Thread: My 1st straight razor

Not only am I new here , but I recently picked up my 1st straight razor at an estate sale and I'm trying to date and ID it. It's marked: Wade & Butcher Sheffield and has an arrow and Maltese cross. The scales are wood and the blade is etched with an e pluribus unum shield above a portrait of Gen Grant with the name in script underneath. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks BigDog

Hey bigdog, welcome... what a great find you got yourself, wade and butcher being a high quality vintage SR. They dont make em like that anymore. I'd put that razor dated around the 1880s, with the etching being of the late general and former president ulysses grant. e pluribus unum means one of many in latin. hopefully someone might be able to further clarify

Lovely find.

I would think it was likely produced between 1865 - 1869. 1861 attained the rank of brigadier general of volunteers, but not yet famous. In 1865, with Grant at the rank of lieutenant general, the civil war was concluded. Before this he may not have been famous enough for this treatment. After 1869 the etch would likely have noted that he was president.

Jonathan

Edit:Welcome to SRP.

I was thinking along the same lines Jonathon. I still can't believe I got this lucky on my 1st straight razor. I really had no clue what I was getting. I almost feel guilty. I only bought it because I'm a civil war buff.
I just noticed you're in Corning I may have to bring it along and look you up next time I head down south. I usually stop at Rolling Hills on my way to the bay area.

You have i great first razor. hone him or let him honed and shave a lot whit him.

Wonderful find! It looks like it's had a lifetime of full use, judging by the hone wear. It was always put away dry, though. Send it out to a good honer-Glen in Idaho is your best bet--his screen name is gssixgun.

Does anyone else think those wood scales are especially interesting?

How so roughkype? I feel like a rookie on the 1st day of training camp.

I've never seen a blade that age in wood scales; usually they're horn. I wonder if it was rescaled once upon a time. We need Neil Miller to have a look at this thread--when he chimes in, it's like an encyclopedia pouring forth.

I've also noticed that it doesn't say "manufactured by" above Wade & Butcher and there is no "circle B" next to the arrow. I'm not sure if that got ground off at some point or was made that way. I've searched the internet using every search engine I can think of and can't seem to find another one like this. I'm beginning to think this may have been much more rare than I thought it was.

IIRC they started putting Sheffield on the tang after about 1880. The scales almost guaranteed are not original. Great looking blade though.