Uploaded November 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago

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This video chronicles the history of Utica Drop Forge & Tool Company,
which once was one of the largest manufacturers of pliers in the world.

Check out the full Tool Lore playlist here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-fhNrtmTAv286gDzTcav8FyxCagDTouy

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Moar History:
alloy-artifacts.org/utica-tool.html

Old Utica Catalogs:
archive.org/search?query=utica+tools

Patents:
patents.google.com/patent/US209677A
patents.google.com/?assignee=Utica+Drop+Forge+and+Tool+Corp

Interchangeable End Nipper Announcement 1878:
google.com/books/edition/Scientific_American/9Z80AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA388

Interchangeable moves to Utica 1893:
google.com/books/edition/Railway_and_Engineering_Review/imIyAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA518

Whites buy Interchangeable:
google.com/books/edition/American_Machinist/Rr8cAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA20-PA24&printsec=frontcover

Smith & Hemenway 1898:
google.com/books/edition/The_Iron_Age/u0YZAs39upwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA7-PA39

Russell v Utica Lawsuit:
google.com/books/edition/Supreme_Court_Appellate_Division_Fourth/K1rmKU8LjFEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=utica+tool+%26+forge&pg=RA7-PP11

1908 Factory Announcement:
google.com/books/edition/Southern_Machinery/UQdQAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA1-PA210

1921 $225,000 bonds:
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25205%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201921%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201921%2520-%25200884.pdf

Plant closed July of 1921:
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252017%2FMorrisville%2520NY%2520Madson%2520County%2520Leader%2520and%2520Observer%2FMorrisville%2520NY%2520Madson%2520County%2520Leader%2520and%2520Observer%25201920-1921%2FMorrisville%2520NY%2520Madson%2520County%2520Leader%2520and%2520Observer%25201920-1921%2520-%25200663.pdf

1922 Former VP Arrested:
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25205%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201921%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201921%2520-%25201066.pdf
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25202%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Daily%2520Observer%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201922%2520a%2520pdf%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201922%2520a%2520-%25202085.pdf
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25205%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201922%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201922%2520-%25201413.pdf
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25205%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201922%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Morning%2520Telegram%25201922%2520-%25201371.pdf
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25202%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Daily%2520Observer%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201923%2520a.pdf%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201923%2520a%2520-%25205510.pdf

1926 Fake Utica Tools:
google.com/books/edition/The_American_Exporter/yxKXp8_Lh7IC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA4-PA68

Smith & Hemenway execs join 1926:
google.com/books/edition/Hardware_Journal/w0cr_X0Oo1MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA3-PA33&printsec=frontcover

1928 Arrow Wrench company
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25202%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Daily%2520Observer%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201928%2520pdf%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201928%2520-%25204430.pdf

Vacuum Melting Furnace:
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%25202%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Daily%2520Observer%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201954.pdf%2FUtica%2520NY%2520Observer%25201954%2520-%25209574.pdf

Union Issues:
google.com/books/edition/Decisions_and_Orders_of_the_National_Lab/HZ3LYbwe9bsC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=utica

2013 TECT Aerospace Website:
web.archive.org/web/20130328032226/http://www.tectcorp.com/evolution/past/history

TECT Purchased by Whitcraft 2020:
greenbriarequity.com/whitcraft-continues-growth-with-acquisition-of-tect-power

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:20 Interchangeable Tool Co
00:45 Utica Drop Forge
01:19 Patent Infringement?
02:25 A New Factory
02:58 Embezzlement?
03:54 A New Owner
04:15 Fake Uticas?
04:37 Expansion
05:42 Union Issues
06:48 Triangle Corp
07:26 What's Left of Utica Today?
08:17 Outro