Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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In this video we check out the lesser known tool brand, Rosco.
Billed as the "Largest Screwdriver Manufacturer, in the world"

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

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Further Reading:
progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2012/10/vanished-tool-makes-rosco.html

Rosco Trademark:
tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=71533395&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch

Samuel Replaced with Solomon 1927:
google.com/books/edition/Furniture_World/yr7lNo3Tw0cC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=morris+rosenberg&pg=RA7-PA29&printsec=frontcover

1953 Popular Mechanics Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=P9wDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA340

1953 '45 Holster' Screwdriver Set Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=Ti0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA239

1954 Life Magazine Ad:
books.google.com/books?id=N1MEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA108

Synthetic organic chemicals:
google.com/books/edition/TC_Publication/zehDrPES-KUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rosenberg+bros&pg=PA223&printsec=frontcover

Vinyl plastic garden hose:
google.com/books/edition/Vinyl_Chloride_Plastics_Garden_Hose/2w73ZAOmxHIC?hl=en&pg=PA10&printsec=frontcover

Vinyl plastic weatherstrip:
books.google.com/books?id=K8xIgpzWBTAC&pg=PA13

Lock-Grip 1962:
google.com/books/edition/Hardware_Retailer/ynpMR4StdmoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=rosco+lock-grip&dq=rosco+lock-grip&printsec=frontcover

Dingus Screwdriver 1963:
books.google.com/books?id=C-MDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA165&dq=ROSENBERG+BROS+smithtown
patents.google.com/patent/US3080900A

Rosenberg brothers, consent decree 1963:
google.com/books/edition/Federal_Register/c0wrjIhWCYUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rosco+tools&pg=PA8024&printsec=frontcover

Tool Emporium 1979 "Largest manufacturer of screwdrivers":
books.google.com/books?id=PuFSAAAAMAAJ&q=rosco+tools&dq=rosco+tools&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=1&printsec=frontcover&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwikuu2r4qCIAxUov4kEHZU-MX44FBDoAXoECAUQAg

1979 Payroll Ad 45k / week:
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252024%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2520%25201979%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2520%25201979%2520c%252008840_2.pdf

Mike Rosenberg Obituary 1981:
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252024%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2520%25201981%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2520%25201981%252000364_2.pdf

Joe Rosenberg Retirement 1983 "Largest manufacturer of screwdrivers":
fultonhistory.com/highlighter/highlight-for-xml?altUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252024%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2520%25201983%2FSmithtown%2520NY%2520News%2520%25201983%252003757_2.pdf

1985 sales of 9 million, 230 employees:
books.google.com/books?id=99oUAQAAMAAJ&q=rosco+tools&dq=rosco+tools&hl=en&printsec=frontcover

Anti-Counterfeiting Hearing 1984:
google.com/books/edition/Anticounterfeiting_and_Textile_Labeling/BnGJLufgvl8C?hl=en&pg=PA117&printsec=frontcover

Anti-Counterfeiting Hearing 1987:
google.com/books/edition/Trade_Remedies/iU4OEzCEsCgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rosco+tools&pg=PA6&printsec=frontcover

Chapters:
00:00 Parody Intro
00:37 Actual intro
01:05 Rosenberg Brothers
02:14 The Tools
03:22 FTC Consent Agreement
03:42 Were they really the largest?
04:36 Counterfeit Roscos?
04:58 Rosco Shuts Down
05:36 Parody Outro
06:24 Actual Outro