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General INFO section...Knife world news and special links for input (POST THEM HERE) for all to enjoy!

I think over the years there have been so many knife sites and info sites, that I have read from page to page...that never get passed on to others and you end up having to surf to find them later..So I thought a special area earmarked just for those would be great...Since I am an avid Case collector and collector of the coke bottle shaped knives of all brands, there will be those links that interest me.

I hope to see the sharing of other members favorite info links so we can all have fast clicks to the world Library of Knives.

Sue

I found this one today similiar to others I have read but a simplified quick overview of the Case family history

http://www.wrcase.com/interactive/timeline/index.html?keepThis=true...

3 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 14:19

History: Clauss Cutlery Co. of ohio

1877 - 1918

The two brothers John and Henrie Clauss, of German origin, started Elyria Shear Works from a one-room building in Elyria, Ohio. Together with five employees, they began manufacturing scissors, shears, straight razors and serrated kitchen knives.

In the early 1880s, with his shear business prospering, John Clauss planned a major expansion. In 1877, he moved the company to Fremont, Ohio to be near an accessible, abundant supply of natural gas which had recently been discovered. The gas was ideally suited to fuel the furnaces for the company forges and foundry. Clauss erected a two stories high plant at the corner of Ohio Avenue and Pine Street. Within one year, the company was producing 3,000 pairs of shears and scissors a day.

Three years later, disaster struck as the plant was completely destroyed by fire, causing 125 employees to lose their jobs.

However, in less than four months, Clauss built a new plant and was back in full operation. The new four story brick building at the corner of State Street and Sandusky Avenue was the largest shear works in the world at that moment. Clauss also used this opportunity to change the company name to Clauss Shear Company.

1919 - 1945

In 1919, Clauss Shear merged with Henkel Company, also from Fremont, Ohio, to create Henkel-Clauss Company. Henkel Company was founded in 1906 to manufacture manicure and pedicure implements, files, knives, shears and razors. The Henkel-Clauss merger created a company with over 1,000 employees and had the largest payroll in the United States at that time. John Clauss didn live long to enjoy that success as he died later that same year.

In the early 1920s the cutlery business faced a serious setback as Germany was permitted to export shears and scissors duty free to the United States.

The idea behind this was to help Germany pay back its World War I debts. As a consequence, German shears were sold at half the price of American made shears. Despite the fierce German competition, Fremont counted twenty-five cutlery businesses and was rightfully known as the "Cutlery Center of the World".

1946 - 1966

After World War II, Clauss was unable to compete with European firms producing household scissors and other simple products because wages were much lower in Europe. So the company had no other choice than to shift its focus to industrial scissors. Unfortunately, Clauss continued to struggle as much of its sales were to industries in decline or to businesses where automation was reducing the need for scissors.

In 1954 the corporate name was changed to Clauss Cutlery Company to eliminate the confusion with the German cutlery firm J.A. Henckels.

1967 - 2004

In 1967 Clauss was taken over by Alco Standard Corporation. Alco Standard, which later became Alco Industries Inc., integrated Clauss into its existing structure to manufacture tools for industrial niche markets. For instance, Clauss made surgical scissors for eye operations, heavy duty metal cutting shears, poultry shears for gutting chickens and specialty items such as anti-acid, anti-magnetic tweezers for the electronics industry.

Clauss had approximately 100 employees and produced about $18 million in annual revenues in the late 1980s, but profits continued to decline. In May 2004, Acme United Corporation acquired the Clauss inventory, trademarks and brand names for approximately $500,000.

2004 - Present

The Clauss business was immediately integrated into Acme United's existing operations. Since then, the number of Clauss products has continued to expand. For instance, in 2007 and 2008 sewing shears, utility knives, chef shears, hobby knives and titanium-bonded scissors and pruners were brought to market. The Clauss scissors and cutting tools now serve the floral, auto, textile, food processing and electronics industries as well as the industrial, hardware, sewing, sporting goods and do it yourself channels.

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 14:26

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 14:27

Permalink Reply by Robert Burris on April 21, 2012 at 14:33

Thanks, Miss Sue, for the history lesson.

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 15:13

Your welcome Mr Burris !

Robert Burris said:

Thanks, Miss Sue, for the history lesson.

