Foley-Belsaw ending an era

[bitbuster]

At 8pm tonight the gavel falls on the last items of what was known as Foley-Belsaw. All remaining inventory will be sold. Foley-Belsaw either bought out, or they were bought out by another sharpening company. All Foley-Belsaw correspondence courses, locksmithing and engine repair, no longer exist. I do not know what the sharpening business will be renamed.

[Jacob Morgan]

Is only the remaining inventory being auctioned or is the intellectual property on the chopping block as well?

The Foley-Belsaw course was one of several offered by a conglomerate that was mainly concerned with blade sharpening equipment. If I remember correctly, it was Belsaw that had the lock course and Foley bought them to acquire their sharpening assets.

That conglomerate had been scaling back on the correspondence courses for a while. Some, like VCR repair, due to changing technology, others, like setting up a garage blade sharpening company, due to lack of demand. And others, like HVAC, because it was not up to the task? It looks like the parent company decided to focus on sharpening equipment and end all the correspondence courses. Selling the equipment to sharpen the reel mowers used to cut the grass on golf courses seems to be their big thing now.

Possibly a factor was the mail order supply catalogs they had were no longer cash cows with people being able to buy via the internet more and more. Twenty years ago a lot of rural smiths who did not know any better were probably stuck with them. The catalogs from them in that era were huge. And back then they really could sell everything needed for automotive work. Their catalog had a few good deals, but generally everything was over-priced.

[bitbuster]

Inventory only. I heard they had previous auctions but I only found out about this one. Foley has moved to Middleton,WI.
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Fole ... -C207.aspx

[MacGnG1]

aww man! that sucks... guess we all better stock up on extra parts for our FB 200s :-/

dang. thanks for the info!

[Jacob Morgan]

On Foley Belsaw's website there is an announcement that Locksmith Trainers, LLC has apparently bought the course. The company president is someone named Rich Cobain. Only thing I can find on the company is that the LLC was registered this month in Wisconsin, to an address that appears to be a private residence. The website has a place where one can put in their contact information if they are interested in future offerings.

https://foleybelsawbusiness.myshopify.com/pages/locksmith-trainers

[dll932]

aww man! that sucks... guess we all better stock up on extra parts for our FB 200s :-/

dang. thanks for the info!

I have a new in box 200 if anyone's interested.

[billdeserthills]

aww man! that sucks... guess we all better stock up on extra parts for our FB 200s :-/

dang. thanks for the info!

I have a new in box 200 if anyone's interested.

In 30 years it could be worth serious $$$
could be some good time capsule bounty

[bitbuster]

aww man! that sucks... guess we all better stock up on extra parts for our FB 200s :-/

dang. thanks for the info!

I have a new in box 200 if anyone's interested.

This Foley machine sold for $86 and it wasn't complete. It was missing 2 tracing styluses and 2 cutting wheels (cylinder and slot). The key blanks that came with it were mostly house blanks.
https://smithauctions.hibid.com/catalog ... ion/?q=key

[dll932]

aww man! that sucks... guess we all better stock up on extra parts for our FB 200s :-/

dang. thanks for the info!

I have a new in box 200 if anyone's interested.

This Foley machine sold for $86 and it wasn't complete. It was missing 2 tracing styluses and 2 cutting wheels (cylinder and slot). The key blanks that came with it were mostly house blanks.
https://smithauctions.hibid.com/catalog ... ion/?q=key

Mine is complete and unused. It came with an assortment of 80's auto blanks. Needs a new belt-the old one dried out and cracked.

[bitbuster]

Needs a belt ?......go to your nearest oil change place and asked them for oil filter gaskets. They are free. You can also go to implement and/or heavy equipment dealers that also service these machines. The bigger the machines, generally the bigger the filter gaskets, provided the gasket is on the outer most portion of the circumference. I use oil gaskets on my smaller Speed-ex and have used oil gaskets on the Belsaw 200. They stretch to fit and are free.

[jeffmoss26]

I've seen the one dll932 is selling...it's MINT!

[GWiens2001]

Needs a belt ?......go to your nearest oil change place and asked them for oil filter gaskets. They are free. You can also go to implement and/or heavy equipment dealers that also service these machines. The bigger the machines, generally the bigger the filter gaskets, provided the gasket is on the outer most portion of the circumference. I use oil gaskets on my smaller Speed-ex and have used oil gaskets on the Belsaw 200. They stretch to fit and are free.

Great tips!

Gordon

[bitbuster]

On Foley Belsaw's website there is an announcement that Locksmith Trainers, LLC has apparently bought the course. The company president is someone named Rich Cobain. Only thing I can find on the company is that the LLC was registered this month in Wisconsin, to an address that appears to be a private residence. The website has a place where one can put in their contact information if they are interested in future offerings.

https://foleybelsawbusiness.myshopify.com/pages/locksmith-trainers

The name is Rich Cobian and he was an instructor for Foley-Belsaw for 6 years and he does reside in River Falls. Apparently he bought the name Foley-Belsaw Locksmith(ing). I recall 10 years ago I went to the plant to pick up a part I had ordered. I was living in River Falls at the time so it was only about a mile from my house. At that time I asked if there were any job openings available. They assembled all their sharpening equipment and locksmithing equipment in-house. My goal was to eventually be a locksmithing instructor. He (can't recall if it was Rich) chuckled when he said that work at F-B was on the downswing. 4 years ago I sent emails to F-B and asked about jobs, especially in the locksmith division. I sent emails once a week for 5 months and never got a response.The calls went directly to voicemail, which were never returned. I kind of had an inkling then that something didn't smell right. I took the F-B locksmith course in the late '70s when it was still based in KC, MO and it was only known as Belsaw. At that time, I paid less for the complete course, including the Belsaw 200, than what one F-B key machine cost before they ceased operation. I still have all certificates, etc. I did go to school with one of Rich's relatives, but in a nearby town.

[dll932]

Needs a belt ?......go to your nearest oil change place and asked them for oil filter gaskets. They are free. You can also go to implement and/or heavy equipment dealers that also service these machines. The bigger the machines, generally the bigger the filter gaskets, provided the gasket is on the outer most portion of the circumference. I use oil gaskets on my smaller Speed-ex and have used oil gaskets on the Belsaw 200. They stretch to fit and are free.

Vacuum cleaner and sewing machine belts frequently work too.

[dll932]

I've seen the one dll932 is selling...it's MINT!

Thanks, Jeff! Hope to see you at the next meeting.