The Knives of Billings & Spencer – By Lee Schechter
Among the many companies in Hartford, Connecticut, during the industrial revolution of the later 1800s was Billings & Spencer, an industrial giant in the steel industry. Their headquarters and factory were located at the corner of Russ and Lawrence Streets where the large complex spread over a long city block. Billings & Spencer excelled in the manufacturing of hand tools, parts for sewing machines and firearms as well as further developing drop hammer technology. Billings & Spencer were and still are very well known for the tools they manufactured but they were not a common name among the cutlery industry.
This article originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of Knife Magazine. Premium Online Members can click the blue box below to read the whole thing.