Gentle Galoots,

I just bought a lot of 5 old chisels from Australia because 2 of them
were "Charles Taylor" chisels from Sheffield, which I "sorta collect"
(TM Todd Hughes). I credit Peter McBride for getting me started.
(Thanks, Peter!)

It turned out that 2 of the other chisels were marked "Toledo", a 12mm
chisel with a wooden handle and a 9mm chisel with a [shudder] plastic
handle. The one with the wooden handle said "Swedish Steel". I searched
the OldTool archives, but got too many hits on Toledo, Ohio and I didn't
manage to ferret out anything on Toledo chisels. Google found some
Toledo tools for sale, but wasn't much help. Is anyone familiar with the
Toledo brand of chisels?

I liked the business end of the plastic-handled Toledo; if the cutting
edge holds up, I may put a proper wooden handle on it.

By the way, I have an open "WTB" on Charles Taylor chisels.

Cheers,

Chuck (Charles) Taylor Everett, WA, USA


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Chuck,

Though I don't consider myself an expert on Toledo tools, having lived
in the area for way too long, I have an interest in Toledo area tool
makers. I don't recall any old manufacturers known for edge tools from
Toledo just levels, saws, some hardware stores that put their name on
planes and one manufacturer of unmentionable style tools.

Since you described the width of these gouges in mm's and one has a
plastic handle, they sound fairly modern. Do you think they may be from
Toledo, Spain?

Jim Crammond, just across the Michigan border in Monroe.

--- On Tue, 2/24/09, Chuck Taylor  wrote:

> It turned out that 2 of the other chisels were marked "Toledo", a 12mm
> chisel with a wooden handle and a 9mm chisel with a [shudder] plastic
> handle. The one with the wooden handle said "Swedish Steel". Is anyone
> familiar with the Toledo brand of chisels?
>


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Gentle Galoots,

It appears that Toledo is/was an Australian hand tool maker, established
"more than 60 years ago", and now owned by Tridon Australia of
Silverwater (apparently part of Sydney). Tridon was founded in 1976, so
it appears that they bought Toledo. My information comes from the Tridon
web pages at http://www.tridon.com.au.

As Tony S. pointed out, Charles Taylor was a Sheffield edge tool maker.
Their trademark was a wood screw. My WTB is for Charles Taylor chisels,
of which I already have about 6.

Thanks for all the responses.

Chuck Taylor Everett, WA, USA


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Jim wants info on and WTB C. Taylor chisels marked Toledo. Chuck thinks
because the sizes are metric that Toledo might be Spain.

I think Toledo refers to Toledo Steel, and that Charles Taylor was
British, but nobody from that island has chimed in yet and it wouldn't
make sense to have Toledo Steel and Swedish Steel on the same chisel so
maybe I'm just so far off-base that I shouldn't even hit send on this...

Checking records of the Old Bailey finds numerous Charles Taylor's
appeared in the court. The only trades I could find in my quick search
were shoemaker, builder, candy seller, baker and pawnbroker, although on
21 Feb 1828 one Charles Taylor did steal a piece of mahogany, a plane,
oilstone, chisel, gauge, hammer, pair of saw handles - and at the time
he was working for a cabinetmaker. Joe M.


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At 09:42 AM 2/25/2009, jem1098@p... wrote:

>Checking records of the Old Bailey finds numerous Charles Taylor's 
>appeared in the court. The only trades I could find in my quick 
>search were shoemaker, builder, candy seller, baker and pawnbroker, although
>on 21 Feb 1828 one Charles Taylor did steal a piece of mahogany, a 
>plane, oilstone, chisel, gauge, hammer, pair of saw handles - and at 
>the time he was working for a cabinetmaker.

Charles Taylor was an edge tool maker working at 47 Eyre Lane in 
Sheffield.  His known working dates are 1905 to 1911 based on the 
trade directories of the era

Tony

                         Olde River Hard Goods
                     http://www.oldetoolshop.com
                                           TSMusic
                http://www.myspace.com/tonyseomusic

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Steve Sullivan wrote:

> With respect to Toledo, chisels with this branding are also
> common around here. I cannot provide any more information on
> their provenance, but often their appearance mimics chisels
> branded E.A. Berg.

