Lamson & Goodnow - A brief history of the oldest cutlery maker in the U.S.

Silas Lamson was an inventor and understood ergonomics way back in 1834. That’s when he developed a curved snath, which improved the function of the scythe. The snath is simply the wooden shaft to which the blade is fixed. The success of the curved snath enabled Silas to become even more successful in a few years. With his two sons, Ebenezer and Nathaniel, and another partner, Abel Goodnow, in 1837, he founded the manufacturing company of Lamson and Goodnow in Shelburne Falls, Mass.

They began the manufacture of knives and tableware that have given Lamson & Goodnow the reputation for high quality stainless steel kitchen utensils they maintain today. Knives and tableware are still the central focus of their production firm. By the 1860s the Connecticut River Valley had become the epicenter of the country’s cutlery manufacturing. They manufactured many things out of necessity of the times, such as weapons, sewing machines and farm equipment, but their main focus was and is always cutlery, and kitchenware.

As far as weapons go, Lamson & Goodnow joined up temporarily with B.B. Yale and made a Colt model 1861, .54 caliber rifle musket, just in time for the Civil War. What a coincidence! They manufactured over 50,000 total arms through 1864 for the Federal government. They had over 500 employees at that time, but the Lamson & Goodnow & Yale partnership dissolved after the war. During that time, the company was still the largest cutlery maker in the United States.

Lamson & Goodnow is the oldest cutlery maker in the United States. They are also one of the most respected manufacturers in the United States. They are an environmentally conscious company that owns and operates its own hydroelectric plant on the Deerfield River.

LamsonSharp knives and cutlery pieces are all made in the U.S. out of forged, one-piece, full tang blades. Each handle is perfectly balanced and weighted and triple riveted for strength. Every blade is taper ground and hand-edged, honed and polished. A lifetime warranty comes with each and every Lamson & Goodnow knife.