In 1930 Baltasar Schubert and Kurt Nebel applied for a patent on a throatless shear of novel design. Small and lightweight, this shear was especially good at cutting irregular shapes in mild or stainless steel. In 1931 Nebel began manufacturing and selling his shear, doing business variously as Beverly Manufacturing Co., Beverly Shear Co. and Beverly Throatless Shear Co. During the leadup to the USA's entry into World War II, the National Youth Administration began manufacturing the Beverly Shear as well. We know that these shears were originally painted gray but we do not know who they were labeled.

Kurt Nebel died in 1971 and the business was taken over by son Joseph Nebel. Kurt and Joseph each obtained numerous patents related to their multi-purpose shears but their mainstay product remains virtually unchanged since 1947. The business was subsequently under the ownership of the third generation The company web site went down in 2019. As of 2020, parts are available from TM Technologies; Mittler Bros. is now manufacturing new Beverly shears.

Information Sources

• 1936 issues of Heating & Air Conditioning Contractor mentions Beverly Shear Co. and carries ads from "Beverly Throatless Shear Co. / 3009 W. 110th Place, Chicago, Ill."
• A 1936 issue of Welding Engineer (volume 21, page 49):

  Throatless Shears for Steel and Stainless Steel

  "Beverly" throatless hand-lever shears, for both straight and irregular cutting, are being offered by Tanner and company, Indianapolis, Ind., to the welder and sheet-metal worker.

  These shears are made in two sizes—No. 314, for shearing 14-gauge mild steel or 16-gauge stainless steel; No. 310, having capacity for shearing 10-gauge mild steel or 14-gauge stainless steel.

  The frame of both of these shears is made of high-grade chrome-nickel steel for maximum strength combined with light weight. The No. 314 Shear weighs only 16½ lb and the No. 310 Shear 33 lb. Either makes a most useful tool that can be readily carried from one job to another and clamped on a bench for instant service.

  Starting the cut from the edge of the sheet, this throatless frame permits shearing of any length. The special design of the frame make it practicable to turn the metal while cutting, allowing any shape to be cut on the lighter materials without distortion.

  The blades are detachable and adjustable; the cutting edges are straight with the top and bottom surfaces curved for greater shear and clearance when cutting intricate shapes. For cutting stainless steel special steel blades can be furnished at an extra charge.

  The smooth cutting edges of the blade product a clean-cut sheared edge free from knurl or other marks, eliminating the necessity of filing or touching up—so objectionable in many lines of manufacture.

• 1937-10-19 The Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office (volume 483, no. 3, page 501) lists trademark registration #351,224, granted to "Kurt W. Nebel, doing business as Beverly Throatless Shear Company, Chicago, Ill. Filed July 26, 1935. Serial No. 367,729. / BEVERLY / For Metal Cutting Shears. Claim use since Oct. 15, 1932.
• 1939 issues of Sheet Metal Worker carry ads for the Beverly throatless shear from Beverly Shear Co., 3009 W. 110th Place, Dept. 1., Chicago, Ill.
• May 1941 Activities Bulletin of the National Youth Administration of Wisconsin, page 4, in an article on production increases of sheet-metal machinery being made in NYA shops in Wisconsin: "Machines now being manufactured are: 6' NYA bending brake, No. 576-1 burring machine, wire bender, squaring shear and beverly shear. Assembling of the machines will be done at Kaukauna, Eau Claire, Antigo and Superior. They will be painted battleship gray."
• Contributor Bill Richardson alerted us to this maker.
• The history is taken from the Beverly Shear website.
• Thanks to contributor Mitchell Utsey, who relayed information from both a former Beverly Shear employee and from Mittler Bros.