Gents,
I have had this razor longer than any others in my collection, and I am perplexed! It was the second one that I purchased, I got it off of eBay, and if memory serves me correctly it was just over $70. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing in purchasing or using straight razors…just knew I wanted a famous Wade & Butcher! I didn’t even know the difference between wedge and hollow at that point.
The razor had some tarnish and blemishes here and there, so I sent it to Doc years ago, who cleaned up the face and tang a bit, and cleaned/oiled/polished the original scales. I do not believe he did a complete regrind (Alfredo…did you somehow turn this into a Filly?), but he did hone it for me. I got it back, was happy with the work, used it a few times, and moved onto my next acquisition. It sat in my drawer for years unused.
So the other day, I picked it up, and thought… “What the hell is this…a big pre-1890 Wade & Butcher with a Filarmonica 14 type grind?”
Yes…somewhere along the way…someone took this razor, gave it a paper thin full hollow grind, and finished it so that the bevel near the edge is so thin it’s almost invisible.
I couldn’t believe it, and so I honed it on what is becoming my favorite JNAT!
Today’s shave confirmed what I thought I had…a big Wade & Butcher, with a grind that I have never seen or heard of from this time period! It has the quintessential buttery smooth and soft Sheffield steel, yet it shaves/sings like my favorite Filarmonica razors!
Here are some pictures of the bevel near the edge (hard to get since it’s so thin), and of the grind!
Are these more common than I think? Perhaps they are, and I just have never seen one?
Does anyone else have one, and any pictures they want to share?
Thanks!
Vr
Matt
I have had this razor longer than any others in my collection, and I am perplexed! It was the second one that I purchased, I got it off of eBay, and if memory serves me correctly it was just over $70. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing in purchasing or using straight razors…just knew I wanted a famous Wade & Butcher! I didn’t even know the difference between wedge and hollow at that point.
The razor had some tarnish and blemishes here and there, so I sent it to Doc years ago, who cleaned up the face and tang a bit, and cleaned/oiled/polished the original scales. I do not believe he did a complete regrind (Alfredo…did you somehow turn this into a Filly?), but he did hone it for me. I got it back, was happy with the work, used it a few times, and moved onto my next acquisition. It sat in my drawer for years unused.
So the other day, I picked it up, and thought… “What the hell is this…a big pre-1890 Wade & Butcher with a Filarmonica 14 type grind?”
Yes…somewhere along the way…someone took this razor, gave it a paper thin full hollow grind, and finished it so that the bevel near the edge is so thin it’s almost invisible.
I couldn’t believe it, and so I honed it on what is becoming my favorite JNAT!
Today’s shave confirmed what I thought I had…a big Wade & Butcher, with a grind that I have never seen or heard of from this time period! It has the quintessential buttery smooth and soft Sheffield steel, yet it shaves/sings like my favorite Filarmonica razors!
Here are some pictures of the bevel near the edge (hard to get since it’s so thin), and of the grind!
Are these more common than I think? Perhaps they are, and I just have never seen one?
Does anyone else have one, and any pictures they want to share?
Thanks!
Vr
Matt