Is it possible that Toledo chisels were made in Sweden by E.A. Berg (or
another Swedish manufacturer) and imported to and sold in Australia by
an Australian company under the name "Toledo"? Sort of a "house brand"?
One of my Toledo chisels is stamped, "Toledo Steel / Made in Sweden",
and it came to me from Australia.

Chuck Taylor Everett, WA, USA


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-----Original Message-----

It appears that Toledo is/was an Australian hand tool maker, established
"more than 60 years ago", and now owned by Tridon Australia of Silverwater
(apparently part of Sydney). Tridon was founded in 1976, so it appears that
they bought Toledo. My information comes from the Tridon web pages at
http://www.tridon.com.au.

Chuck Taylor
Everett, WA, USA

--- 
A different Toledo!! Toldeo brand chisels are common in Oz, but were made in
Sweden, probably post-WW2. Charles Taylor carving chisels/gouges are also
common in Oz.

Charles Taylor the firm was around until quite recently I think; when did it
expire? Or is it still around?

Cheers
Peter Evans
Sydney, Australia

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At 09:21 PM 2/25/2009, Steve Sullivan wrote:
>Tony wrote:
>
>" Charles Taylor was an edge tool maker working at 47 Eyre Lane in
>Sheffield.  His known working dates are 1905 to 1911 based on the
>trade directories of the era. "
>
>He must have been prolific as Charles Taylor, Sheffield tools are reasonably
>common in this part of the world. I have numerous chisels and possibly a
>gouge with this branding.

It is very possible that he was bought out by another firm who 
continued to use the name.  That might account for the relatively 
short working dates.  Was a very common practice in England.

Tony

                         Olde River Hard Goods
                     http://www.oldetoolshop.com
                                           TSMusic
                http://www.myspace.com/tonyseomusic

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Tony wrote:

" Charles Taylor was an edge tool maker working at 47 Eyre Lane in
Sheffield.  His known working dates are 1905 to 1911 based on the
trade directories of the era. "

He must have been prolific as Charles Taylor, Sheffield tools are reasonably
common in this part of the world. I have numerous chisels and possibly a
gouge with this branding.

With respect to Toledo, chisels with this branding are also common around
here. I cannot provide any more information on their provenance, but often
their appearance mimics chisels branded E.A. Berg.

Steve Sullivan
Adelaide, Australia
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Referring to Charles Taylor, Tony wrote:

> It is very possible that he was bought out by another firm who
> continued to use the name. That might account for the relatively short
> working dates. Was a very common practice in England.

I've noticed that some of my Charles Taylor chisels just say "Charles
Taylor's", while others say "Charles Taylor's / Sheffield Tools LTD". Is
it possible that "Sheffield Tools LTD" was a successor firm, or a
separate firm that bought out Charles Taylor?

Chuck Taylor Everett, WA, USA


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Chuck Taylor wrote:

>
> I've noticed that some of my Charles Taylor chisels just say  
> "Charles Taylor's", while others say "Charles Taylor's / Sheffield  
> Tools LTD". Is it possible that "Sheffield Tools LTD" was a  
> successor firm, or a separate firm that bought out Charles Taylor?
>

Either of these may, indeed, be possible. I haven't found a direct
mention of "Sheffield Tools LTD," but evidence exists concerning
other firms with similar sounding names. For example, I have data
concerning a Sheffield Saw & Tool Co, known working dates of 1901
to 1911, in Shoreham Saw Works, Whitecroft. Also, Sheffield
Steelmakers LTD., with a known working date of 1905, at Fitzalan
Chambers, High Street. In addition to making steel, they are known
to have made saws and edge tools.

Less potentially germane, there was also a firm, of the name
Sheffield Steel & Manufacturing Co. LTD., which operated from about
1879 to 1881, at Lancaster Street, Neepsend. Specific information
concerning "Sheffield Tools LTD" may turn up in post-1911 Sheffield
directories.

Meanwhile, I have a little bit of possible additional information
concerning Charles Taylor, himself. There is a Charles Taylor
listed as a plane iron manufacturer (considered part of edge tool
making in Sheffield), at 13 Norfolk Lane, in 1893. Also, a Charles
Taylor is listed (in the street and alphabetical listings) as an
edge tool maker, residing (and possibly working) at 158 Fulton
Road, in 1901. If these are the same Charles Taylor, then we may
be able to extend his working dates at least as early as 1893.

Hope this has been of some interest.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR
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