In 1876 W. L. Covel of Chicago was making saw-sharpening machines. In 1886 Milo Covel of Chicago was manufacturing the Kinney patent saw swage. In 1890, Milo Covel and Lars Larsen Filstrup founded Covel Manufacturing Co. to make saw sharpening machinery. By the late 1890s the company president was Henry P. Schofield, with Filstrup as secretary and treasurer. Filstrup and his family bought out Covel's remaining interest in 1904 and three years later relocated the business to Benton Harbor, Michigan.

In 1916 The Machinery Company of America was established in Grand Rapids to act as distributor for Covel Manufacturing Co., Hanchett Swage Works, and Baldwin, Tuthill & Bolton. In late 1927 The Machinery Company of America changed its name to the Covel-Hanchett Company, and in January 1928 merged with Wilmarth & Morman Co., with the merged concern using the Covel-Hanchett name. In July of 1928 Covel-Hanchett acquired the Badger Tool Co., of Beloit, Wisconsin, makers of disk-grinding machines.

In 1945 it was announced that the Covel-Hanchett Company was purchased by the Hanchett Manufacturing Company of Big Rapids. In 1968, Covel Manufacturing Co. was acquired by Atlas Press Co. of Kalamazoo, which changed its name only a year later to Clausing Corp.

Besides saw sharpening machinery, Covel Manufacturing Co. made power hacksaws that were sold under their Excel Machine Tools subsidiary and through Sears, Roebuck & Co. as Craftsman brand, with model-number prefix 108.

Information Sources

• 1876 pamphlet for "The BOSS saw sharpener. Patented January 11, 1876." The pamphlet referred to W. L. Covel's exhibit at the Centennial Exhibition.
• The 1901 Official Catalogue and Guide Book to the Pan-American Exposition lists "Covel Mfg. Co., Chicago, Ill., U. S. S. Saw machinery. Saw sharpening and saw fitting machinery of every description."
• 1903 Directory of Directors in the City of Chicago lists "COVEL MANUFACTURING CO., 8-10 South Canal Street, Chicago. Officers: President, H. P. Schofield; Secretary and Treasurer, L. L. Filstrup. Directors, Milo Covel, Anna S. Filstrup, L. L. Filstrup, H. P. Schofield, Marguerite S. Schofield."
• The 1906-06-14 American Machinist had the following news item:

  The Covell Manufacturing Company, of Chicago, 111., making saw and tool-sharpening machinery, will move to Benton Harbor, Mich., where it will erect one of the largest foundries In the State.

• The July 1906 Wood Craft had the following news item:

  The L. Covel Mfg. Co., manufacturer of saw sharpening machinery, Chicago, is planning the erection of a plant at Benton Harbor, Mich., to include a foundry 60 by 75 feet, a machine shop 50 by 250 feet, two stories; a power house and store house. As the buildings are completed at the new plant orders will be transferred from Chicago for execution and the old factory will eventually be abandoned.

• Ad in 1909-12-02 issue of Iron Age for saw sharpening machinery from Covel Mfg. Co., Benton Harbor, Mich.
• Article in St. Louis Lumberman on the Covel saw swage and shaping machine, invented by Mr. W. L. Covel and manufactured by Covel Manufacturing Co.
• The September 1916 The Wood-Worker had the following item:

  <>Saw and Knife-fitting Machinery. The Machinery Company of America, Grand Rapids, Mich., which was recently incorporated to act as distributor for Baldwin, Tuthill & Bolton, of Grand Rapids; the Covel Manufacturing Co., Benton Harbor, Mich., and the Hanchett Swage Works, Big Rapids, Mich., has Issued a 240-page catalog covering the complete line of saw and knife-fitting machinery and tools which are manufactured by the respective companies. It is called the American Blue Book No. 25, and Is filled with descriptions of the tools and directions for using them, along with valuable suggestions. It is illustrated on almost every page with clear cuts, and Its contents embrace every requirement of the man who is engaged In saw or knife-fitting.

