Cold, Hard Steel

I'm a bit of a fetishist when it comes to blades. Not in the kinky sense, per se, but as an aficionado. The sweeping lines of a properly shaped knife, honed to a razor's edge is a thing of exceptional beauty. There are few things as complicated or as simple.

Though they are ubiquitous, ranging from utility pieces carried in pockets to finely-tuned medical tools, very few cutting instruments are ever really remarkable. Sometimes though, the story they bring with them is enough to elevate them just a few steps higher.

In 1818, two brothers, William and Samuel Butcher, became partners in their father's cutlery business. Previously operated under the name of Robert Wade, the company came to be known as Wade & Butcher. The company excelled in it's hometown of Sheffield, England and, through its success, led the Butcher brothers to expand their business into the Americas.

Following the death of Robert Wade c.1825, the company all but folded. The brothers, however, renewed their business and grew steadily throughout the 19th century. They became the premier cutlery makers of England. So much so that any bladed product, particularly razors, that originated in Sheffield simply became known as Wade & Butchers.

The company continued strong under successive ownership into the 20th century. Their name has become synonymous with excellence in cutting tools, so long as you're willing to turn back the clock a few years.

One of their most prolific and hailed products was the straight razor. Curiously, the Butchers rarely advertised their blades. Historians note that they neither took out space in trade magazines, nor in periodicals where advertisement is common, such as newspapers. The razors were peddled by a traveling sales staff, but aside from that, they sold themselves on reputation alone.

Even to this day, they enjoy a strong following by a fringe group of men, like me, who appreciate the art of a good straight-razor shave. In fact, certain styles of Wade & Butcher straight razors can easily fetch asking prices above $400 if in good condition.

About a two years ago, I got my hands on a lesser known, but still compelling, Wade & Butcher blade. It is literally just a blade as the scales have been lost to time. Be that as it may, the "Special" is my most promising, as well as oldest, vintage possession.

The manufacturer's trademark (see inset) identifies that this blade was made c.1890. It also seems to be a bit of a departure from most of the staple Wade & Butcher designs. The Butchers were known for the much coveted wedge blade shape (though varying degrees of hollow ground were common in their designs). These tend to be rare and command the highest prices. They were also know for the "barber notch", a semi-circular feature at the end of the blade. What its function was, I don't know. My Special has neither of these features. Though notably, the blade has the very uncommon double-hollow, or bellied, grind profile.

Hollow grinding was the method of using a circular wheel to cut a concave profile into the side of the blade perpendicular to the edge and spine. This allowed the blade to be honed to the keenest of edges. The grinding produced a single radius on either side of the blade which transitioned into a flat section that led down to the edge. It was generally classified somewhere between wedge (no radius) and extra hollow, with fractional stages in between. A double-hollow though is ground with the aforementioned radius, and then ground a second time with the same radius eccentric to the first. This produces an uncommonly thin blade in the middle, which then flares out to a thicker 'belly' before tapering back down to a fine point.

The thin 'waist' of my Special is only .005" thick. For your reference, a sheet of paper is .004" thick .

It also does not appear to have had its square point rounded, as was common in the era of straight razors. This was typically done to avoid the sharp point which was responsible for many cuts during finely detailed shaving. Many men found that rounding the tip made the blade safer to use while still providing an adequate shave. This seems to be something of a work-a-day solution to the quick, if not precise, shave.

Altogether, the blade was unremarkable for its time. It would perhaps have cost a few dollars to buy one, which may not seem like a lot by our standards. In 1890, however, you'd be making a $53 investment and had hundreds of manufacturers to choose from.

Sound absurd?

Well I have a razor that is 120 years old, is only partially restored, and is still sharp enough to cut the hair off the back of my hand. With a proper honing and care, it will likely last another hundred years. It will easily make it to the end of my days at least. Now I dare you to do that with anything you can pick up in the grocery store today.

The Mach 5 blades that are currently the best on the market will cost you $20 for a 4-pack, and each blade will last for about 8-10 shaves for a beard like mine. Were I the clean cut type, I'd be going through slightly more than a blade a month. That's roughly $60 a year.

I, on the other hand, can use a blade that I laid out a mere $40 for on eBay. In restored condition, it will sell for almost $200. Either way, it will last a lifetime and I will look like a complete badass every time I shave.

Cold, hard steel. Ain't that sexy....?