier it will get.
Thanks everyone. I want to make sure I don't destroy the etching on the blade during the cleanup. Any pointers on that? Just go easy on the steel wool?
That one is deep enough into the steel I would not worry about destroying it with steel wool. One of the great things about steel wool is it is too soft and not abrasive enough to really remove much when it comes to hard steel. It will take off corrosion and any patina quite easily, as well as frosting or gold wash but is very gentle. the 0000 is the finest available and will leave a light polish, to pick it up a little you can combine it with mothers and get a little more gloss to the polish.
It's really hard to find straights in Scotland lots of antique shops but razors are few and far between.That looks a nice razor .sammy.
The scales appear to be celluloid and they appear to be in great shape. I'm going to give it a good clean up tomorrow. I'm very excited about finally acquiring a Wade and Butcher and can't wait to get it into the rotation! I'll post up some pictures once I have it cleaned up. Thanks guys!
Thanks. I really like the looks of it. There's a bit of a sleek look to it; kind of like a Maserati, but a whole lot cheaper!
I do have a question about celluloid scales after hearing about celluloid rot. The scales are in great shape, but how do I identify celluloid rot?
The first signs of cell rot show up on the blade, not the scales. If the scales have cell rot they will give off a gas that will start rusting the blade. If you suspect cell rot isolate the razor in a sealed Baggie and check it every few days for a couple of weeks. If there is any rot present the blade will begin rusting pretty quickly.
Thanks. I don't think my newly purchased razor has cell rot. Do all celluloid scales end up like that? What causes it?
Some do and some don't. It has been noticed that light colored scales are more susceptible, and some say UV exposure can increase the chance of contracting rot. The best thing is to take care of your razor and at the first signs, isolate and confirm. It will easily spread to your other razors if they are exposed.
I like to keep my razors in a case in my bedroom away from the humidity of the bathroom. I keep desiccant packs in the case to further protect against water.
So, when did they start using celluloid for scales? I just googled it and it looks like it was first used in 1859.
I cleaned up my recently acquired Wade and Butcher today. I didn't go too crazy with the polishing as I find a little patina kind of cool. I honed it with my 1,500, 8,000 and 12,000 grit stones and I'll give it a go tomorrow morning. The edge looks good unde my microscope at 60x and passed treetop test. The moment of truth will be at 7:00am tomorrow. Anyway, below are the before and after shots.
