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Tool Dressers

Tool Dressers worked hard over hot fire to heat up bit. The temperature had to be hot enough to shape the bit but not hot enough to burn the steel. “Sharpening” a bit meant two men hitting it with 14lb or 16 lb sledgehammers and shaping the tip. This needed to be precision work. Each hit had to be in the same spot. If the end was heat the bit would have to be reshaped. Each bit had to be properly tempered-too soft and the end could flatten, too hard and it could chip. Different types of rock would wear the edge of the bit but the tool dresser had to maintain a sharp bit of the proper size.

A very strenuous job but a necessary one to keep bits in good condition for continued drilling.

Diagram of cable drilling tools.

Jack Culver oversees as Bob Elfner and Jerry McKenzie sharpen a drill bit.

The following is a list in recognition of the dedicated tool dressers in the Haldimand area: 

Jeff Chambers
Loyd Crumb
David Marshall
Jack Culver
Frank Martin (Dunnville)
Ivan Smelser (Jarvis)
W. Garringer
P. Jackson
Knight
Neale
Besley
Root
Addie Riddell
Liz Harrington
Smith
Eadie
Bill Benner
Schaeffer
J.C. Moore - 1912
W.M. Geisonaof - 1912
M.R. Nickletree - 1912
M. Henry
M.R. Thompson
Elgin Stewart (Cheapside)
C.W. Featherston (Dunville)
Dempster
Jamie Cart
Shank
Harry Emerson
Daniel McCinley
E. Roon
D. Laurier
Harmon Heddon
Joe English
Clarence Carter
Tom Drope (Petrolia)
Norm Tarr