Tell me about my Bengall

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

This is on the way which means another has to go to make room, a guy has to keep on speaking terms with SWMBO right? I know nothing about it and there is little in the description but one look at the blade, Mmm MMMM! It does measure 6/8 wide. I favor the blades in my rotation that are not as long and this one looks to be just the right length for my tastes. But when I see how long the handle is compared to the length of the blade... has the blade been cut off?

Has anyone out there had one - where are they from and what are they like? How old might it be? Any info is appreciated!

 

[Raithskar]

To my knowledge Bengall's are Sheffield blades. Even if it was cut off, it looks like someone did a good job cleaning up the end. It should hone up and shave very nice. Looks like the scales are Horn, and in very good shape. A little neatsfoot oil and som Ren Wax should make them look stellar.

Grats on the score!

 

[Greybeard]

A little history on Cadman and Bengall.

The Cadman family were a farming family from Derbyshire, eventually settling in Eckington, a village to the south of Sheffield. In the eighteenth century the family became involved in the cutlery business. Luke Cadman (1727-1788) moved to Sheffield in 1740, becoming apprenticed into the cutlery trade. He became a freeman of the Cutlers' Company of Hallamsire (the trade guild of the Sheffield cutlery industry) in 1748 and was granted the trademark "BENGALL". Another branch of the family were also razorsmiths and had the trademark "SENEGALL".
Luke Cadman was married in 1753, to Nancy Matthews. They had several children and two of their sons joined the family business - Luke Jr. (1754-1816) and Peter (1764-1817).
The business was located initially on Fargate, then Surrey Street and Carver Street.
Peter Cadman was married in 1793 to Hannah Staniland. Their family was the line which ran the business during the nineteenth century. Peter and Hannah Cadman's second son, Alfred (born 1802), ran the business in the 1830s and 1840s, located at Broomhall Street, then at Monmouth Street.
Thomas Radley Cadman (1833-1917) took over the business in the early 1870s, which by then was located in St. Mary's Road. By the outbreak of the Great War, T.R.Cadman's great grandson, Edwin Cadman, was in charge.
By 1933, the company had diversified from its traditional open razors into safety razors and pocket knives. In 1938 the business moved again, to Matilda Lane.
The company ceased trading in 1965.
​

 

[paco664]

i absolutely love that razor!!

 

[Luc]

This should help: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/T_R_Cadman_and_Sons_Manufacturer

I fixed the title for Bengall as Bengal isn't the same...

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Thanks Luc for your help, I can't believe I missed that but that is where Moderators come in - right?

 

[QuarkVI]

As you will see from the wiki entry they shipped a heap of razors to this end of the world - resulting in it being the most common razor by a country mile on our local auction site etc. Most common variant is as per the wiki pics. Yours is an older variant, I believe, judging by the scales - I have a similar one that has a rounded point so agree that it appears to have been "trimmed".
In my small den it is my favorite shaver - something about the 6/8 size, weight and grind that works for me. Once in a blue moon a bigger one does appear, johnmrson(I think) posted pics of one close to 8/8 a while back.

Difficult to get overly excited about them because they are so easy to get hold of here (though prices have gone up significantly in the last year - it seems we have many more straight shavers lurking about) and quite plain but I really enjoy how they shave thought I haven't yet had the budget to compare them to anything like a TI, Dorko, Dubl Duck, Hart, Filly etc.


my 1c

__________________
Robin

 

[Giant Kiwi]

I have my paternal Grandfathers' Bengall which had some fairly shoddy bakelite scales so I re did a set in Jarrah with Huon pine wedge.
The tang is not goldwashed it is just the colours playing tricks.
6/8 hollow by T. R. Cadman & Sons.
Looking at Greybeards response it could be my Great Grandfathers.
This bad boy holds an edge like nothing else, especially when honed with diamond slurry on a coti. (Thanks Paco)
Comparing these two it looks like yours has been cut down.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

I'll tell you something about your Bengall, it has been shortened, if it were a car it would be a compressed limo. Send it to me for disposal.....



Only kidding, looks great, guess you'll only know if its a cut and shut job when you see the clearance on the wedge.

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I'll post some pics when I get it - the clearance when closed will tell the tale.

 

[Bennytg]

Hi @Captain Pre-Capsize just wondering if you found anything out about your Bengall?
I have jut added the exact same piece to my collection .
I note there are no jimps and the tail is quite short.

I'd be interested if anyone has been able to provide you with any dates.

From my reasoning it could be some where from 1830 to 1860 based on the short tail, light hollow grind, and no other markings on the blade other than Bengall - this is all based on my 2hours of googling.... So happy to be educated

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Hi @Captain Pre-Capsize just wondering if you found anything out about your Bengall?

Nope, never did and that piece is long gone I am afraid.

 

[Bennytg]

Thanks for your response Captain.

Wonder if it's the same piece? Just with a bit of hard wear through the years.