**EXHIBIT 31.1**

 

**CERTIFICATIONS**

 

I, Paul D. Melnuk, certifythat:

 

1.     I have reviewed thisquarterly report on Form 10-Q of Thermadyne Holdings Corporation;

 

2.     Based on my knowledge, thisreport does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit tostate a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of thecircumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading withrespect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.     Based on my knowledge, thefinancial statements and other financial information included in the reportfairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results ofoperations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periodspresented in the report;

 

4.     The registrant’s other certifyingofficer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosurecontrols and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and15d-15(e)) for the registrant, and we have:

 

a)     Designedsuch disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls andprocedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that materialinformation relating to the registrant, including its consolidatedsubsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularlyduring the period in which this report is being prepared;

 

b)    [Paragraph omitted inaccordance with SEC transition instructions contained in SEC Release 34-47986];

 

c)     Evaluated the effectivenessof the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in thisreport our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls andprocedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on suchevaluation; and

 

d)    Disclosed in this report anychange in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting thatoccurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materiallyaffected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’sinternal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.     The registrant’s othercertifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation ofinternal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and theaudit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performingthe equivalent functions):

 

a)     Allsignificant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation ofinternal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely toadversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and reportfinancial information; and

 

b)    Anyfraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees whohave a significant role in the registrant’s internal controls over financialreporting.

 

 
|                    | By:    |              /s/  Paul D. Melnuk |                           |
|-------------------------|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|                    |   |                                                                                              |                           |
|                    |   |                                                                                              | Paul D.  Melnuk                |
|                    |   |                                                                                              | Chief  Executive Officer       |
|                    |   |                                                                                              | (Principal  Executive Officer) |
| Date: November  9, 2004 |   |                                                                                              |
|                         |        |                                                                                                   |                                |  |

 

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