Worth it? And how old?

[Malache]

I was in an antique store and purchased a razor for $25 dollars.

The wedge seems to be a soft metal and I am assuming that the scales are original.

The tang reads
MANUFACTURED BY
WADE & BUTCHER
SHEFFIELD


Is there something wrong with the spine? Any help would be great. I think I want to restore it.

 

[jesta384]

WOW! thats beautiful. It looks like its really great condition. The scales look pretty good too

I have never done a restore, but I would probably pick it up. The metal looks good, not pitted or rusted. And from what I've gathered about old straights is English and German old razors are great. Modern cheapies from asia are not.

stop me if i am lying....

 

[Greyfox]

 

[Malache]

I have just started looking at straights and right now they are more a piece of art to me than something functional. I was worried about the spine because I have never seen a razor with a notch on the spine like that.

 

[Legion]

Can we get a shot with the tail in it? The style of the tail is one of the things that indicates the age.

The notch in the spine looks original. I don't think it has been added later. I can't see why it would be, anyway.

 

[Kentos]

I'm sure an expert will chime in, but the sheffield without the "england" stamp after is pre 1920 or some decade around there. As Legion noted the style of tail changed through the years too so that would help a lot too. Think: the stubbier the older.

 

[onimaru55]

Is it a thick chunky blade ? I can't tell from the images.
If not, it's possibly a frameback with the frameback missing. It would rest against the notch as in pic below

 

[Malache]

Here is some more pics of it.

I think it is a wedge/near wedge would they make a frameback of that?

 

[johnmrson]

It is a frameback without the frame. I've got one at home that needs restoring. I'm not sure how they'll shave without the frame but they seem stiff enough. Wade and Butcher must have had a weakness in the frame as I've seen quite a few that have been missing the frame.

 

[onimaru55]

Yep , as John said its a frameback minus the frame. They are a wedge profile tho thinner than usual wedges.
Honing it will be the trick. Maybe you could make something from brass tube to replace the frame.

 

[Legion]

Yep , as John said its a frameback minus the frame. They are a wedge profile tho thinner than usual wedges.
Honing it will be the trick. Maybe you could make something from brass tube to replace the frame.

Exactly what I was thinking, although you will have to tape the brass before you hone. Work out the diameter of the tubing, based on the width of the blade, and maybe cut the channel carefully with the cutting wheel on a Dremel, then file it neat. Could look quite cool.

 

[Kentos]

How are they usually stuck on there anyways? Press fit? Soldered?

 

[Legion]

How are they usually stuck on there anyways? Press fit? Soldered?

Grub screw, quite often. There is a thread here abouts where someone recently lost one.

 

[onimaru55]

How are they usually stuck on there anyways? Press fit? Soldered?

Good question. Some do have grub screws but having seen a few loose ones I'm guessing commonly they are a press fit.

 

[Malache]

Does anyone have the diamater of the frameback at the spine on a similar razor?

I guess I could just use the notch as a thickness of the tubing.

 

[Malache]

So i broke the scales when trying to remove them. Can someone tell me a decent source for horn blanks? I have this weird notion that I am going to become handy.

 

[onimaru55]

So i broke the scales when trying to remove them. Can someone tell me a decent source for horn blanks? I have this weird notion that I am going to become handy.

http://www.masecraftsupply.com/