Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-11-10
CoIIIn.' Axe Factory.
M. Editor..

splendid case of edge-tools, manufac.
tured by the collins Company, .
, which attracts much attention. Having
recently been at their mandatory, and
it being at this time undoubtedly the
largest and most perfect establishment
of the kind in the world, propose tc
give you some account of it. To some
of your readers it may be useful as
well as interesting.
The amount of capital invested in the
business is 100000. Twelve hundred
tons of Iron, two hundred tons Of cast
steel, and two thousand tons of coal, are
consumed annually. The machinery is
driven by thirteen large water-wheels
From 800 to $50 men are employed,
and they manufacture from $500 to
1000 tools per day. The business was
commenced originally at the city oi
Hartfort, Conn, but the mandatory
was removed in 1896 to the present
locality, on the Pennington River, in
Hartford county. At a subsequent
period they removed their Depot, or
Sales Office, from Hartford to the city
; of New York, where il is now located
at 2l9 Water street. They obtained an
act of Incorporation from the Legisla-
ture of Conn, about twenty years
since, but they have always continued
the original stamp on their tools OF
collins d Co., HARTFORD" and the
two brothers Collins have continued to-
gether in the concern to this day, one
of them engaged in manufacturing and
the other in selling the goods. They
were the first to manufacture axes
ground and polished ready for use
Previous to that time, the Northern and
Western States were supplied by coun-
try blacksmiths with axes generally
made from common blistered steel, in
stead of cast-steel, and it took chop
per about half day to grind one ready
for use. The Southern States used at
that time miserable unground axes, i'm
ported from England, but they were
soon superseded by the Collins axe.
The success of the Collins Co., has
induced others to go into the business,
and finding the name of Collins so
popular on edge-tools, many of them
have very dishonorablY attempted to
steal the name, and axes of very inferior
quality are now offered for sale all over
the United States, some of them
stamped IS. Collins, Collinsville;"
some "W. Collins, Hartford" and
others II. Collins;" and various stories
have been invented and circulated to
the effect that the old original Collins as
dead, and that his sons, Henry, Samuel,
and William, are severally making
axes, "each on his ocn hook" Now
there is not one word of truth in these
stories. Having often heard them in
various parts Of the country, | had
some curiosity to ascertain the facts, and
l find that "Old Collins" is alive, and
devotes as much time to the business as
he ever did, and there is no other Collins
making Axes IN the United States.
A branch of the New York and New
Haven Railroad runs up from New
Haven to Collinsyille, which is beauti-
fully situated among the mountains, and
has about 1900 inhabitants, depending
for support upon the edge-toOl business.
They have two churches, and school
house where more than goo children re-
ceive the benefits of a High School edu-
cation. The dwellings of the inhabi-
tants are painted white and surrounded
by shade trees. They have very neat
appearance, and exhibit the comfort and
thrift that regular employment and cash
pay afford to the mechanic and his
family. AT the shops is seen the per-
fection of Axe making in all its branch
es. Labor-saving machinery has been
invented there unlike any other in use,
and secured by Letters Patent. One
machine cuts up the Iron, gives it the
shape and form Of an axe, and punches
the eye ready TO receive the helve.-
This is all done at one heat! 1t is then
passed to a set Of men who weld on the
steel, under triphammers, and draw it
down. After that another set Of men
take out all twists and crooks, so that
the edge will stand true with the eye Of
the axe and helve. Then they are
taken to another shop and are shaved
down to cutting edge. This is done
by machinery, with knives suitably
hardened. This machinery was also
invented there and patented.
The next step is to harden the axe,
and draw the temper ready for use
This is the most important part, and is
done in superior and perfect manner,
peculiar to this establishment, by a pro-
cess which was discovered there and
patented, the temper being drawn in
ovens and the heat regulated by Their
mometers. BY this entirely new and
unerring principle, the most perfect
uniformity and accuracy is attained
This process of temPering insures a.
more perfect cutting edge than can be
attained by the old and precarious mode
of tempering.
The next process is to polish the sur
face of the cutting part of the axe on
emery-wheels. This is done not merely
for looks, as many suppose, but to ob
tain perfect surface, that will resist
rust and enter the wood easily. An
other object and advantage in polishing
is to render every defect and flaw in the |
steel visible to the eye. After they
have received this high polish, which
makes all the flaws and defects visible,
they are examined with great care by
Al. I..t-- 81