How Disston Trowels Were Made

From Disston Lumberman Handbook 1912

Mason's Rules

Folding mason's rules are another collectible category of tools. Here are pictures from eBay of Lufkin's 636 and Stanley's 167 rules. They may be listed in the category:
Collectibles>Tools, Hardware & Locks>Tools>Carpentry, Woodworking>Rules, Tapes

1921 Article, "Oldest Known Trowel in This Country"

The Bricklayer, Mason and Plasterer, Volumes 24-25

Concrete Stamps

Here is an fine example of a bronze stamp used by a large concrete contractor to mark their work. It has a handle on the back. The reverse print is the actual stamp.

History of William Johnson Inc., Newark, NJ, Trowel Maker

1910 advertisement

William Johnson made a variety of forged steel and cast iron tools in Newark, NJ. An eBay search shows dividers, calipers, pinch dogs, gas burner pliers, smelting ladles, a nail puller, a faucet seat cutter, scrapers, and dibbles. Mr. Johnson was a prominent businessman in Newark in 1872, as described in The Report and Catalogue of the First Exhibition of Newark Industries. Mr. Johnson was a member of the executive committee and a speaker at the 1872 exposition, and his company exhibited "a great case of carpenters' and other tools." The firm was advertising its brick trowels in 1910 and 1917. In 1958 it was sold to C.S. Osborne & Co. of Newark. C.S. Osborne continues to sell many of the items that Johnson made, including brick trowels, an edger, jointers, and finishing towels, including some with the Johnson name.

Full text of The Report and Catalogue
Short article in American Scissors and Shears (Google Books)
C.S. Osborne & Co. website

William Johnson pointing trowel

William Johnson pointing trowel etch

William Johnson brick jointer

The Finger Level, a Novelty Masonry Tool

These advertisements for finger levels are from a 1910 masonry trade publication, "The Bricklayer and Mason".  Google Books Bricklayer and Mason, Volume 13

Concrete Edgers and Groovers

Concrete edgers and groovers have been made by more companies in the USA than have made brick trowels. This is probably a result of the manufacturing differences between them. Casting iron and bronze is less demanding than forging and tempering high carbon steel. Old edgers and groovers are more likely to survive than old trowels, and they are also much easier to identify because the maker’s name and city are almost always cast into the top.

   

A concrete edger is also called a sidewalk edger and hand edger. The concrete groover is also called a hand groover and concrete jointer. They have been made from cast iron, brass, bronze, zinc, stainless steel, and steel, with wood or plastic handles. Specialized edgers have been made for building industrial and farm structures, such as dairies.   

All major US trowel manufacturers make edgers and groovers. Here is a list of other US makers and brands over the past 100 years, with their locations where known:

W.H. Anderson Tool & Supply Co., Detroit, MI More information
Arrowsmith Concrete Tool Co.,  Arrowsmith, IL More information
Barco - see M Tools
C.H. Baum, New Britain, CT More information
Billings Union Trowel Works, Irvington and Newark, NJ More information

Blue Banner Tools, Cleveland, OH

Bluegrass, by Belknap Hardware, Louisville, KY More information (pdf)

Bonney Vise & Tool Works (Bonney Forge), Allentown, PA More information

Bridge Tool Co., St. Louis, MO (Shapleigh and E.C. Simmons Hardware brand) More information
Buffum Tool Co., Louisiana, MO More information
S. Cheney & Son, Manilus, NY
J.H. Clark, Chicago, IL

Cleveland Formgrader Co., Cleveland, OH More information
Clipper Tool Co., Buffalo, NY More information
P.F. Connelly, El Reno, OK More Information

The Contractors' Tool Co. (Konkurt brand), 700 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA
Crescent Tool Manufacturing Co., Crescent Novelty Co., St. Louis, MO More information
G.W. Diener Manufacturing Co., Chicago IL
Dresden Manufacturing Co., Long Beach, CA More information
Duffy Manufacturing Co., Chicago, IL
Dunlap, by Sears & Roebuck, Chicago, IL More information

W.S. Godwin, Baltimore, MD & Philadelphia, PA More information
Gray Iron Foundry Co., Reading, PA

Harrington Tools, Los Angeles, CA, now in Las Vegas, NV Company website
Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co., Chicago, IL More information

Ideal Tool Co., Indianapolis, IN More information

Iowa Novelty Co., Burlington, IA More information

Kewanee Foundry & Manufacturing Co., Kewanee, IL
Keystone Tool Works, Wilkes Barre, PA More information
Koehler Brothers Machine Co., Monaca, PA More information
Kramer Brothers Foundry (Gem brand), Dayton OH More information

