The Davistown Museum
Catalog of Maine Tools
Tools of Historic Interest not in the Museum Collection

The following tools have a special historic interest and are included in our website because they are rare, unusual,

manufactured by unlisted tool makers or are an important part of the history of Maine. When possible we will

provide a photograph of these tools. In many cases, these tools have either been recently sold by the Jonesport

Wood Co., Inc. (Liberty Tool Co., Hulls Cove Tool Barn, Captain Tinkham's Emporium) or are owned by

customers of the Jonesport Wood Co., Inc. The tools of historic interest not in our collection are divided into two

categories, those manufactured in Maine and those manufactured outside of Maine.

Status
Knives

120208T1 Crooked knife photo photo NOM

Wood, unsigned.

Rick Floyd has provided these photographs of a Native American crooked knife he found in a workshop in Dexter, Maine. It is an example of

an important Native American tool.
Shipwright, Sailmaker, and Mariner Tools

70802T1 Ships' bevel NOM

signed "J. Souls".

This bevel was purchased by P. L. Platt at Liberty Tool Co., May 10, 2002. He states "John Soul's working dates: started 1837, 1838 at 95

Norfolk St. NYC, 1840 at 105 Elm St. NYC, 1846 at 212 W. 17th St. NYC. D.A.T. indicates that a J. Souls was also listed in a Philadelphia

'listing' as a rule maker. We do have some documented rules from NYC, but, to my knowledge, nothing from PA or Philadelphia. Certainly a

candidate for some research or a thesis. The dates and addresses above are from an unpublished master's thesis of John Hathaway, now

living in California, son of Pete Hathaway, EAIA president."
Tools Made Outside of Maine

SCOM1001 Hand saw (8 point cross cut) NOM

Spring steel with beech handle and split nut brasses, 19 3/4" long, signed "Seth Wood 1XL Taunton Mass" in oval with "EXTRA" above the

oval, "Spring Steel4 Warranted" below oval, c. 1870.

This tool is not listed in DATM. The collector, Zoltan Farkas of Cherryfield, ME, purchased this saw from the Hulls Cove Tool Barn

(4/25/2000). He obtained the following information from the Old Colony Historical Society of Taunton, MA: The Taunton City Directories

indicate that in 1870 Mr. Wood was a dealer in hardware and cutlery at 21 Broadway with his home on Weir St. at the corner of Sumner. In

1872 his home listing changed to High St. near Bryant. In 1874, Seth is listed as being in business with his son, Howard S. Wood, as Seth

Wood and Son, dealers in hardware and cutlery, 23 Broadway. 1876 is the last year that Seth and Howard Wood are listed, no occupation or

business listing, house on Walnut St. near Harrison Ave. While the signature on the saw indicates Wood was the manufacturer of the saw, it

is possible as no other Seth Wood saws are known and he is not listed in DATM, that he added his name to this saw to advertise his

hardware business.
Woodworking: Axes and Hatchets

102804T1 Broad ax photo NOM

signed "LAKESIDE".

DATM (Nelson 1999) notes: A Lakeside Tool Co. has been reported as a hardware dealer whose planes were made by "Union". Lakeside

was also used by Montgomery Ward as a brand name. It is not known when they started to use it. This is an early 19th century broad ax that

would have pre-dated Montgomery Ward and probably the Union Tool Co. or would have been from their early years. Was there a subsidiary

of the Union Tool Co. that made this? It is not clear whether this broad ax has any connection with the Union Tool Co. of Torrington, CT +/-

1873, which also made chisels, rules and saws. This broad ax would be typical of Maine shipyards in the early years of the 19th century

especially before the advent of the circular saw c. 1830. Much of the cutting of the larger timbers for the ships' frame would have been done

using hand tools such as the broad ax, adz, and pit saw prior to the availability of the circular saw.

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