Henry Cheney Hammer Company

Edge Tools

Henry Cheney began making edge tools in August of 1874, when he purchased an existing axe factory — next door to his hammer factory. Production continued until at least March of 1878 when Henry died. The factory was sold in 1879 to the Herkimer County Sheriff, James H. Ives. He sold it that same year to Ira F. Trask and George W. Trask. Both the Trask Brothers Axe Factory and Henry Cheney Hammer Company are listed next to each other in the 1880 water power survey. In 1892 Ira Trask sold the axe making machinery to the American Axe & Tool Company, a.k.a. the Hard Edge Tool Trust, ending axe production in Little Falls, NY. The former axe factory was destroyed by a fire on June 26, 1901. It was replaced with a power house that still stands today — though it now appears to be a private residence.

So the company probably only made edge tools for about forty-two months between August 1874 and March 1878.

Note that the markings on all of these tools are identical to those found on Cheney hammers from the same period. These are probably the oldest markings.

Or at least that used to be the thinking...

It now appears that these markings come from the 1917-1925 period, when the company was first incorporated as the “Henry Cheney Hammer Corporation” and Titus Sheard Hose was in charge. In 1925 the Mulford family bought the company. While it continued to be known as the “Henry Cheney Hammer Corporation” they introduced new markings — at least for the most part. Elmer Mulford took over management of the company in 1929.

While it is a bit of a revelation that the company produced edge tools after 1879, there is evidence that these markings are later. An example has been found of a No. 777 Adz Hammer with these same markings. This hammer is based on a patent granted November 25, 1924. There are no known catalogs from this period and Titus was known to be opposed to advertising.

It also appears likely that Cheney wrenches were produced during the 1917-1925 period. In 1921 there was a reference to Cheney wrenches in a trademark application and a patent granted November 15th to Titus S. Hose for an adjustable wrench. This wrench does not match either of the known examples of Cheney wrenches. The known examples are marked "CHENEY CORP." and "LITTLE FALLS, N.Y." These are the only other examples of Cheney markings which include the word "Corp."

Thanks to Walt Lane for this fine example:

Thanks to Russ Allen, we now know that there is a trademark application filed October 31, 1922, and published in the April 1924 Official Gazette of the Patent Office, that claims the company made hammers, hatches, axes and sledges.

So with all that in mind, the examples below were almost certainly produced sometime between 1917 and 1925 — about forty years after Henry produced edge tools. There is no evidence that production continued beyond 1925, particularly with these markings, so these are probably about ninety years old.