VOL. IV. MAY 15, 1915 SPE NO. 4 EDITORIAL CHAT SPECIALIZATION PECIALIZATION, the foundation of progress in all branches of the arts and sciences, seems from the records, to be only a few days younger than the human race itself. Old Mother Eve appears to have started the game-her speciality being fruit-tasting. Soon, however, she branched into salesmanship and convinced old Doc Adam, against his better judgment, that he, too, wanted a bite. Probably, however, prehistoric man's division with his mate of the domestic chores, was the first evidence of practical specialization. Not only did he find it less burdensome to confine his energies to hunting the family's daily sustenance and leaving its preparation to his mate, but he learned that concentration of effort made his work more productive. In other words, increased his skill or efficiency. With the development of civilization, the community evolved, and the lines of specialization increased and broadened. Different members of a colony would assume responsibility for the various branches of the colony's activities and welfare, and by concentrating their efforts along the chosen lines, secure results far beyond the reach of the unorganized endeavors of individuals. So keenly is the value of specialization recognized by modern civilization that there is not a branch of activity in the arts and sciences that is not the subject of specialized research and study. Moreover, today we have in the various branches, subdivisions any one of which receives more analytical study than a century ago could have been devoted to the entire group. HENRY DISSTON & SONS have specialized for three-quarters of a century in a single branch of the tool making industry-the manufacture of saws and kindred tools. That there is much to be learned cannot be questioned in view of the tremendous strides which science is taking. That specialization has given them unquestioned supremacy is seen in the universal demand for their product in all parts of the civilized globe. 51 Quality IMPRESSIONS OF THE DISSTON PLANT By an Independent Observer (From the Philadelphia Public Ledger, Monday, Feb. 22, 1915.) Ο (Continued from April) DIFFERENT TYPES OF SAWS NE can only grasp a few details of such a business. I noticed that the teeth on certain handsaws extended in a different direction from the others. This was because the Japanese and Chinese they were for the Oriental trade-pull their saws toward them when they work them. Now the Caucasian works his saw away from him, and the teeth are shaped and sharpened accordingly. The handles of the ordinary saws are made of apple wood. Then there was a large circular saw with each tooth tipped with a black diamond. I counted 150 diamonds on the saw. It was explained that this saw was made to cut marble. A crosscut saw, 16 feet long, was for work among the big trees of California. I saw a chain saw made to cut wires, and supplied to the United States army; a penknife with a tiny two-inch blade for surgeons, and various sorts of folding saws. There was every variety of saw, from the diminutive keyhole saw to the huge circular and bandsaw. In many departments of the plant I found the electric drive in operation. In one shop a score of men were seated before hugh grindstones, grinding blades smooth and true. This they called "riding the stone, 2,500 tons of grindstones being consumed annually. A wall enclosing the entire property, 7 feet high, 12 feet thick and 2,000 feet long, has been made of discarded grindstones, the accumulation of a few years. These worn down grindstones were cut to size and dressed up for use in building the wall. In another shop I saw men making and polishing the little tiny screws that go into the handle of a handsaw. One workman polishes 30,000 of these screws in a day. Testing of materials and finished steel was going on in a special laboratory building, a most important work, I was told. Long white snakes of red-hot steel were wriggling over the iron-plate floors of the steel works-I cannot begin to remember all I saw. "DON'T LAG BEHIND," A GOOD MOTTO "We divide our goods into two general lines, shelf goods and mill goods," said William Disston. "We don't try to undersell foreign saws. At the start our export trade was done through New York commission houses. Then we branched out, finding that to meet the German and English competition there had to be personal representation. Now and again we send a man around the entire world. The trip takes 18 months, and our representative goes with three trunks. In Canada we have a branch manufacturing plant, at Toronto, with S. Y. Dingee, once a Philadelphia boy, in charge.' "How about your trade with the Orient?" I asked. "We have men out there now engaged in educating the people," he said. "As far as possible we meet the customs and ideas of a foreign country. Often we can impose our own ideas exclusively and still get large orders. Take the bandsaw. Our founder brought two over from Paris, France, in the 60s, and in the 70s we were exhibiting and introducing improved bandsaws of our own design and manufacture. 'Don't lag behind' is a good motto for any manufacturer." Mr. Disston said that a general manufacturer's agent as a medium for salesmanship was a poor substitute for a concern that could afford the expense of direct representation. In conclusion, he remarked: "By reason of the European war there is no doubt that wonderful opportunities have opened up for the American manufacturer, notwithstanding the fact that the more progressive of these have already realized the vast business developing in foreign countries. Increases in efficiency and production by the manufacturers of the United States have necessitated new fields. Our manufacturers have naturally, to a considerable extent, had to meet the competition of those nations which are at present at war, and, with the conditions now existing, should take advantage of the opportunities made by the war. "Particularly is this true regarding the South American Republics. These countries require our keenest investigation, but the development will not come quickly; it will be a gradual PART OF A MOWING MACHINE THIS TIME The occurrence of bits of metal, stone, etc. deeply embedded in the logs is, of course, quite common. It is, however, interesting to learn the effect on the saws. |