Historical Tin snip Manufacturers
These are all makers of antique tin snips. Let me know if you have a name not listed.
What About buying
Our website tinsmith.us is a great venue for purchasing stakes and machines made by Pexto (which was the trade name for the firm of Peck Stow and Wilcox). We have lots of tinsmithing tools for sale, but we like to buy tools also. However, we search places like Offerup.com Letgo.com and, Craigslist.com and cannot find …
Josiah Wilcox’s Sons
In 1978 Frank G White stated that Josiah Wilcox started making carriage parts in 1858 and was still in business until 1904. In 1867 Josiah Wilcox teamed up with Leander Burns for his patent number 65,641 for dies to make thill couplings. Leander also patented a die for making carriage steps 103,296 in 1870. Neither …
Bear Paw Gutter end former
It is not very intuitive how to use these but here is little information from a Berger Brothers catalog from 1914. They were patented in 1898 by a William W. Warren but the catalog calls them Bishop’s. US597924A – Implement for forming ends for eaves-troug hs – Google Patents This one is for sale here
Tinsmith’s seaming tool?
Is this tool for tinsmithing? No. It is not listed in any Manuals for the tinsmith trade or catalogs of tinner’s tools. I have seen countless references to it being for seaming but for that purpose there are seaming pliers. Some say it is to hold to pieces of tin when soldering. Any tool similar …
Blacksmith tinsmith Coppersmith tools
Can the same tools be used for all three trades? Are there tools that are used by only one? By simple definition, a blacksmith heats the metal and the tinsmith does not. The coppersmith heats the metal and then cools it to work it, if needed. All three use hammers A tinsmith and a coppersmith …
10,000 hours to become an Expert tinsmith
It is an old saying to become an expert you need 10000 hours experience. The National Institute of Health has an article about it at: The 10 000-hour rule – PMC (nih.gov) That is based on a 40-hour week. How many hours are in an apprenticeship? Some sheet metal worker apprenticeships are 4 years. If …
Adjusted for inflation
Whether you are a beginner or a member of the Society of Honorable Master Tinsmiths you need tools, and a pretty price must be paid. There are places to buy new such as Roper Whitney Products | Penn Tool Co or there is eBay. You can see what set prices are from the former and …
The List
A list of tinsmithing tools and their uses. Stakes: Hatchet Stake for bending tinplate at a right angle or greater, Blowhorn for making funnels, speaking trumpets and other flared articles. Beakhorn for large articles such as squared rain gutter on one side and round downspouts on the other, Square Stake for making corners of pans. …
Pexto 544
I picked up a 544 which is an all-purpose machine. It has wheels (the proper name is a roll) that can be changed to burr, elbow edge, flange, turn and wire as needed. The rolls I acquired with it are all stamped. They include a 10118 and a 10119 LOWER which is for turning, a …
In a different light
The old adage is true. I was at the 2023 Early American Industries Association National meeting in Staunton when I saw the marking. In sunlight it was there. It was J & E NORTH BERLIN CT. Until then I thought it was an unmarked stake because the marking is closer to the end rather than …
Dictionary Tinsmith
Tinsmith Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster We have for sale what we call tools of the tinsmith but how long have they been called tinsmith tools. What is a Tinsmith? : a worker who makes or repairs things of sheet metal (such as tinplate). They also list a kids definition of : a worker in tin …
Tinsmith Convergence
We will have all of our items for sale at the 2023 tinsmith convention or “convergence” to be held this year in Metamora IN. Come shop and save up to 50% off of items. The history of convergence? It is a gathering of tin & coppersmiths and tinkers. It began as a one-year reunion of …
Tinsmith tool or a Blacksmith tools?
A while back I had a discussion about if a tool was made for a Blacksmith or a Tinsmith. That discussion led to one specific example of a hammer shown below. He, as a blacksmith was adamant it was a sinking or dishing hammer. The hammer shown was made by J Wilcox, a manufacturer of …
What is a Tinsmith doing today?
The job of tinsmith has changed through the years. He started as manufacturer of tinware then worked in the roofing industry and now, he is back to making tinware. What is tinware? All of the household items from drinking cups to dust pans. Coffee pots to cookie cutters. Tinware was to the 1860’s what Tupperware …
The Craftsman
The internet is a great venue for learning tinsmithing. As a beginner you may have learned the craft in an industrial arts class. You may have a love of History. Now you want to combine the two. You want to recreate that persona in keeping the art alive, but don’t have the tools? We provide …
Vernacular
Modern names may be different than those historically used. A prime example is Folding Machine which is now referred to as a Sheet metal Bar Folder or Barfolder. The Bar is a major part of the folding Machine so that may have been an origination for the term. Another example could have been the Jaw …
Identification
There are many aspects to tool identification. Maybe you were brought to this site through a reverse image search such as google lens. Maybe you just call it a cranky turny thing and need more information. If it has a crank and you can turn it then it is a machine. If it is not …
The essential tinsmithing tools
The essential tools are the hammer and the stake. Tinsmiths call what they use a stake rather than an anvil. Stakes are designed to fit in a tapered stake plate or a wooden stump. The most common tinsmith’s stake is a blowhorn stake. A hatchet stake is the next most common. these two are used …
Tin Snips
We collect them. They are old and don’t cut anymore but they look nice hanging on the wall.
Welcome Tinsmiths
We hope we have something of interest to you. Or maybe you have something of interest to us. We are fascinated by what is out there in the rich history of Tinsmithing