I got this ratchet type screwdriver from a friend last year. Algot T. Johnson, Jamestown, N.Y. Pat. Oct. 21, 1924. I made the 8" blade and display stand. Last week I found the Tomahawk piece with some scraps with my Atlas lathe. It's 3/8 hex. Looking for any info on the Tomahawk brand.
Tomahawk brand?
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RTM
Well-known member
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
That probably started life as a Walden-Worcester (Stevens Walden) 3/8-inch hex drive L-handle. Bridgeport used the name for a crate tool, and there may be a few other uses out there. But that is very likely Walden. It came with a number of sockets in a little holder.
In the future, if you ever want to do some 'sploring on your own, in the Sticky titled READ B4 POSTING! at the top of the forum there is a link to an A-Z Mfgrs List thread that @four.cycle maintains here on GJ for everyone's benefit. It's a terrific resource that includes the names and brands of US and worldwide mfgrs. You can search the thread for names when you find them on a tool or just scroll down.
Here are the entries in this case, just for example.
That is a nice looking tool. Well worth making a display for it.
RTM
Well-known member
This might be the inventor’s son’s obituary. Note the town of Tomahawk.
nope, how many Algot Johnson’s exist, wrong middle initial
nope, how many Algot Johnson’s exist, wrong middle initial
RTM
Well-known member
Here is another, claims Type 1, from a knowledgeable seller.
www.worthpoint.com
Interesting FB post from a guy who has a lot of back story, inventors selling out to investors, etc. will drop him a note, point him here.
SCREWDRIVER, JOHNSONS PATENT, UNIQUE, TYPE 1 | #22485963
SCREWDRIVER, JOHNSON'S PATENT, UNIQUE, TYPE 1 THIS AUCTION IS ONLY FOR THE TYPE 1 SCREWDRIVER of the three listed below. I will try to make that clear throughout this description. Hopefully no one wil
www.worthpoint.com
Interesting FB post from a guy who has a lot of back story, inventors selling out to investors, etc. will drop him a note, point him here.
Thanks for the info.
four.cycle
Well-known member
Oldtuleguy
Well-known member
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Has algot James stamped on it
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ That is the name of the inventor and patent holder. He may or may not have been the maker of the device.
THAT is the $64,000.00 question when the information is sent to datamp.org.
Otherwise we get datamp.org pages (and entries in my list) that say "Manufacturer Unknown".
THAT is the $64,000.00 question when the information is sent to datamp.org.
Otherwise we get datamp.org pages (and entries in my list) that say "Manufacturer Unknown".
RTM
Well-known member
Algot T Johnson was the inventor.
RTM
Well-known member
Here is some information compiled by a FB guy I don't know, but have his permission to share the data. So a big thanks to Jared Paxton of Jamestown, who likes tools from Jamestown. Here is his work
The newest addition to my Jamestown made collection is this ratcheting screwdriver made by Algot T. Johnson (1880-1971) of York Street, in Jamestown, New York. This specific design was patented on October 21st, 1924. Johnson was born in Vastergotland, Sweden. He was a machinist who knew steel. He made the screwdrivers at home and sold them personally.
The screwdriver reads:
"Algot T. Johnson
Jamestown N.Y.
Pat Oct 21, 1924"
How this relates to the well-known 4-IN-ONE screwdriver formerly of Jamestown, New York:
Many of you remember 4-IN-ONE Screwdrivers, Inc. Jamestown, New York. They closed in 1996 when owners sold the name to Lutz Tool Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, which moved production out of town and now has the screwdrivers made in Taiwan. Today, you'll find Lutz 6-in-ONE screwdrivers on the shelves at stores with a similar design as the original Jamestown 4-IN-ONE.
The basic patent for the 4-IN-ONE screwdriver as we know it was filed by Algot T. Johnson (as mentioned above) in 1961.
"Robert Pearson (died 1974) and his nephew, Frank Simpson (1917-1985), were interested in starting a business. They saw an opportunity so they bought the patent from Johnson, thought up the 4-IN-ONE name, rented part of the old Broadhead Mill on First Street, and started buying machinery and experimenting with ways of producing the screwdrivers on an industrial scale. Later, they moved their plant to 33 Institute Street. At the peak, they were producing 500,000 screwdrivers a year." Quoted from The Post-Journal.
"The screwdrivers consisted of a molded thermoplastic handle with a removable shank or tube that snapped into position partly inside the handle but partly protruding out in the work zone. Each end of the shank held a double-ended bit. One bit had standard ends (1/4 in. and 3/16 in.) while the other end had Phillips ends (#1 size and #2). The bits were held in place in the shank by a ball snap mechanism, and the shank was held in a sleeve molded into the handle by a similar ball snap mechanism. The result was equivalent to a set of four screwdrivers in a light 7-inch package." Quoted from The Post-Journal.
The handles were made at Barton Tool in Falconer, New York. The bits were made from 8650 tool steel and were delivered from Buffalo, New York to Farrant Screw Machine in Java Village, New York, for initial steps in the manufacturing. The parts then came to the 4-IN-ONE plant in Jamestown, New York for grinding, milling, and assembly with 37 different operations in all, many of them concerned with the quality control and uniformity for which the brand was famous.
4-IN-ONE screwdrivers were not the first or only screwdrivers to feature multiple interchangeable bits, However, they were likely the most successful and well-known example as well as the most rugged, practical and consistently high quality.
Information sourced from the The Post-Journal, which used information provided to them by Ronald Simpson.
More pix can be seen here
kirkhmb.smugmug.com
Thanks again to Jared for doing the work, and allowing me to share it.