Lansing Co., Lansing, MI

Littlestown Hardware and Foundry Co., Littlestown, PA Company website Catalog
Louden Machinery Co., Fairfield, IA Wikipedia article
M Tools, by Barco Industries, Inc., Reading, PA Company website
Marsh-Capron Manufacturing Co., Marsh Co. (Miracle brand), Chicago, IL
Martin Maurer, St. Louis, MO More information
Mayes Brothers Tool Manufacturing Co., Port Austin, MI More information

Miles Craft Tools, Milescraft Manufacturing Co., 10409 Meech Ave., Cleveland, OH, and Rockford, IL More information  

Nicholls Manufacturing Co., Ottumwa, IA More information

Ohio Tool Co., Auburn, NY, Columbus, OH, and South Charleston, WV More information
Orr & Lockett Hardware Co., Chicago, IL More information
C.S. Osborne Co., Harrison, NJ More information
Perfection (no information on this company)
Reading Saddle & Manufacturing Co, Reading, PA More information

Red Devil Tools, Irvington, NJ More information
Rock Island Manufacturing Co., Rock Island, IL More information

Samac (may be from UK)

Sands, by J. Sands & Sons, Detroit, MI, later Sands Level & Tool Co. More information
Slydo Cement Tools, North Royalton, OH More information
Smith & Holtum Manufacturing Co. (S&H), Clinton, WI, Freeport, IL More information

Staatsburg Tool Corp., Staatsburg, NY & Sharon, CT More information
E.C. Stearns & Co., Syracuse, NY More information
Stortz & Son, Philadelphia, PA More information

Sturgis, by Baker, Hamilton & Pacific Hardware, San Francisco, CA More information
E. Tressing & Co., Chicago, IL More Information
Union Tool Co., Union, NY More information
Waterloo Cement Machinery Corp., Waterloo, IA
Wonder Manufacturing Co., Washington Court House, OH
Wrightsville Hardware Co., Wrightsville, PA More information

Geo. W. Ziegler Machinery Co., Pittsburgh, PA More information

An uncommon narrow cast iron groover by Smith & Holtum

Collecting Mason's Line Pins

Promotional line pins are a specialized branch of masonry tool collecting. Because of the advertising stamped on them, dating them is easier than with other tools. They promoted cement, mortar, and brick manufacturers and suppliers and occasionally other businesses.

eBay search for line pins in the collectible tools category

Frederick Tool Corp. promotional masonry tools (USA)

Lehigh Portland Cement co. line pins

Selecting a New Trowel

YouTube video from Budding Co. on how to choose a good trowel, featuring the CO.ME trowels from Italy. The video is in English.

YouTube

Why Collect Trowels?

The trowel is one of mankind's oldest tools. Its invention by people around the globe is a marker for a civilized society that worked metal and built with masonry. The first trowels were probably of wood, then bronze, iron, and finally steel. While other construction hand tools like the hammer and saw have been partly replaced by power tools, the trowel has not. The simple shape of centuries ago remains the best tool for the job today.

This continuity of design is one of the challenges of collecting trowels. Dating them is near impossible, and there are no written guides available. However, this should not interfere with the satisfaction of collecting a tool with such a long history.

Early Roman trowels

History of Japanese Trowels

This commercial site describes and shows Japanese trowels used in traditional plastering, including hand forging.

Japanese trowels (in English)

A Nearly Forgotten Tool, the Indent Roller

The indent roller is used to add a waffle texture to troweled concrete, usually curbing or entire sidewalks. The purpose is to create a more slip resistant surface. It's also called an indentation roller, dot roller, imprint roller, curbing roller, spiked roller, and pavement roller. The cylinder may be cast aluminum, brass, bronze, or iron.

Alex, Gilchrist  pavement roller advertisement 1905

Vintage Stortz & Son indent roller. Stortz was the last US manufacturer of indent rollers.   

Larger indent roller, unknown maker

Sidewalk dating to 1940-1955, textured with indent roller  

History of W. Rose Tool Co.

Early W. Rose brick trowel, very worn

W. Rose, one of the oldest manufacturers in the United States, is located in Sharon Hill, PA, adjacent to Philadelphia. Here is the 1889 factory from the firm's 1929 catalog and a screen shot of  Google Street View in 2012.

