Lakeside Forge Company

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Lakeside Forge Company was a merchant forge operator and toolmaker located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The company produced a variety of tools including open-end wrenches, bicycle and auto wrenches, Crescent-style adjustable wrenches, and slip-joint pliers.

Company History

Lakeside Forge began operations in 1909 as the Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company of Erie, but the predecessor company had a somewhat convoluted history.

Fig. 1. 1909 Notice for Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company. [External Link]

Fig. 1 was published on page 919 of the November, 1909 issue of The Blacksmith and Wheelwright.

The third paragraph notes that the Federal Manufacturing Company of Erie had merged with the Springfield Drop Forge Company of Springfield, Massachusetts to form the Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company, with general offices in Erie.

Fig. 2. 1911 Notice for Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company. [External Link]

Fig. 2 shows the entry for Lakeside Forge and Wrench on page 101 of the Charters of Corporations, published in 1911 by the State of Pennsylvania.

The incorporation date for Lakeside Forge and Wrench is listed as October 8, 1909.

Operations in Springfield, Massachusetts

The Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company also had operations in Springfield, Massachusetts as a result of the merger with Springfield Drop Forge in that city.

Fig. 3. 1909 Advertisement for Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company. [External Link]

Fig. 3 shows an advertisement for Lakeside Forge and Wrench, as published on page 648 of the October, 1909 issue of the Automobile Trade Directory.

Note the use of the Lakeside logo on the wrench at the top, with the text "Lakeside" in a central beam, and with "Trade" and "Mark" in hexagonal outlines at each end.

Shortly after the merger with Springfield Drop Forge, the company moved all of their Springfield operations to Erie.

Fig. 4. 1909 Notice for Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company. [External Link]

Fig. 4 shows a notice reporting that Lakeside Forge and Wrench was moving their Springfield operations to Erie, as published on page 656 of the December 2, 1909 issue of the Iron Trade Review.

Financial Difficulties

Within a couple of years Lakeside Forge and Wrench had run into financial difficulties and was placed in receivership, after which it was reorganized into the Lakeside Forge Company.

Fig. 5. 1911 Notice for Lakeside Forge Company. [External Link]

Fig. 5 shows a notice with more detail on the succession of companies, as published on page 465 of the January, 1911 issue of Mill Supplies.

Fig. 6. 1911 Notice for Lakeside Forge Company. [External Link]

Fig. 6 shows a notice for the Lakeside Forge Company, as published on page 852 of the November 9, 1911 issue of the Iron Trade Review.

The text notes that the Lakeside Forge Company had been recently incorporated and was taking over a plant previously operated by the Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company.

From these various published notices we can conclude that the Lakeside Forge Company was incorporated in 1911 as the successor to the similarly named Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company.

Fig. 7. 1915 Advertisement for Lakeside. [External Link]

Fig. 7 shows an ad for Lakeside Forge, as published on page 79 of the June 24, 1915 issue of Iron Age.

The illustration shows one of the logo symbols used by the Lakeside Forge, with the text "Lakeside" in a central beam, and with "Trade" and "Mark" in hexagonal outlines at each end.

This symbol has been observed as a forge mark on an open-end wrench.

Note that this "Lakeside" logo is the same as that previously used by the Lakeside Forge and Wrench Company, providing confirmation that the Lakeside Forge Company can be considered as a reorganization of Lakeside Forge and Wrench.

Fig. 8. 1921 Catalog Listing for Lakeside Forge.

The catalog listing in Fig. 8 was published on page 429 of the October, 1921 edition of the Condensed Catalogues of Mechanical Equipment, published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

The illustrations shows examples of the company's standard tool production on the left, with custom forgings on the right.

The text mentions "LACO" brand 22.5 degree angle adjustable wrenches in the left column, which were available in sizes from 4 to 12 inches.

