The saw makers gang of Joseph Flint
Joseph Flint left England for America to start a saw making works in New-England.
Just like we saw in the history of plane making in Canada, other trained tool makers, both American and British, emigrated to Canada and established themselves, and would be Canadian tool makers went to both America and/or England to learn their trades.
Accordingly, and not surprisingly, one of the first recorded established saw maker in Upper Canada (today's Ontario) was that same Joseph Flint, now of Rochester New York. He operated a saw making business in Rochester from 1844 to 1888.
The Pat date on it is Dec 31 1867.
That was a patent on saw nuts. This design is rather fragile, careful when attempting to remove these saw nuts. Notice it still used a split nut
Among the workforce in Rochester NY were: RH Smith, Jerome C Dietrich and Cosmos J Shurly
Jerome C Dietrich was born and raised on a farm near Rochester NY. He entered the saw works of D.R. Barton of Rochester NY . In 1866 he became a traveller for J Flint Co. After being offered another job elsewhere, his employer countered with a raise and part ownership. As a result of a later disagreement, he sold his ownership and left with Cosmo Shurly to start The Maple Saw Works in Galt. In 1877 he invented the Lance tooth crosscut saw, which was reputed to be the world's fastest and shipped around the world.
RH Smith bought the J Flint factory in St-Catharines in 1870
The patent date of Dec 27 1887 is for the Glover saw nuts patent. A much more robust saw screw, easier to manufactured (not cast but stamped) and has ribs to prevent rotation. It would eventually displaced the Disston screw version and became the defacto standard to this day.
Cosmos Shurly married J Flint Daughter. In 1873, Shurly and Dietrich moved to Galt On (now Cambridge) to start their own saw works, The Maple Leaf Saw Works. They were established in an old tannery building which belongs to Goldie & McCulloch Foundry.
They started with 9 saw makers from both Rochester NY and Sheffield England.
by 1886 the employed 70 skilled workers.
When RH Smith retired in 1893, Shurly & Dietrich assumed full control of the company.
In 1914, this business was renamed the T.F. Shurly Company, and was operated by Cosmo Shurly's son Theodore. It will continue until the 1920s.
At the turn of the century, logging was big business in Canada, this in turn fueled a high demands for axes and saws. Shurly & Dietrich earned a good reputation for the quality of their steel. Their saws commanded a large part of the logging market.
By 1906, Cosmo Shurly son's Theodore was the factory superintendent.
Between 1909 and 1910 Shurly & Dietrich expanded its original factory in Galt On.
In 1914, the Galt factory sustained damages in a fire, but by that time, they had another plant in St-Catharines On (the TF Shurly Company, which was the previous RH Smith who bought J Flint).
Beginning in 1910, the big American saw maker E.C. Atkins (established 1857) opened a factory in Hamilton On.
Coincidentally or not, that is at the same time frame that Disston went to Toronto, and Simonds in Montreal... (AKA going around Tariffs :-)
In 1931 Shurly & Dietrich merged with the E.C. Atkins of Hamilton On, becoming Shurly, Dietrich & Atkins. Meaning essentially that SDA became the Canadian branch of the American EC Atkins.
At, or around this time, the Hamilton plant closed and the machinery relocated to the Galt plant.
They opened a branch factory in Vancouver BC in 193x (?)
SD, then SDA, was a long established maker of refined, silver (steel) and cast steel. Having developed an expertise in hardening and tempering steel, they were tasked with producing 40,000 tons of light armour plate during WW II.
By 1957 they were one of the two major saw makers in Canada (the other one being Disston)
By 1968, about 1,400,000 feet of bandsaw blades, for cutting metal, and over 1,000,000 jig saw blades were being manufactured each year.
In 1969, SDA was acquired by HK Porter (who also acquired Disston in 1955) and lets be honest, HK Porter did a fine job running both Disston and SDA...into the ground !!! :-(
In 1973 they would close the plant in Galt (Cambridge) after one hundred years of operation.
So there you have it:
RH Smith, Cosmo Shurly and Jerome Dietrich were working for Joseph Flint in Rochester NY making saws (operated 1844-1888).