For Nearly 200 Years, Its Trade Has Been Tools The W. Rose Tool Co. In Sharon Hill Takes Pride In Being Old-fashioned

W. Rose in 1959 Star Sales catalog

1889 and 1912

Historic Trowel Advertisements

This free e-book dated January 1917 is available via Google Books.

The Bricklayer, Mason and Plasterer, Volume 20

Guide To Brick Trowel Patterns

From W. Rose 1929 catalog; having the patterns side by side helps show the differences between them.

Presentation, Ceremonial, or Cornerstone Trowels

Presentation, ceremonial, or cornerstone trowels are used for cornerstone laying ceremonies and other special occasions. They may or may not be custom engraved with the location and date used.

W. Rose Ceremonial Trowels Sold Today

Antique W. Rose ceremonial trowel with mahogany handle

Parts of a Trowel

Trowel patented by Henry Disston & Sons

A Few Notable Trowel Patents

Charles Disston plasterer's trowel (1890)

Disston brick trowel with spiral tang (1925)

How To Clean a Used Trowel

First, if your trowel is very old or unique, please do not do more than clean the dust off. For all other trowels, read on.

The average used trowel bought for $3 at a flea market will be encrusted with mortar, concrete, tar, or all three. It will need heavy duty cleaning to bring it to usable condition. See the list of supplies below.

Start by protecting the handle with a coat of paste wax, which is easily removed later. Place the trowel on a board or other sturdy outdoor work surface. Flood the blade with water and attack the mortar with the scraper. Work with the grain of the blade, which was ground diagonally parallel with the 2 sides of the tang. This will help minimize scratches in the steel. Continue washing the blade with water as you go.

After removing as much as possible with the scraper, switch to the stone and use it like a sanding block. The grit in the stone is harder than the mortar, and does a good job of abrading it. Take care to concentrate on the mortar, avoid too much wear on the steel. and use lots of water. Use the scraper again where needed, like on the tang.

Turn the trowel over and repeat the cleaning on the bottom. Here the grain runs straight from toe (tip) to heel.

Last, use the 400 grit paper for spot sanding and a final all-over cleaning. Dry the trowel very well. If the handle needs sanding or scraping, wait until the wood is completely dry. Last, protect your work with an all-over coat of paste wax.              

You will need:
Outdoor work space
Paste wax (the yellow stuff in a can)
Carborundum or equivalent rectangular sharpening stone
Steel scraper with a beveled edge (mine is a 1.25 inch Hyde with black nylon handle)
Automotive grade 400 grit sandpaper
Water resistant sanding block
Bucket of water
Shop towels
  

Cleaning this $3 purchase revealed a pre-1955 Disston trowel 

History of Nicholls Manufacturing Co., Ottumwa, Iowa

In 2013 I bought 8 unused plaster and cement trowels and floats made by Nicholls Manufacturing Co. of Ottumwa, Iowa, USA. I have been unable to learn when Nicholls went out of business, but it was still advertising in "Popular Mechanics" in 1956. In the 1930 US Census, the occupation of Fred Hardsocg (1882-1967) was manager, square factory. In 1940 his occupation was manager, mining equipment.
     

Nicholls Mfg. Co. employees (photo credit Jana Hardie) 

"The following is from the book 'Ottumwa: Yesterday and Today' published in 1923.

"The Nicholls Manufacturing Company, 401 to 405 West Main Street [elevated street and vacant lots], with an annual production of 55,000 framing and carpenters' squares, is one of five factories in the United States which makes squares and the only one west of New England according to Fred Hardsocg, owner and manager.

"In 1901 four men formed a partnership for manufacture of a framing square on which Moses Nicholls, a carpenter, had secured a patent. The four men were Mr. Nicholls, Martin Hardsocg, T.F. Norfolk, and A. Wheeler. Martin Hardsocg purchased first the share of Mr. Wheeler and later that of Mr. Nicholls, and Fred Hardsocg, his son, purchased the interests of Mr. Norfolk. Later he bought the remainder of the holdings from his father and has been managing the business for about ten years.

"The plant is operating at capacity and is unable to meet the demand. In addition to squares the Nicholls Manufacturing Company produces floor scrapers, wood pullers, and grass hooks. When the company was established it was a real pioneer in the West and in order to obtain the expert workmanship desired Joseph Miller, an Eastern mechanic, was employed to come here. He made the first square and is still with the firm."

Source of quote

Nicholls masonry tools in 1953 catalog

Martin Hardsocg (1852-1942)

Nicholls ad from 1917