Tools produced by Lakeside Forge were frequently marked with the L-Keystone logo as a forge mark, a design with the letter "L" inside a keystone outline. (The keystone is a reference to Pennsylvania, which calls itself the "Keystone State".)

Patents

Trademarks

Tool Identification

Note that at least one other company used "Lakeside" as a brand name. Montgomery Ward used "Lakeside" as one of their tool brands, although typically in combination as "Wards Lakeside" or "Ward's Lakeside". These tools should not be confused with production from the Lakeside Forge Company.

L-Keystone Logo

Fig. 8B. L-Keystone Logo.

Fig. 8B shows the L-Keystone logo forged into a tool.

This logo was typically stamped on or forged into tools makde by Lakeside.

References and Resources

Photographs and observations of particular tools are based on items in the Alloy Artifacts Collection.

Catalog Coverage

We do not have any catalogs for the Lakeside Forge Company.

References to catalogs from Lakeside Forge have been found in the trade press, and suggest that catalog "P" was likely published in 1919, and catalog "Q" in 1921.

Industrial Distributors

Lakeside tools were available from some industrial distributors. We'll add references as time permits.

• Cragin & Company 1921. The 1921 catalog No. 2 from Cragin & Company of Seattle lists Lakeside auto and machine wrenches on page 202, in sizes 7, 9, 11, 14, and 18 inches. The company name is not mentioned, but the illustration shows a "Keystone L" logo.

Selected Tools

Lakeside Forge 4 Inch Bicycle Wrench

Fig. 9A. Lakeside Forge 4 Inch Bicycle Wrench, with Insets for Side View and Marking Detail.

Fig. 9A shows a Lakeside Forge 4 inch bicycle wrench, marked with the L-Keystone logo stamped on the upper part of the jaw.

The overall length is 4.2 inches closed and 5.7 inches fully extended, providing a generous 1.5 inch opening. The finish is plain steel.

Lakeside Forge Auto Wrenches

Fig. 9B. 1921 Catalog Listing of Lakeside Auto Wrenches.

The scan in Fig. 9B shows a catalog listing for Lakeside Forge auto wrenches, as published on page 202 of the 1921 catalog No. 2 from Cragin & Company of Seattle.

The listing doesn't mention the company name, but the wrenches can be identified by the L-Keystone logo on the moving jaw.

Lakeside Forge 304 7/8x1 S-Shaped Wrench

Fig. 10. Lakeside Forge 304 7/8x1 S-Shaped Wrench, with Insets for Marking and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 10 shows a Lakeside Forge 304 7/8x1 S-shaped wrench, marked with the "Lakeside" logo forged into the shank, with the "304" model number forged into the back side.

The overall length is 10.4 inches, and the finish is black paint.

The upper left inset shows a close-up of the "Lakeside" logo, with the text visible in the beam.

Lakeside Forge 9/16x3/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 11. Lakeside Forge 9/16x3/4 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Back Side Detail.

Fig. 11 shows a Lakeside 9/16x3/4 open-end wrench, stamped "Lakeside" and "Erie, PA. U.S.A." on the face, and with the L-Keystone logo forged into the back side shank.

The overall length is 6.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

Lakeside Forge No. 37 1-1/16x1-1/4 Open-End Wrench

Fig. 12. Lakeside Forge No. 37 1-1/16x1-1/4 Open-End Wrench, with Inset for Face Detail.

Fig. 12 shows a Lakeside No. 37 1-1/16x1-1/4 open-end wrench, stamped with "Lakeside Forge Co." and "Erie, PA. U.S.A." with the Keystone logo on the face.

The overall length is 11.7 inches, and the finish is plain steel.

LACO 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench

Fig. 13. LACO 6 Inch Adjustable Wrench, with Inset for Side View and Back Side Detail.

Fig. 13 shows a LACO 6 inch adjustable wrench, marked with "Drop Forged" forged into the shank, with "Made in U.S.A." forged into the back side.

The overall length is 6.2 inches, and the finish is plain steel.