Just picked up this Wade and Butcher

[Chreees]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170994658275?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Thoughts? I offered the guy $30 and he took it. IMO, it doesn't look like it will need much done to get shave ready, but then again I am a total noob (haven't even gotten my razor in yet from Larry at Whipped Dog to have my first shave yet!). I will most likely be sending this off to somebody to get it professionally honed. But I also got a micro abrasive hone from Larry, so if I get confident with my honing skills on a cheap razor then I may give it a shot. I dunno. I have plenty of time to decide as I know the razor I'm getting from Larry will be shave ready.

Any advice or comments are welcome and appreciated!

I will get it around March 4th and will definitely be posting better pics of it using my Canon T2i DSLR.

 

[Paxaddict]

Yeah, those are some terrible pics on the listing. A nice snag, though. Not my favorite style, but it looks to be in really nice condition for 30 bucks. Spend 25 getting it honed up and you'll have a nice little blade.

If you want to give honing a try, pick up a set of lapping film.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/283576-Lapping-film-try-it

It's a cheap alternative, and if you find you're having trouble, you can always pick a honemeister near you and send it in to get honed up right.

 

[Chreees]

Thanks for the advice! I actually picked up a micro abrasive hone from Whipped Dog. Will that work you think, or do I need additional stuff to get this thing shave ready? Again, I'm not touching it unless I've had some practice honing a cheap razor first.

 

[Raithskar]

that will need some work on a lower grit hone. The steel on the edge is old, and it must be honed off to get to fresh steel. If you have a coarse carborundum stone that will probably do the trick. Just be sure to tape the spine because the stone will eat it up too, unless you don't mind that.

If you don't want to mess with it and want to get to shaving, PM me about honing it for you. Some of the guys here can attest that I put a decent edge on a razor.

 

[Firewalker]

Awful razor, please send it to me for immediate disposal!

Looks pretty darn clean, no chips or visible rust, sounds like you found a winner. Let us know if you need a honing, lots of good guys here will hone it up for you for free since you are new to SR shaving.

Congrats!

 

[Chreees]

Who should I get in touch with for honing?

Raithskar, PMing you... thanks.

 

[Chreees]

So, judging from my research, lapping film is essentially micron abrasive film? I purchased the micro abrasive hone from Larry at Whipped Dog, so I could just purchase additional micron sheets (different grit sizes) and use it on the hone I purchased? If so, what grit sizes should I purchase to make this W&B shave ready?

 

[otto76]

............Some of the guys here can attest that I put a decent edge on a razor.

I can attest to that, Jon puts a really nice edge on a razor. Smooth as toad pudding.

 

[Chreees]

So, judging from my research, lapping film is essentially micron abrasive film? I purchased the micro abrasive hone from Larry at Whipped Dog, so I could just purchase additional micron sheets (different grit sizes) and use it on the hone I purchased? If so, what grit sizes should I purchase to make this W&B shave ready?

Scratch that- Talked to Larry about this further and decided to go with a 12k barbers hone instead. I just need something to keep my blades shave-ready, and he said this would do that well.

So what my plan is I guess is any new razors I get, I will get them professionally honed first, then just rehone them every few months or so myself (gotta practice of course, but I've been watching tons of vids and it doesn't look too hard). This way I'm not spending money sending razors out to get rehoned.

Eventually, though, I want to be able to restore old vintage razors I find online. This is much farther down the road, though. For this, it looks like lapping film would be best for me. Saw some vids on the Tube and it looks like a good process just getting a granite or glass piece and buying the different grit films.

I can attest to that, Jon puts a really nice edge on a razor. Smooth as toad pudding.

Thanks for the confirmation... I have already sent Jon a PM, but Larry offered to do my W&B for $15. So I am most likely going to go that route. But I will keep Jon in mind for the future!

 

[Wid]

Jon knows his way around the rocks.

 

[Chreees]

Got it in! It's in pretty darn shape best I can tell, but I seek the advice from the pros here... (Sorry for the iPhone 5 pics, I was lazy and didn't feel like busting out the Canon)

Already has a pretty sharp edge on it, but I assume it will need a proper honing, which I cannot do with a simple 12K barbers hone?

 

[Monsieur Blaireau]

That looks delicious. I have a W&B and it's a real pleasure to shave with. From what I can gather, the etching on the blade and tang are what pushes the value up on these, so you got your money's worth and then some. What's even better, you seem more interested in actually shaving with this blade, and I'm sure once you get it honed it'll be a treat in that department. Enjoy!

 

[Chreees]

I hope it'll become my go-to!

So it isn't worth trying to hone on the 12K barbers hone myself?

 

[otto76]

I hope it'll become my go-to!

So it isn't worth trying to hone on the 12K barbers hone myself?

No, I would say it's not. That stone will be really nice for doing a touch up on a blade but you will want something lower grit to hone from scratch.

I think a lot if not most straight razor shavers start out in that manner...beginning with some blades that have already been honed and taking care of touch ups while learning how to get a good shave with a straight and then graduating on to honing their own.
Honing isn't terribly difficult, neither is shaving with a straight but personally I am glad I focused on them one at a time instead of trying to do it all at once.

 

[Chreees]

No, I would say it's not. That stone will be really nice for doing a touch up on a blade but you will want something lower grit to hone from scratch.

I think a lot if not most straight razor shavers start out in that manner...beginning with some blades that have already been honed and taking care of touch ups while learning how to get a good shave with a straight and then graduating on to honing their own.
Honing isn't terribly difficult, neither is shaving with a straight but personally I am glad I focused on them one at a time instead of trying to do it all at once.

Thanks for your advice, otto. I will be sending it off to Larry at Whipped Dog then. He said he'd do it for $15, which is cheaper than other quotes I've received. Then when I get it back I can keep it shave-ready with the 12K barbers hone. I'll focus on one thing at a time and take it easy. I'm just getting excited and likely ahead of myself.

 

[otto76]

No problem!

Maybe I missed it above but do you have a strop, or have one in mind?

 

[Chreees]

No problem!

Maybe I missed it above but do you have a strop, or have one in mind?

I purchased a poorman's strop from Larry, and I also have one I'm getting from my brother along with his razor he is gifting to me.

 

[otto76]

Sweet!