Joseph Flint opened a saw works in St Catharines On in 1855
RH Smith bought the Flint works in St-Catharines On in 1870
Cosmo Shurly married Joseph Flint daughter
Cosmo Shurly and Dietrich start the Maple Leaf Saw Works in Galt On in 1873
Shurly and Dietrich take over the St Catharines plant of RH Smith when he retired in 1893
In 1906 Theodore Shurley, son of Cosmo, is the Superintendent of the Maple Leaf Saw Works
In 1914, the St Catharines plant is renamed TF Shurly Co and Theodore is running the company (it will last until the 1920s)
in 1931 Shurly Dietrich (SD) merged with EC Atkins and becomes Shurly-Dietrich-Atkins (SDA)
In 1969 they are bought by HK Porter who will close the Galt plant in 1973
The end
Hope this get the story straight, there is a lot of confusion with dates on line, as I found out...
As usual, errors or omission's, let me know.
Bob, overdue for a cold one
Just like we saw in the history of plane making in Canada, other trained tool makers, both American and British, emigrated to Canada and established themselves, and would be Canadian tool makers went to both America and/or England to learn their trades.
Accordingly, and not surprisingly, one of the first recorded established saw maker in Upper Canada (today's Ontario) was that same Joseph Flint, now of Rochester New York. He operated a saw making business in Rochester from 1844 to 1888.
J. FLINT
CAST STEEL WARRANTED
ROCHESTER
The "label" is not chemically etched, but stamped, as earlier saws plate were
Pic from Backsaw.net
Advert from 1879
153 State street, Rochester NY
J. FLINT ROCHESTER N.Y. medallion
Pic from Canadian Woodworking online Forum
J. FLINT SUPERIOR medallion on a handsaw
Pic from Canadian Woodworking online Forum
The Pat date on it is Dec 31 1867.
That was a patent on saw nuts. This design is rather fragile, careful when attempting to remove these saw nuts. Notice it still used a split nut
DATAMP screen shot
Notice the Dietrich wood saw patent and the Dietrich patent 2 hands hold saw
Among the workforce in Rochester NY were: RH Smith, Jerome C Dietrich and Cosmos J Shurly
The 1872 double handle patent to Jerome C Dietrich,
witnessed by Cosmo J Shurly
DATAMP screen shot
Here is a picture of two examples, of which only 3 are known...
Photo credit on pic
Jerome C Dietrich was born and raised on a farm near Rochester NY. He entered the saw works of D.R. Barton of Rochester NY . In 1866 he became a traveller for J Flint Co. After being offered another job elsewhere, his employer countered with a raise and part ownership. As a result of a later disagreement, he sold his ownership and left with Cosmo Shurly to start The Maple Saw Works in Galt. In 1877 he invented the Lance tooth crosscut saw, which was reputed to be the world's fastest and shipped around the world.
JC Dietrich residence in Galt (Cambridge) Ontario.
Apparently there is money in saw making...
J. FLINT
CAST STEEL St CATHARINES WARRANTED
on a back saw steel spine
Pic from Canadian Woodworking on line Forum
J. FLINT
St CATHARINES
CAST STEEL WARRANTED
Pic from Canadian Woodworking on line forum
RH Smith bought the J Flint factory in St-Catharines in 1870
RH SMITH & CO Ltd
PAT DEC 27
1887
St CATHARINES
. RH SMITH & CO.
PAT DEC 27 1887
St CATHARINES
The patent date of Dec 27 1887 is for the Glover saw nuts patent. A much more robust saw screw, easier to manufactured (not cast but stamped) and has ribs to prevent rotation. It would eventually displaced the Disston screw version and became the defacto standard to this day.
DATAMP screen shot
Cosmos Shurly married J Flint Daughter. In 1873, Shurly and Dietrich moved to Galt On (now Cambridge) to start their own saw works, The Maple Leaf Saw Works. They were established in an old tannery building which belongs to Goldie & McCulloch Foundry.
They started with 9 saw makers from both Rochester NY and Sheffield England.
by 1886 the employed 70 skilled workers.
Sequence of apparition.
