Hi all,
I picked this razor 'blind', asking the owner of one of the online vintage razor shops to choose for me a reasonable first razor to learn straight razor shaving in the range of 30-40$.
Got shave ready W&D 5/8 square point (full hollow I think). It says 'SPECIAL' on the blade and Wade &Butcher Sheffild England on the tang, photo is attached. It was in 2016, 5 years ago. Then I put my plans to learn SR on hold and resumed it half a year ago, in March 2021 with different razors. Since then I shave daily with SRs and manage to have very good nick and irritation free shaves. Yesteday I found this razor, which I didn't touch for 5 years and, out of curiosity, decided to try it.
Stropped 20 canvas 60 leather and got absolutely amazing smooth shave which rivals my more expensive new Boker and Ralf Aust.
Did I really got lucky and hit, accidentally, an exceptional razor, which should have cost me few times more or the sad truth is that a 'reasonable' vintage razor, honed / stropped and used with 'reasonable' technique which can be bought for 30-40$ can provide a nearly perfect shave and anything else beyond this price point is marginal improvements and fancy things like scales/artwork?
Photo is attached.I have no idea what kind of scales it has, looks like thin plastic.
I saw similar W&D razors on the web going for as much as 200$, but I has no idea about their conditions.
I picked this razor 'blind', asking the owner of one of the online vintage razor shops to choose for me a reasonable first razor to learn straight razor shaving in the range of 30-40$.
Got shave ready W&D 5/8 square point (full hollow I think). It says 'SPECIAL' on the blade and Wade &Butcher Sheffild England on the tang, photo is attached. It was in 2016, 5 years ago. Then I put my plans to learn SR on hold and resumed it half a year ago, in March 2021 with different razors. Since then I shave daily with SRs and manage to have very good nick and irritation free shaves. Yesteday I found this razor, which I didn't touch for 5 years and, out of curiosity, decided to try it.
Stropped 20 canvas 60 leather and got absolutely amazing smooth shave which rivals my more expensive new Boker and Ralf Aust.
Did I really got lucky and hit, accidentally, an exceptional razor, which should have cost me few times more or the sad truth is that a 'reasonable' vintage razor, honed / stropped and used with 'reasonable' technique which can be bought for 30-40$ can provide a nearly perfect shave and anything else beyond this price point is marginal improvements and fancy things like scales/artwork?
Photo is attached.I have no idea what kind of scales it has, looks like thin plastic.
I saw similar W&D razors on the web going for as much as 200$, but I has no idea about their conditions.