Elwood Haynes of Kokomo, Indiana discovered a cobalt-chromium alloy, which he called Stellite. This name was derived from the latin word Stella (star), because the metal has a star-like luster. Haynes began experiments with different metals, and developed stellite in 1898 and 1899. He was granted two patents in 1907, one for an alloy of cobalt and chromium, and the second for a mixture of nickel and chromium.
In 1910, Haynes began producing the colbalt/chromium stellite, and offered pocket knives on a mail order only basis. The metal for these knives was produced in Haynes’ labratory, which consisted of a barn behind his house. Two firms, one in Ohio and the other in Massachusetts, made these knives. Stellite proved to be very difficult for the cutlers to work with.
Haynes erected a factory in 1912 in Kokomo and began producing stellite in volume. This plant was called the “Haynes Stellite Works.” By 1913, Haynes had improved his alloy by adding tungsten or molybelium (or both) which increased the alloy’s hardness. He obtained further patents for the improved stellite in 1913.
Haynes also received patents in 1915 for stainless steel. In the suit Haynes vs. Brearley, Haynes proved that he had worked on stainless steel three years before Brearley. The decision was that Haynes got the generic patent for stainless steel, and Brearley for a specific type.
In 1919, Haynes brought in five cutlers to make knives in his Kokomo plant. In 1920, the patent was sold to the Union Carbide Company. Production of the Haynes-marked pocket knives continued until 1922. In 1963, Haynes Stellite was used for an underwater knife, made for the United States Navy. In the 1980s’, several knives were assembled from old parts found in the Kokomo plant.
c 1910-1922