The beaver was a left over from the St-Catharines factory (post 1893),
the maple leaf appeared after they transition all production to Galt On (early 1900s).
They were one of the first company to use Maple Leaf and Beaver as a Canadian identity
When RH Smith retired in 1893, Shurly & Dietrich assumed full control of the company.
In 1914, this business was renamed the T.F. Shurly Company, and was operated by Cosmo Shurly's son Theodore. It will continue until the 1920s.
The Arrow Head saw, made previously by RH Smith
continued to be made under TF Shurly, then SDA
Pic from link above
Shurly & Dietrich manufactured and patented a whole range
of saw maintenance tools for the logging industry
By 1906, Cosmo Shurly son's Theodore was the factory superintendent.
Between 1909 and 1910 Shurly & Dietrich expanded its original factory in Galt On.
In 1914, the Galt factory sustained damages in a fire, but by that time, they had another plant in St-Catharines On (the TF Shurly Company, which was the previous RH Smith who bought J Flint).
Beginning in 1910, the big American saw maker E.C. Atkins (established 1857) opened a factory in Hamilton On.
Coincidentally or not, that is at the same time frame that Disston went to Toronto, and Simonds in Montreal... (AKA going around Tariffs :-)
In 1931 Shurly & Dietrich merged with the E.C. Atkins of Hamilton On, becoming Shurly, Dietrich & Atkins. Meaning essentially that SDA became the Canadian branch of the American EC Atkins.
Older EC Atkins medallion showing the Dec 27 1889
Glover saw nut patent, same as used by RH Smith and SD
Pic from eBay
from
At, or around this time, the Hamilton plant closed and the machinery relocated to the Galt plant.
They opened a branch factory in Vancouver BC in 193x (?)
The SDA plant on 30 Mar 1935
1642 Richards St Vancouver BC
Archives city of Vancouver, Public Domain
SD, then SDA, was a long established maker of refined, silver (steel) and cast steel. Having developed an expertise in hardening and tempering steel, they were tasked with producing 40,000 tons of light armour plate during WW II.
Maple Leaf No 460 precision web saw jointer
These two pics Ebay
SDA 1950 salesman manual
This being a salesman manual, it has instructions
on what to ask if you have to "adjust" complaints
The plant at 17 Glebe St Galt Ontario
as it appears on the back of 1950 booklet
These pics from EBay
By 1968, about 1,400,000 feet of bandsaw blades, for cutting metal, and over 1,000,000 jig saw blades were being manufactured each year.
Jig saw blades packages from
Shurly-Dietrich Atkins Co Ltd
Galt Ont
Pic from Progress is fine blogspot
In 1969, SDA was acquired by HK Porter (who also acquired Disston in 1955) and lets be honest, HK Porter did a fine job running both Disston and SDA...into the ground !!! :-(
In 1973 they would close the plant in Galt (Cambridge) after one hundred years of operation.
So there you have it:
RH Smith, Cosmo Shurly and Jerome Dietrich were working for Joseph Flint in Rochester NY making saws (operated 1844-1888).
Joseph Flint opened a saw works in St Catharines On in 1855
RH Smith bought the Flint works in St-Catharines On in 1870
Cosmo Shurly married Joseph Flint daughter
Cosmo Shurly and Dietrich start the Maple Leaf Saw Works in Galt On in 1873
Shurly and Dietrich take over the St Catharines plant of RH Smith when he retired in 1893
In 1906 Theodore Shurley, son of Cosmo, is the Superintendent of the Maple Leaf Saw Works
In 1914, the St Catharines plant is renamed TF Shurly Co and Theodore is running the company (it will last until the 1920s)
in 1931 Shurly Dietrich (SD) merged with EC Atkins and becomes Shurly-Dietrich-Atkins (SDA)
In 1969 they are bought by HK Porter who will close the Galt plant in 1973
The end
Hope this get the story straight, there is a lot of confusion with dates on line, as I found out...
As usual, errors or omission's, let me know.
The saws from my till that were used for some pics.
Some RH Smith, some SD, but could not find any of my SDA saws??
The material used to cleaned up the medallions.
Yes, some were consumables :-)
Bob, overdue for a cold one
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