The Evans Rule Company was once the world's largest tape measure manufacturer, with facilities in North Charleston, South Carolina; Elizabeth, New Jersey and Montreal, Quebec. Evans supplied most of the tape measures sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co.
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| Popular Mechanics, June 1954 |
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| Popular Science, March 1956 |
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| Continue-Flo Products, Burlington, Ontario. 1961 Catalogue |
Evans also made chalk lines
and a utility knife, with their own name on the blades:
(Their style of blades, with a central hole that fits over a boss on its retractable holder, seems unique to them. Other brands of utility blades will not fit.)
Their main facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey purchased in 1951, was the former home of the American Swiss File & Tool Company, which had been established in 1900 by Edward P. Reichhelm who had emigrated from Prussia, fought in the American civil war, and ultimate become a mechanical engineer. He introduced the use of gas furnaces for annealing and hardening file steel.
At some point, Evans became a subsidiary of the Masco Corporation.
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Masco Screw Products first contract was for a machining job from the Hudson Motorcar Company. Photo source Masco In 1986, Evans introduced the tape-square, an idea which didn't appear to catch on. |
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| The Family Handyman. October, 1986. |
I know I'm late to comment, but thank you for this. Found your site after a Google Search. I'm sitting here gazing at my grandpa's old Evans tape measure - it's the small one in the first Advertisement shown. We've used it off and on for years and it really is wonderfully made. There's craft even in the outside texture, which is a beautiful pattern of raised tiny dots with a dimple in each.
ReplyDelete[Sigh] I totally agree with the perspective of your blog, wish we'd wake up. Companies only make money when people buy their products. And people only buy their products when they have money (and jobs) with which to do so.
Seems simple enough doesn't it? But short term profit (the next quarter!) is the game
ReplyDeleteI met Jack Evans in 2002 when he made an offer to buy my company LEVELUTION (American made precision levels and Self-Marking Tape measures). Jack and I became great friends and I had a great deal of respect for him. I ended up selling to Newell/Rubbermaid, but I've never forgotten the help and encouragement I got from Jack. FYI: Jack patented the first three rivet tape hook in 1967, long before Stanley Works.
ReplyDeleteYes Jack Evan is a good man I work for him for 26 yrs. Very fair with his employees. And always wanted go quality work man ship. That we all tried to do our best. I know the levels you are talking about. We had some of the machines at the plant. I worked with them. I was a mold maker/ lead person.
DeleteThanks for your contribution!
ReplyDeleteI still own one of his retractable key Ring thing with the tag that says if found mail these keys and postage will be paid and it's to Evan's rule company Newark New Jersey 07114
ReplyDeleteI have one with the tag also. I decided to look up the company.
DeleteHello, My wife and I worked there for years up till they moved to Dominican Republic. It was the best place I have worked, very family oriented and they took a personal interest of the workers. Betty White was the soul of the HR department and she was very genuine. We miss the place and often we meet other associates and we all have fond memories of our time there.
ReplyDeleteI remember Betty white and Jack Evans Mickey and Tom Corbin too
DeleteHey!!! Yes that’s all true what is written. This is Lee Hitzler. I miss the company and the people/ family.
DeleteMy grandfather started this company and my brother and I worked for it for many years until it was acquired by Sterritt and closed down and operations were moved to the Dominican republic. A great company, great family business sad to see so much American manufacturing going overseas!:-(
ReplyDeleteI lo0ve to see these comments. Great stories.
ReplyDeleteWow !! Such informative and intuitive comments from you all. Simply, I have a 10 foot push pull Evans Tapes measure made in USA circa early 1950s. I think my grandfather used it to build a house on Lake Huron in Canada then passed it on to my Dad who passed it on to me. I use it often. I have 5 or 6 much newer tape measures but this is my favorite for small jobs (I dont want to wear out or break although very well made). Cheers everyone from Willy K.
