Lakeside Forge Co.

[woody 73]

First let me explain a few things because this story has more twists & turns then a roller coaster; leaving me at least with more questions then answers.

It should be noted before I start that Lakeside is also a name used at one time by Montgomery ward out of Chicago for some of their tools and that will confuse some people, and (2) The logos are many (I have a few pictures from the AA web-site) plus a few from my wrench; NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH JUST THE NAME LAKESIDE from Montgomery Wards.

Now if you are sitting down the Company History starts to get fuzzy and I will try my best so here it goes. As far as as I can tell finding information was hard going (I am sure it is out there to be found) but this is what I can tell so far; The company was started in 1902 by Frank Bacon who started the Erie Tool Works and that company had other divisions.

The company must have started perhaps with a division called the Lakeside Forge Company ? but in 1925 Lakeview took over the Lakeside Drop Forge Co.

Today it is the Lakeview Forge Co. a Division of Erie Tool Works, as far as I can tell from my readings on the net. if I learn anything different I will post it up.

Lots of Links and a few pictures so I hope you enjoy the show as they say:

http://alloy-artifacts.org/Photos/tools/lakeside_oe1824_wrench_raised_logo_f_cropped_inset.jpg

http://alloy-artifacts.org/Photos/tools/lakeside_oe2832_304_wrench_s_f_cropped_inset2.jpg

http://alloy-artifacts.org/Photos/tools/lakeside_forge_adj_4in_wrench_bicycle_f_cropped_inset2.jpg

http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=14199.0

http://www.wrenchingnews.com/wrench-logos/logos-page-1.html

http://lakeviewforge.com/about-us/article.html

http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=539.15

https://books.google.com/books?id=g...e iron age lakeside forge information&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=q...=lakeside forge from the the iron age&f=false

 

[woody 73]

Not wanting to confuse anyone the following tool (pipe Wrench) is a Wards Lakeside Quality Pipe wrench Drop forged steel 14inch #6251 it is not made by the Lakeside Forge company.

I hope this helps you out.

 

[twertsy]

Woody, maybe I can help a little.

Lakeside Forge & Wrench Co. incorporated in October of 1909

In 1911, Lakeside Forge Co. took over the Lakeside Forge and Wrench Co.

This notice show that Lakeside Forge was "created to take over the business and plant of the Lakeside Forge & Wrench Co.


Nice one page write-up on Lakeside wrenches from 1921

Company officers in 1920

Snippet announcing the organizing of Lakeview Forge to succeed Lakeside Forge // Here is the second half of the snippet, noting they will stop making wrenches and focus on commercial drop forgings.

 

[woody 73]

twertsy thank you very much. Interesting that the incorporated date was 1909,also interesting to not see that Mr. Frank Bacon as president but rather a Mr. F.B. Mcbrier as president of the company. I still am fuzzy on several issues but thank you again for all the new information.

 

[twertsy]

twertsy thank you very much. Interesting that the incorporated date was 1909,also interesting to not see that Mr. Frank Bacon as president but rather a Mr. F.B. Mcbrier as president of the company. I still am fuzzy on several issues but thank you again for all the new information.

If you check my site ..... the page you commented on for Lakeside, I've now done a write-up.

 

[woody 73]

twertsy very interesting from your information it now has an exact date of incorporation set on Oct. the 8th 1909 and a Mr. Eugene Childs set as the president & General Manager, somehow I must have missed that name.

 

[woody 73]

Your write-up for the GJ members to look over good job.

http://www.toolarchives.com/node/291

 

[tym]

And to complicate things further AA mentions that their adjustable wrenches were marked LACO. I just picked one up for $1 at a swap meet. It was pretty rusty, but an overnight vinegar bath and some elbow grease brought it back to life.

 

[misterbill]

I pulled a very rusty DOE out of a bin yesterday thinking it was an early Williams model because of the oval logo. I was kind of surprised to see the Lakeside markings when it got clean enough to read. It's a #34 marked 1/2" x 5/8" (USS - 7/8" x 1-1/16" milled opening).







Bill

 

[ararat]

Here's my collection of Lakeside Forge wrenches. All have the raised barbell shaped logo. 23, 25, 27, 29, 301, 302.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's my collection of Lakeside Forge wrenches. All have the raised barbell shaped logo. 23, 25, 27, 29, 301, 302.

Very nice collection! I have to admit I have never seen that logo before.

Here is my "S" wrench collection - all three (3) of them, posted previously only on the DOE thread. They all sport the Keystone-L forge mark, with one of them being applied backwards. Only one of them bears a Lakeside logo, and that's not the barbell shape, or the one on @misterbill 's #34. They are #'s 300, 303, and 304.

 

[ararat]

Very nice collection! I have to admit I have never seen that logo before.

Here is my "S" wrench collection - all three (3) of them, posted previously only on the DOE thread. They all sport the Keystone-L forge mark, with one of them being applied backwards. Only one of them bears a Lakeside logo, and that's not the barbell shape, or the one on @misterbill 's #34. They are #'s 300, 303, and 304.

Very nice set. The 29 has the barbell and also has the same logo as your 304, it looks like it but is almost completely worn away. I got a couple of them in a big box of rusty old wrenches. I had to look under the magnifying glass to read the logo.

I got a couple of them off of the auction site that had the same logo.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very nice set

Thanks. I know this is really fussy, but I wish the 303 was just a little brighter. I raised that one from the dead, a box of wrenches all blighted with so much box rot it made me think about my last tetanus shot, and that's the best I can do without a wire wheel, which I refuse to use. It hits my OCD funny bone when finishes don't match.

...almost completely worn away...I had to look under the magnifying glass to read the logo.

I suspected as much about my blanks, which is odd for major jaw faces. Lakeside Forge wrenches were not laying about in lined top boxes. It's a RR and an industrial plant brand. They all had hard lives.

 

[ararat]

It hits my OCD funny bone when finishes don't match.

Lol. I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem. I was just thinking about how the 25 finish doesn't really match the others.

 

[ararat]

A Lakeside monkey wrench with the barbell logo. I really needed a monkey wrench haha

 

[MisterEd]

Lakeside Forge DOE Wrench 13/16 x 19/32 approximately . . .