Evatt Cast Steel

[kcb5150]

Bought this today. This is the current state after a few hours of work. You don't want to know what this thing looked like when I got my hands on it... In a cocoon of corrosion. It looked like you stuck a kit kat on some scales... Weirdly, the area of most minimal corrosion is in the bevel zone. Idea of age?

 

[Antique Hoosier]

I'd stop now... Hone it up and enjoy it. Would love to have another relic like that having enjoyed those late 18th early 19th century blades in the past.

 

[oakeshott]

Like Mike says. Early 19th or late 18th Century. Sweet.

 

[Gamma]

I would guess early 1800s.
Nice score!

 

[johnmrson]

I'd say anywhere from about 1750 to 1800.

 

[kcb5150]

First time I ever saw one of the real old blades in person. The most jarring design feature in my mind isn't the stub tail, it is the fact that the blade edge blends in almost seamlessly with the tang coupled with the thinness of the tang itself. You'd have to be well awake to use one of these.

 

[Brooksie967]

Nice little score! I hope that the corrosion hasn't eaten too much steel away to put a proper edge on it.

 

[kcb5150]

Tried my best. Makeshift macro video

 

[kcb5150]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The real mean spirited pitting is up at the midway point and at a spot near the toe at the top. At this point, I am amazed it looks this good given how it was. Anything beyond is gravy.

 

[Brooksie967]

I really do hope that the pitting isn't deep enough to effect the bevel at the extreme point. If you're free and clear of that then I'd say you're in for some beautiful shaves!

 

[kcb5150]

Pretty cool

 

[weizemanner]

I would go with late 1700's.

I would also say to just take out any big sandpaper scratches and then let it be. It is over 200 years old, by the time you get all of the pitting out you will be shaving with a toothpick.

 

[professorchaos]

That's an old one for sure. Nice score!

 

[Gamma]

Based on what I've read online - the presence of a stub tail and a defined shoulder put it in the early 1800s.

There isn't a big difference between 1790 and 1810 when you think about it.
Plus - who's to say exactly when shoulders and tails started? How could anyone know that for sure?

 

[kcb5150]

It was probably made by William Evatt around 1791-1805.

A quick look through the usual sources doesn't turn up much, as is usually the case for folks working in that period. Here's the brief sketch I can put together.

William Evatt was born in the 1770's to Joseph Evatt a basket weaver from Castle Donington. In 1782 William was apprenticed to William Wright, a general cutler, and he served the full 7 years of his apprenticeship and was ultimately freed in 1790. It would be after that point that he was allowed to make goods with his name on them.

In 1791 William -- now listed as a razor maker --apprenticed Joseph Ingle. Ingle did not complete his apprenticeship.

In 1795 he took on Samuel Marsh as an apprentice. Marsh never completed his apprenticeship, which was fairly common. Apprentices would often join the navy rather than complete their term because the life on a boat was perceived to be (and in actuality regularly was) much easier.

In 1797 he took William John Auslick as an apprentice. Auslick never completed his apprenticeship.

 

[johnmrson]

Based on what I've read online - the presence of a stub tail and a defined shoulder put it in the early 1800s.

There isn't a big difference between 1790 and 1810 when you think about it.
Plus - who's to say exactly when shoulders and tails started? How could anyone know that for sure?

The current knowledge on the history of razor design is constantly changing. Someone recently posted a Barbers article from 1772 on another forum that described French razors as being partially hollow ground. Who would have thought there would have been anything but full wedges that long ago. Also the French produced razors with no tails after the Concord Accord (1891) because they liked the style. A while ago Legion posted some pictures of razors that were in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. They were identified as being 1700 to 1750 and they had very distinct tails.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/255009-Wanna-see-something-sweet?highlight=museum

 

[kcb5150]

Came across a different example of an Evatt stamped razor on the net. The design seems slightly more refined:

 

[kcb5150]

It's alive!! It's alive!! It will shave again!! Bayamontate sorted it out. It sounded like it was a hell of a lot of work. I'll report back on how this shaves. The moral I guess is never doubt the viability of an old wedge in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing. Excited for the experience to try one of these. Not nearly as excited to strop it after the fact. If I cut my thumb on the transition, I'll own up to it. I'll try not to though.

 

[Bayamontate]

Stropping her was tricky I'll admit.

 

[oakeshott]

I was wondering that very thing.