ReplyDeleteI don't pay much attention to the brand of tapes, as long as there's one within reach. Somewhere along the way I found an old Evans thin (1/4" x 6 ft) tape and it's been in the pocket of my barn coat ever since. It doesn't lock, so it's kind of a pain, but it's small and thin and I don't even know I have it in my pocket. Most of the printing below the 8" mark is worn off.... I wish I could find a replacement blade. I know these tapes are available (used) on ebay under $10 with free shipping, but I'd like to replace 'just' the blade if possible, even if it cost more.
ReplyDeleteowned a power tape for most of my life and it finally broke. managed to order another one on ebay. never before thought to search out the history of the company - so was surprised to see it had a plant in montreal where i still live. thanks for your research - it has added to my day and life. dave
ReplyDeleteHad an evans tape as an apprentice it lasted an age ive never had one as good since
ReplyDeleteMy father and I manufactured and sold the chemistry at the North Charleston SC location. When the facility closed we purchased the plating equipment and moved it to Michigan. It’s still setup here in Warren. It was Guardian (SRG Global) first automatic line. Jack Evans bought it and moved it from Indiana to South Carolina in 1982ish. We had the replating chemistry until the day it closed in 2001-2002. My Father loves Jack Evans and Betty White to this day.
ReplyDeleteRob Coffie Plating Technologies Inc. Warren MI
Please tell your Dad Lee Hitzler said Hey. I was the Mold Maker at Evan’s Rule. Your Dad and I always talked when he came down.
DeletePreplating chemistry for the plastic Plating line. It should have read. 😁
ReplyDeleteI have an Evans 100 ft tape that was given to me by my father-in-law before he passed. It looks identical to the tape shown above. However, mine is in better condition. The label is in very good condition and shows that it was made in Montreal, Que., Canada.
ReplyDeleteI will leave it to my sons when I pass.
Cheers
Dave
Is Jack Evans still around ?
ReplyDeleteMy wife was fiddling around a thrift store yesterday and asked me to join her. I had no interest but you know. Well I'm a woodworker and I found this old little tape measure and I liked the markings "Evans, 6 Ft 106W push-pull White-Tape" red label, decent condition. How much? "25 cents." Today I saw it was "Made in the USA" and I wondered why the hell we give up on such things. I found this website and glad I did. An interesting story(to me anyway) about all this. I saw that Evans supplied the tape measures for Sears Roebuck. I remembered that we used to call my dad "The Man From Sears" because he'd buy everything there--his full long sleeve zip up overalls, as well as his suits, ties, shirts, pants, belts and shoes. No one worked harder longer than my dad. He had a 12' Sears tape measure that he loved, and it worked as hard as he did. After many years he couldn't mark anything below 12 inches because the paint was worn down to the shiny steel. We went in to Sears in our work clothes (we rebuilt houses) and he told the tool dept clerk he wanted another tape measure exactly like this one. The guy told him they now had wider ones that locked and my dad said in effect maybe you didn't hear me. The clerk went into the back and came back with the exact same tape measure, brand new and handed it to my dad and said, I don't blame you. My dad said how much? The clerk told him the tape had a lifetime warranty and so the new one was free. My dad was annoyed and didn't want any charity, the tape was obviously just finally worn out, but the fellow convinced The Man From Sears that they worked off brand loyalty for their profits, and to please take the tape in good faith. And you wonder how it is that a man would consider it a compliment to be insulted as The Man From Sears.
ReplyDeleteGreat story! I was a Sears service tech in the eighties.Sears was good with the lifetime warranty and would even replace abused and worn out Philips screwdrivers, which the SnapOn guy would not. as we pointed out to him as often as we could.
ReplyDeleteI am always delighted when your site appears as a result for one of my queries Today it was about Evans White-Tape So much is captured in your reply and the comments Products that give more then than they need to become our Velveteen Rabbits I have given my children tools that I believe can serve them well Now I am doing th same for my grandchildren Most come from firms long gone but who's products serve as well today as when new Petersen Vise Grips have been a favorite and Wiss anvil pruners!
ReplyDelete