Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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Was the so-called "V-Series" ever intended to be a thing?
Moore Drop forge was the company that made the "V" marked Craftsman Tools.
But is there more to the story?

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

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Moar History:
alloy-artifacts.org/moore-drop-forging.html
alloy-artifacts.org/craftsman-maker-v.html
progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2017/03/vanished-tool-makers-moore-drop-forging.html
garagejournal.com/forum/threads/craftsman-hand-tool-manufacturers-date-ranges.84807

1917 Stillson Wrench Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=hOFQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA160&dq=moore+drop+forge&hl=en

1919 Page Storms Buyout:
google.com/books/edition/Iron_Trade_Review/kpg5AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=moore+drop+forge&pg=PA857

1919 Page Storms Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=3CzX0ZJ-2NwC&pg=RA1-PA33&dq=page-storms+drop+forging&hl=en

1920 Moody's Investments Article:
google.com/books/edition/Moody_s_Manual_of_Investments/rS9QAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=moore+drop+forge&pg=PA246

1920 Walworth Trademark Ad:
google.com/books/edition/Mill_supplies/nec_AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=stillson+wrench&pg=RA7-PA29

Stillson Pipe Wrench Lawsuit:
casetext.com/case/walworth-co-v-moore-drop-forging-co
google.com/books/edition/Scientific_American/q9vkV7flD68C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=stillson+wrench&pg=PA477&printsec=frontcover

1947 Factory Photos:
google.com/books/edition/Springfield/KMcYml_fY2AC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=moore+drop+forge&pg=PA53

1978 CP Attempted Takeover:
google.com/books/edition/Standard_Poor_s_Stock_Market_Encyclopedi/38JPAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=easco&dq=easco&printsec=frontcover

1979 Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=cc8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA25&dq=easco&hl=en

1985 Hostile Takeover:
google.com/books/edition/Hostile_Corporate_Takeovers/9bUYpITTFdcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=easco&pg=PA31
google.com/books/edition/Macroeconomics/cliyNiDB2acC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=easco&pg=PA61

Junk Bonds Lawsuit:
google.com/books/edition/Annual_Review_of_Developments_in_Busines/36JUVrZIQZkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=easco&pg=PA533

2005 Springfield Plant Closure:
web.archive.org/web/20050220051756/http://www.pvaflcio.org/node/580

2013 Gastonia Plant Closure:
gastongazette.com/story/news/2013/01/10/gaston-plant-closing-220-to/34363574007

Chapters:
00:00 GTA Parody 1
01:02 Moore Drop Forge
01:42 Stillson Lawsuit
03:05 Contract Manufacturing
03:47 The "V" Series
05:28 GTA Parody 2
06:06 Mergers & Acquisitions
07:41 Danaher Hostile Takeover
09:09 Plant Closures
10:47 GTA Parody 3
11:14 Outro