Saturday, May 11, 2019

The Wappat Electric Handsaw by Simonds

Advertisement in "The Carpenter" Feb. 1930
In 1928 Simonds purchased an innovative power tool manufacturer from Fred W. Wappat of Pittsburgh, PA. Wappat's original business was Wappat Gear Works, and he added circular saws and other power tools of his own designs. The saws were worm-drive and included patented features such as a telescoping guard. While expensive, they were a favorite for heavy construction and cutting concrete paving and pipe.

Simonds' entry into power tools followed the discontinuation of hand saw manufacturing in 1926. A 1930 advertisement described "a high grade line of electric drills, electric handsaws, electric bench grinders, electric mortisers and electric planes..." Simonds operated this subsidiary as Wappat Inc. until 1941, when Mr. Wappat bought the business back. He ran it as Fred W. Wappat Inc. of Mayville, NY, and sold the business in 1950 to Cummins-Chicago Corp. That firm continued to make Wappat-designed tools until they sold their tool line in 1954 to John Oster Manufacturing Co.
Harrisburg "Evening News" 3 Nov 1930

Fred W. Wappat's U.S. patents
Web page of the New York Wappat family
"Pacific Construction" 15 Mar. 1939

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2 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 24, 2021 at 5:58 PM

    any information on a Wappat Alta size 3 electric hand saw? probably made prior to 1928. where would i find value?

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  2. UnknownAugust 25, 2021 at 6:02 PM

    My grandfather was a home builder in Oil City, PA (where I was born). He had a Wappat hand saw that was handed down to me. The saw was made in Mayville, NY at the north end of Chautauqua Lake where my family had a summer cottage. The Wappat factory in Mayville is still standing and the chimney on the building says "Wappat". I donated the saw to the Chautauqua Township Historical Society which is in a former train station less that 1/2 mile from the Wappat factory.

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