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 15:18

Clauss

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 15:25

INTERNATIONAL CUTLERY CO. STAR BRAND : FREMONT OHIO: 11/16 : FULL HOLLOW

This is an American International Cutlery Co. 'Star Brand' from Fremont, Ohio vintage straight razor in extremely nice condition which has been customized with G10 black scales and tapered with a G10 yellow wedge.
The blade has completely been polished and has a very nice looking shine, clean with no rust, cracks, chips or disturbing stains
Just a few tiny barely noticeable remaining residual surface micro pits
Blade centers nicely and pins are tight.
Nickel Silver, Stainless Steel pins and Washers
Grind: Full Hollow
Size: 11/16
Total weight: 1.5 oz
Total cutting edge: 2.80 inches
On the front shank it says: Star Brand
On the back of the tang it says: International Cutlery Co. Fremont Ohio
On the monkey tail it says number 125
Tang stamping is still nicely visible.
Tang has jimps on the bottom.
Beautiful example of a International Cutlery Co. - ‘Star Brand’ Fremont Ohio

Internation cutlery Co. was in business since 1890. Somewhere in the early 1900's they ended up with Genco. The 'Star Brand' were known for their shears, scissors, tinners, prunning shears, razors and razor strops.

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 15:27

This Weske Cutlery Sandusky Ohio 3.75" bonestag canoe knife has not been used or carried. It was made in the USA during the 1946-52 era with carbon blades

Permalink Reply by Sue OldsWidow on April 21, 2012 at 22:40

Harry E. Linton (his registered name was "Henry") was born 21-JUL-1853 in Sheffield England. His parents were William Frederick Linton (b. 1815) and his wife Ellen (b. 1815 - nee Brown). At the time of the 1841 census, William and Ellen Linton and family were living on Furnival St. (backside) within Enumeration District 15 of Sheffield South. According to 1841 and 1851 census data, Harry's siblings included: George (b. 1834), Frederick (b. 1836), Ann (b. 1838), Emily (b. 1840), William (b. 1843), Edwin (b. 1845), James (b. 1848) and Ellen (b. 1850). All of the foregoing were born in the County of York, West Riding. His siblings birthdates are from census entries and therefore approximate to +/- 1 year. Ellen Linton (nee Brown), arrived in New York on 20-OCT-1862 aboard the vessel Adelaide, accompanied by her sons Henry and William and daughter Emily (Emely). Harry Linton died 19-MAR-1930 in Pensacola Florida. He married Sarah A. Meek 28-NOV-1878 at Canton, Stark County, Ohio. Their daughter, Nora Linton, was born 24-DEC-1880 and she eventually married Charles Samuel Erbland. Sarah died 12-APR-1881 and Harry remarried to Kate Rex Dillon 30-OCT-1883. Donald Erbland told me (Mardon Erbland, Donald's son) that his grandfather, Harry Linton, was involved in the cutlery business and always had lots of fancy knives around him. According to the Directory of the City of Canton for the year 1884-85, Harry E. Linton and his brothers, William and Edward (born Edwin), were all involved in the cutlery business in Canton. According to newspaper accounts, it was referred to as the "Linton Bros. cutlery works". One of the sons of William Linton was Ralph H. Linton, who in 1920 was "Manager" at a cutlery company in Tidioute Pennsylvania. This occupation appears in the 1920 census, Roll=T625_1657,Pennsylvania, Warren County, Tidioute, ED# 172. By 1920, the Tidioute Cutlery Co. had long-since changed names and moved to Cattaraugus County NY, so the name of the company where Ralph H. Linton worked in Tidioute is unknown. Harry and his brothers, William and Edwin, were principles in the founding of the Canton Cutlery Co. According to the Canton City Directory for the years 1883·84, 1884·85 and 1899, Harry was first Supt. then Manager of The Canton Cutlery Co. I (Mardon Erbland) recall that Harry's grandson, Donald Erbland, often said to me how Harry's interest in the cutlery business had a connection with the famous Sheffield Steel of Harry's birthplace. The1841 Census for Sheffield South shows that the occupation of Harry's father, William Frederick Linton, was "pen knife grinder". The original of the upper left photograph is a tin-type. It appears that the cheeks were hand-colored.

The Canton Cutlery Works Burned.
PLAIN DEALER SPECIAL.
CANTON, O., Nov. 4. — At 7:30 o'clock tonight the cutlery works of Linton Brothers
were found on fire. The shop is a large
frame structure and the flames gained such
headway that the fire department was unable to save any portion of the building and
at 9 o'clock the works were a mass of burning ruins. The shop has just been built,
citizens assisting the firm, which had met
with financial troubles. The firm employ
about thirty skilled workmen and these are
now again out of employment, after having
been at work only a few weeks succeeding a
year of enforced idleness. The loss is about
$15,000, while the insurance will not reach
half that amount. The building was insured
for $2,500, divided equally between the Michigan fire and marine company of Detroit and
the Boatman's company of Pittsburg The
fire is supposed to have started from a stove
the first floor of the building.