Greaves chisel steel ID please

[Mike.S]

I'm sorting through a job lot of turning and carving chisels and came across a ? Greaves & Son (Sheaf Works, I think) gouge chisel.

Brand name stamp:

What puzzles me is the stamp on the rear, which I can't decipher:

To the magnified eye it looks something like 'BASSTAG **BASIS STEEL' (click on images for larger version).

Any ideas what it might actually be trying to say?

BTW, the thickness of the blade and obtuse angle of the bevel suggests turning chisel but the short handle and narrow neck/shoulders says carving chisel (perhaps sharpened for an alternate use). As I've come across other similar dimensioned chisels (e.g. Mathieson, Glasgow) am I safe in believing these are re-purposed carving chisels?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[AndyT]

It says "BLISTER SPRING STEEL".
I'm no expert but I think you will find that " blister " is the cementation process by which iron was made into steel and Spring was a grade of steel.
Just as they do now, C19th steel makers liked to give impressive or technical names to their products. So the overall intention is to say that your gouge is a goodun!

And reckon it's a joiner's tool, not for carving or turning.

 

[rxh]

I would say it is a firmer gouge for use with or without a mallet but not for turning. Greaves is a good make.

 

[Mike.S]

I'd never have got Blister Spring Steel from that, so thank you Andy.

And neither a turner nor carver but a firmer gouge. Just looked those up and learned something new . Thank you both.

 

[matthewwh]

With a good squint and the screen at the right angle it looks like Electro Boracic Steel. A quick google seems to confirm that.

Apparently it was introduced by William Greaves in 1839 and they closed in 1849.

Since the first street lights didn't appear until 1881, I can't imagine they had anywhere near enough electricity to melt the stuff. Perhaps they were adding an electric charge in the hope that it would help with the purification process. Borax is still used as a fluxing agent in forge welding and steelmaking today, so that would have had an effect.

Nice gouge!

 

[AndyT]

Matthew is right, I was wrong.

And doesn't Electro Boracic Steel sound impressive! The PVM III of its day?

 

[Mike.S]

Brilliant - Electro Boracic Steel it is then. Thank you Matthew.

Having researched a bit more, I'm suprised Andy didn't immediately think of that, as he posted on the subject in 2011

Another post suggests 'Electro' or 'Electre' related to Amber or a mixed metal, rather than Electricity. The concensus though is the descriptive name is but a marketing gimmick or, as Andy says, the PVM III of it's day!

 

[AndyT]

Brilliant - Electro Boracic Steel it is then. Thank you Matthew.

Having researched a bit more, I'm suprised Andy didn't immediately think of that, as he posted on the subject in 2011

Another post suggests 'Electro' or 'Electre' related to Amber or a mixed metal, rather than Electricity. The concensus though is the descriptive name is but a marketing gimmick or, as Andy says, the PVM III of it's day!

I knew I'd heard of it somewhere... :roll: