Brown & Sharpe....hair clippers?

[keeena]

Just wanted to share these clippers which came as part of a tool box I bought. These were in the tool box along with a few other machinist-oriented items and I didn't pay any attention to them initially (was just buying the box; bits inside were just a bonus). I was a surprised to see that they were made by Brown & Sharpe; I never knew they manufactured this sort of thing. I figure those of you a bit older than I are probably familiar with these and maybe know a bit more.

From what I was able to find it seems they stopped making these around 1945 and the ones I have are probably 20's-40's (older ones have specific trademark months which put them in the 1900's or even earlier). They don't seem to be worth much money ($10-15 on ebay). I'm not an antique collector but plan on keeping them as an interesting item; now I can trim my beard if the electricity goes out.

 

[benmychree]

Yes, I have seen many on e bay, unusual to think they manufactured them; they also manufactured the Wilcox & Gibbs sewing machine for many years, unusual that it used only one thread, no bobbin thread, using a chain stitch, not the best idea, as you could rip out a complete seam by pulling on an unsecured end thread; the inventor had seen a illustration of a Singer machine, and went on his own designing one, and not knowing that Singer used a bobbin thread, the chain stitch is still used for sewing sacks, so that the seam can be easily opened up without damaging the sack.
I assume that B&S manufactured a good number of other products for other manufacturers as well.

 

[keeena]

Sewing machines too? Go figure. The history & stories are quite engaging - I can see why some people get into collecting antiques. I appreciate the history I've learned related to my hobbies - this new machining hobby has been the most interesting.

 

[Choiliefan]

IIRC B&S started out as a sewing needle company.
The precision and grinding expertice came from sharpening them.

 

[Holescreek]

Everybody started somewhere, Starrett has a Patent for a very large food chopper. I saw the Starrett chopper for sale at an antique mall but it was too large to display at my house practically.

 

[mcostello]

My beard stalls electric clippers, might need Chuck Norris arms for them.

 

[JPar]

I have a pair of B&S clippers. I think they were my Grandfather's. When I was a kid, my Dad used them when he gave my brother and me haircuts. They were affectionately known as the "Big Dogs" and the "Little Dogs". We hated them. I swear they pulled more hair than they cut. Dad used the electric clippers first, and then finished up with the manual clippers. The "Little Dogs" were used to trim around the ears. He wielded them with the delight of a master medieval torturer.

Dad: "Almost done, time for the Little Dogs!".
Us: "No! Not the Little Dogs! NOOOO!!!!"



The patent dates on Big Dogs are 1892 and 1901. The Little Dogs have 79, 84, 85. As in 18xx.
John

 

[MontanaLon]

A lot of tooling companies made other products in order to fill out production capacity. Idle machines make no money but you can only make and sell so many indicator bases before you flood the market.

It makes a lot of sense to make clippers when you also make other tooling. You are dealing with the same processes but with entirely unrelated markets so the diversification makes a manufacturer more stable and thus more likely to survive when hard times come. During the Great Depression there were all sorts of companies that went belly up because they only made things within a single industry. So if manufacturing hits the skids and all you make is manufacturing tools, you are really screwed.

It is very much like the video of Titans of CNC where he lost a $100 million contract. He had all his eggs stacked in one basket and that basket got tipped over. He was really lucky to survive the downturn in the market he served.

Tying your business to one field is a bad idea long term. Short term you may be going gangbusters but then what?

Way back in the day, my Grandfather worked for a company that made parts for Ford. When the depression hit and sales of new cars slowed, Ford started making the parts he was making in house. That 1 company was the only business they had and when it went away, the shop closed up and everyone was without a job.

 

[markba633csi]

I'll bet the Amish would like those manual clippers, since they prefer non-motorized machinery
Side note: Bags of charcoal are closed with a chain-stitch like John described above
When I worked in a seed/feed company in Denton, Tx, in the 70s we used a Fishbein electric bag closer for feed sacks, sort of a portable sewing machine
M

 

[Silverbullet]

I have a few pair of these yes they say B & S on them. They work better then electric models at least the cheap models. Never had them stall or not cut . Sharp yes very, lapped to be so.