The newest addition to my Jamestown made collection is this ratcheting screwdriver made by Algot T. Johnson (1880-1971) of York Street, in Jamestown, New York. This specific design was patented on October 21st, 1924. Johnson was born in Vastergotland, Sweden. He was a machinist who knew steel. He made the screwdrivers at home and sold them personally.
The screwdriver reads:
"Algot T. Johnson
Jamestown N.Y.
Pat Oct 21, 1924"
How this relates to the well-known 4-IN-ONE screwdriver formerly of Jamestown, New York:
Many of you remember 4-IN-ONE Screwdrivers, Inc. Jamestown, New York. They closed in 1996 when owners sold the name to Lutz Tool Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, which moved production out of town and now has the screwdrivers made in Taiwan. Today, you'll find Lutz 6-in-ONE screwdrivers on the shelves at stores with a similar design as the original Jamestown 4-IN-ONE.
The basic patent for the 4-IN-ONE screwdriver as we know it was filed by Algot T. Johnson (as mentioned above) in 1961.
"Robert Pearson (died 1974) and his nephew, Frank Simpson (1917-1985), were interested in starting a business. They saw an opportunity so they bought the patent from Johnson, thought up the 4-IN-ONE name, rented part of the old Broadhead Mill on First Street, and started buying machinery and experimenting with ways of producing the screwdrivers on an industrial scale. Later, they moved their plant to 33 Institute Street. At the peak, they were producing 500,000 screwdrivers a year." Quoted from The Post-Journal.
"The screwdrivers consisted of a molded thermoplastic handle with a removable shank or tube that snapped into position partly inside the handle but partly protruding out in the work zone. Each end of the shank held a double-ended bit. One bit had standard ends (1/4 in. and 3/16 in.) while the other end had Phillips ends (#1 size and #2). The bits were held in place in the shank by a ball snap mechanism, and the shank was held in a sleeve molded into the handle by a similar ball snap mechanism. The result was equivalent to a set of four screwdrivers in a light 7-inch package." Quoted from The Post-Journal.
The handles were made at Barton Tool in Falconer, New York. The bits were made from 8650 tool steel and were delivered from Buffalo, New York to Farrant Screw Machine in Java Village, New York, for initial steps in the manufacturing. The parts then came to the 4-IN-ONE plant in Jamestown, New York for grinding, milling, and assembly with 37 different operations in all, many of them concerned with the quality control and uniformity for which the brand was famous.
4-IN-ONE screwdrivers were not the first or only screwdrivers to feature multiple interchangeable bits, However, they were likely the most successful and well-known example as well as the most rugged, practical and consistently high quality.
Information sourced from the The Post-Journal, which used information provided to them by Ronald Simpson.
More pix can be seen here
Algot T Johnson - KirkHMB
Welcome to My SmugMug site. I'll always be adding to it, as people around me continue to participate in things of interest. I live in the SF Bay area, and spend lots of time photographing the sports my kids are participating in. These images are my attempts to document what they're doing...
kirkhmb.smugmug.com
Thanks again to Jared for doing the work, and allowing me to share it.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Thanks for relaying that, @RTM.
I admire Jared's local yokel collecting niche. If you are going to become a hand tool collector as an adult and your inclination is going to be to collect homegrown area tools, you can't pick too many better places to be born and raised than Jamestown NY! And it's not just Crescent and J.P. Danielson. Handle Lock (the socket set holder company that New Britain bought out) was there, as was Palmeter Tool Co, and several other early small-timers, as well as Duplex (the toolboxes), Union (also toolboxes), and Union Cutlery (Ka-Bar) were nearby. And his research is terrific.
But I will do the implicit math on the part the narrative glosses over.
"How this relates to the well-known 4-IN-ONE screwdriver formerly of Jamestown, New York" is that Algor T. Johnson was relentless! Think about this guy's life. He was born in Sweden in 1881. I don't know when he emigrated, but in 1924, when he was granted the patent (1512176) for a ratcheting screwdriver with a folding crossbar, he was 43 years old. On Dec. 17, 1963, when he was granted the "patent for the 4-IN-ONE screwdriver as we know it" (3114401) he was... wait for it... 82 years old! But it's even better than that. According to the Post-Journal article Jared based most of his FB post on, he was making them for local sales in his garage! Apparently, he just couldn't stop thinking about (and probably tinkering with) screwdrivers.
I admire Jared's local yokel collecting niche. If you are going to become a hand tool collector as an adult and your inclination is going to be to collect homegrown area tools, you can't pick too many better places to be born and raised than Jamestown NY! And it's not just Crescent and J.P. Danielson. Handle Lock (the socket set holder company that New Britain bought out) was there, as was Palmeter Tool Co, and several other early small-timers, as well as Duplex (the toolboxes), Union (also toolboxes), and Union Cutlery (Ka-Bar) were nearby. And his research is terrific.
But I will do the implicit math on the part the narrative glosses over.
"How this relates to the well-known 4-IN-ONE screwdriver formerly of Jamestown, New York" is that Algor T. Johnson was relentless! Think about this guy's life. He was born in Sweden in 1881. I don't know when he emigrated, but in 1924, when he was granted the patent (1512176) for a ratcheting screwdriver with a folding crossbar, he was 43 years old. On Dec. 17, 1963, when he was granted the "patent for the 4-IN-ONE screwdriver as we know it" (3114401) he was... wait for it... 82 years old! But it's even better than that. According to the Post-Journal article Jared based most of his FB post on, he was making them for local sales in his garage! Apparently, he just couldn't stop thinking about (and probably tinkering with) screwdrivers.
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