Hf Osborne And Cs Osborne?

[AODfan]

So I have been trying to do some research via Google, but really can not come with much of what I am looking for. I see that there are tools that have been made for a long time by CS, but have also seen vintage tools around on certain sites for sale that were made by HF. Though they had the same last name are they related? Had the company always been CS Osborne? Guess I am interested in the history of the company.

[Cyberthrasher]

They are related. Actually, Bruce Johnson would be able to tell you for sure since he deals with a lot of vintage tools.

Here's a brief rundown from his site

http://brucejohnsonleather.com/content/index.php/leather_tools_for_sale/leather-tool-maker-history/

[bruce johnson]

And a little more. HF and CS were brothers. HF Osborne was with CS for some period of time, maybe from the time or soon after CS bought the business from Wm Dodd. He left and started his own when some of the sons of CS Osborne were taken into the business in the 1870s. HF was sold out to the CS Osborne company in 1905 or so. Many of their tool patterns were the same throughout the run, but HF had some before CS did. As far as the tools themselves, there is probably not a lot of differences between many of them. Some HF tools are maybe finished a little better. The knife handles on the HFs are generally a little fuller than the CS knives. Some think the wood handles on the HF tools are prettier than the CS, but I have had pretty and "average" in both. There's just fewer of the HF tools around and that makes them a little more collectible. Back in that era though all the makers were competing against each other selling good tools to the men making a living with them. There were a few tools that had some choices on quality level, but by and large it was just one choice.

[AODfan]

They are related. Actually, Bruce Johnson would be able to tell you for sure since he deals with a lot of vintage tools.

Here's a brief rundown from his site

http://brucejohnsonl...-maker-history/

Thanks for the info, his site has some great info!

And a little more. HF and CS were brothers. HF Osborne was with CS for some period of time, maybe from the time or soon after CS bought the business from Wm Dodd. He left and started his own when some of the sons of CS Osborne were taken into the business in the 1870s. HF was sold out to the CS Osborne company in 1905 or so. Many of their tool patterns were the same throughout the run, but HF had some before CS did. As far as the tools themselves, there is probably not a lot of differences between many of them. Some HF tools are maybe finished a little better. The knife handles on the HFs are generally a little fuller than the CS knives. Some think the wood handles on the HF tools are prettier than the CS, but I have had pretty and "average" in both. There's just fewer of the HF tools around and that makes them a little more collectible. Back in that era though all the makers were competing against each other selling good tools to the men making a living with them. There were a few tools that had some choices on quality level, but by and large it was just one choice.

Thanks Bruce for the little history lesson. On another note, I saw that you have draw gauges for sale. How do the new ones compare to the old ones? I believe the new ones have an aluminum handle where the old ones have a steel(is this correct?). With that respect if you were just getting into leatherworking and looking to purchase a draw gauge, which would you get? If I happened to get an old that looked like it has had it days matched would trying to restore it be wise or worth it?

[oldtimer]

I would definetly choose an old steel draw gauge. I have had an aluminum draw gauge and the threads in the metal wore out after a while.

[bruce johnson]

I like the steel ones better also. If you can get one bought right, it has all the shims, a blade, and the screrws turn, good enough. Pretty much whether they are cast steel, brass frame with rosewood inlay, applied wood scale handles, or other variations they all work the same. There are some differences in handle size and shape but that's about it. The early ones didn't have a trigger too.

Here's another factor and I have to share this. I sold some tools to a guy about a year ago. Every couple months he'd email and order a few more by number. He finally called a couple weeks back and we talked. He asked me to pick this time, he said he wanted me to pick the prettiest. His wife took down his pinups because of the grandkids, and he figured he might as well have pretty tools to look at now.