From 1956 and into the 1960s, H. R. Radomski & Co., Ltd. of Toronto sold Ardex brand vises. It is likely that some, if not all, of these Ardex vises were imports from Europe. The founder was Heljodor R. Radomski.

We know that the Ardex axes sold by Radomski variously came from Germany and Italy and perhaps Sweden and Brazil as well. In 1977 they began manufacturing axes in Canada, which continued until about 1982. Whether they also manufactured vises in Canada we don't know. Radomski had attempted to begin manufacturing axes earlier and purchased the manufacturing tooling from a defunct Swedish manufacturer but the Swedish government intervened to prevent Radomski setting up manufacturing in Canada.

Information Sources

• Canadian trademarks registered to H. R. Radomski & Co., Ltd., 1640166 Princess St., Toronto:
  • "ARDEX", for "Oilers, hammers, wood chisels, tinsmith's snips, vises, wood and metal cutting bits, hatchets and axes", filed 1958-03-21, first use August 1956. Registration inactivated 2007-03-16. Application number 0244854, registration number TMA123093.
  • "ARDEX" and design, ARDEX with AR in a circle, for items as above, filed 1958-03-25, first use at least as early as August 1956. Application number 0244915, registration number TMA124612.
  • "ARDEX PERFETTO", for "Cans with hand pumps incorporated therein", filed 1985-03-19, first use "as early as" 1957. Application number 0550361, registration number TMA316822.
  • "TRUE FRIENDS", for "Grass and garden shears", filed 1958-03-21, first use in Canada "at least as early as" August 1956. Application number 0244853, registration number TMA111761.
• Axe collecting site has a page on Ardex axes.

  H.R. Radomski & Co LTD launched the Ardex brand in 1956 as a range of hand tools imported from various countries into Canada and the US. Over time Ardex axes were imported from Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Brazil, until 1977 when Radomski started manufacturing axes in Canada. The brand ended in 1985.

  By the time Ardex axes started being made in Canada, almost every other Canadian axe maker was out of business or on the brink of closing. So their production into the mid-1980s sets up Radomski and the Ardex brand as the last axe manufactured in Canada...

• The above-linked AxeAndTool.com page on Ardex axes provides a brief biography of Heljodor R. Radomski.
• 1951-12-16 Polish-language Canadian newspaper Zwiazkowiec, page 2, in an article on Polish-language publishing, mentions "Book and Newspaper Agencies, H. R. Radomski, 85 Front Str. East, Toronto".
• 2021 obituary for Maria Schliewinsky who was married to Radomski in 1954; they had a son, Andrew, and divorced sometime before 1973. Heljodor lived in Kitchener and after getting married in '54, moved to Toronto and ran a restaurant before getting into the importing business.
• The blog has an entry on Ardex products that provides photos of several items.
• McMaster University Library has in its collection a folio of material, "F.19 H.R. Radomski & Co. Ltd., Toronto, 1964; Ardex and Iltis distributors".
• The Ontario government website lists corporate dissolutions, including "2003-06-09 H. R. RADOMSKI MANUFACTURERS LTD".