• The 1919-01-16 American Machinist had the following entry in their "Trade Catalogs" column:

  Saw and Knife Fitting Machinery and Tools. Machinery Company of America, general office. Big Rapids. Mich. Catalog No. 30. Pp. 224; 61 x 9J. Covering the output of three factories for which this company acts as distributor—the Covel Manufacturing Co.. Benton Harbor, Mich.; Baldwin. Tuthill & Bolton. Grand Rapids. Mich., and the Hanchett Swage Works. Grand Rapids, Mich. It describes and illustrates various types of saw and knife fitting machinery made by these factories. It will be forwarded to interested parties free on request.

• A 1928 issue of The Southern Lumberman carried this item:

  ...Announcement has been made that the firm name of the Machinery Company of America, manufacturers of saw and knife fitting machinery with headquarters here, has been changed to the Covel-Hanchett Company. The management and personnel of ...

• 1929-01-03 iron Age (Volume 123, Page 1929-77), in an article on 1928 consolidations and acquisitions.

  January:... Wilmarth & Morman Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., and Covel-Hanchett Co., Big Rapids, Mich., formerly Machinery Co. of America, are merged to manufacture grinding and saw and knife-fitting machinery.

  ...July:... Covel-Hanchett Co., Big Rapids, Mich., maker of grinding and cutting machinery, acquires Badger Tool Co., Beloit, Wis., manufacturer of heavy disk-grinding machines.

• From a 1944 issue of The Southern Lumberman:

  <>The Covel-Hanchett Company acts as a distributor for the saw and knife fitting machines of the Covel Manufacturing Company, Benton Harbor, Mich., and the Hanchett Products Company, Big Rapids, Mich.,...

• A 1945 issue The Timberman carried this item:

  Purchase of the Covel-Hanchett Company by the Hanchett Manufacturing Co., Big Rapids, Michigan, was recently announced. A new division of the Hanchett Manufacturing Co. is to be formed and will be known as the Saw and Knife Fitting Machine Division. The new Hanchett division...

• Popular Mechanics, V89, Feb 1948, pg. 238.
• An ad in the January 1958 Popular Mechanics is for a power hacksaw; the illustrated saw looks like a small Covel, and the address given is a post office box in Benton Harbor. The "company name" is given as "Excel Machine Tools". It was fairly common at the time for companies advertising inexpensive versions of their products to avoid giving the true company name.
• The 1968-11-25 News-Palladium of Benton Harbor.

  Covel Manufacturing Co. of Benton Harbor has been sold to the Atlas Press Co. of Kalamazoo for an undisclosed amount of cash...today by Louis Filstrup, Covel president. The Graham Avenue Plant is one of the twin cities' oldest manufacturing firms, in business here for 61 years. E. H. Marsland, president of Atlas, said it is expected that Covel's will operate as a division of Atlas with no changes in management personnel or business objectives. The Covel company is owned by members of the locally prominent Filstrup family. It employees 125 people and had sales for calendar year 1967 of approximately $3.6 million. Covel's manufactures grinders of several types, surface, cylindrical, and cutter and tool. Atlas Press Co. has its Headquarters and one division in Kalamazoo. It has another division in Warsaw. Ind. Its sales the fiscal year ended June 30, 1968, were approximately $? million. Atlas produces metal-working lathes, drill presses and vertical and horizontal milling machines for industrial and vocational markets. Stockholders in Covel are all members of the Filstrup family. Principal stockholders are Alvin Filstrup, secretary treasurer, Louis Filstrup, president, Edward C. Filstrup vice president, Mrs. Gertrude B. Filstrup, Alvin's mother. The firm was founded in 1874 in Chicago by Milo Covel. It was taken over by the late L. L. Filstrup, grandfather of the...

• Some links to more information on this maker can be found in an owwm.org forum discussion.