The Clizbe Bros. were in business in Chicago by 1888, making a sickle grinding machine. In 1893 they were the Clizbe Brothers Manufacturing Co., and were located at 491 Carroll Avenue in Chicago. In late 1896 the business was incorporated by Albert R. Clizbe, Wesley J. Clizbe and Herman S. Clizbe, and they were making mower and sickle grinders. The sickle grinders, especially, appear to have been quite successful. In 1899 the business was reincorporated, increasing capital from $25,000 to $100,000 and adding two new directors for a total of five. The additional capital was used to relocate their factory from Chicago to much larger facilities in Plymouth, Indiana, a move that was announced in October 1899. At some point after the move they added a farmers' vise to their product line.

By 1915 Clizbe Bros. had diversified their business to include non-agricultural products such as grinder arbors and pedestal grinders, all of them designed for line-shaft power. They appear to have missed the transition to motorized direct-drive grinders but the business continued in a low-profile way until at least the mid-1950s. In 1954 the firm introduced the Dura-Tool line of drill press and portable drill attachments.

Clizbe used the brand names Star, Plymouth, Imperial, Crown, Queen, and Royal.

From May 1918 Mill Supplies

Information Sources

• 1888 Annual Report of the Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, lists Clizbe Bros., Chicago, as giving them a sickle grinding machine.
• 1893 Farm Implement News Buyer's Guide, Vol. V, lists "Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, 491 Carroll avenue, Chicago, Ill.", as providers of mower knife and sickle grinders.
• 1896-11-10 The Iron Age.

  Albert R. Clizbe, Wesley J. Clizbe and Herman S. Clizbe are the incorporators of the Clizbe Bros. Mfg. Company of Chicago, 111., with $25,000 capital.

• Advertisement in the 1899 World Almanac and Encyclopedia.
• 1899 Minnesota Farmers' Institute Annual.

  In a fortunate moment, our eye rested upon an advertisement, in one of our agricultural papers, of Clizbe Bros., 491-493 Carroll avenue. Chicago, who have made an oscillating sickle grinder. We have tried this machine with great satisfaction to ourselves. Former sickle grinders, with an inflexible and non-movable emery wheel, have proved to be very unsatisfactory. We have two of them packed away in the upper part of our shop, and they are not worth their storage room. Clizbe Bros, have, in this pattern, struck a principle which, applied to the grinding of our mowers, is certainly a success.

• 1899-09-21 Farm Implement News.

  Large Increase of Capital Stock

  The Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, Chicago, manufacturers of the Star mower knife and sickle grinders, certified last week to an increase in capital stock from $25,000 to $100,000, and to an increase in the number of directors from three to five.

• 1899-10-23 Farm Implements.

  Raymond Wallut, of 217 rue Lafayette, Paris, France, was a visitor at the office of the Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., Oct. 4. Mr. Wallut represents the Clizbe company in France, and handled a large quantity of "Star" sickle grinders during the past season.

  Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., hav bought out the Wilson Iron Works of that city. The latter company manufactured a line of sickle grinders, and the business will be consolidated with that of the Clizbe company.

  Milton C. Daily, formerly assistant general manager of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Chicago, Ill., has accepted a position with the Clizbe Bros. manufacturing Company of that city, for whom he recently made a European trip.

  Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., have patented a new style sickle grinder, which they will offer to the trade in 1900. This machine will be called "The Crown," and the company have adopted as a motto the phrase, "Will grind any tool." This machine was gotten up for the purpose of meeting the demand for another machine as good as the "Star," which the company will continue to make, and it is the purpose to make this tool especially for the trade in the Northwestern territory and in Canada for 1900.

  The Clizbe Bros Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., have increased their capital stock from $25,000 to $100,000 and increased the number of directors from three to five.

  Clizbe Bros. to leave Chicago
  The factory of the Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, manufactures of sickle and tool grinders, etc., is to be removed from Chicago, Ill., to Plymouth, Ind. A plant has been secured in the altter city, consisting of a main building 40x13 feet [should be "40x150"], three stories, and six smaller buildings, which will be utilized for finishing rooms, paint shop, storage warehouses, etc. A new foundry, 70x130, will be added by the company. All the buildings are of brick, and will form a very substantial plant for the company's business. It had been found necessary to either secure larger quarters in Chicago or remove to some other city, and inducements were held out which decided the removal to Plymouth. Much facilities and more room are thus secured, and the business will have an opportunity to grow indefinitely.

• 1899-11-11 Iron and Steel.

  The Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of sickle and tool grinding machinery, who recently increased their capital stock from $25,000 to $100,000, a part of which will be used in the erection and equipment of a new factory to include a foundry for the making of their own castings, have just closed negotiations for the purchase of a plant to be located at Plymouth, Ind. The new plant will be 40x150 feet and four stories high, besides a foundry which will be 70x100 feet, all to be equipped with the most modern machinery and with a cupola of a capacity of five tons a day. They will employ about seventy men to start with and everything will be in readiness for business December 1. Besides the making of sickle and tool grinding machinery they will manufacture light castings.

• 1899-11-16 Farm Implement News.

  Will Remove to Plymouth, Ind.

  The Clizbe Bros. Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of sickle and tool grinding machinery, etc. have decided to remove from Chicago to Plymouth, Ind. The company have been considering the move for some weeks, but did not definitely determine the matter until last week. They have purchased at Plymouth a plant consisting of a main building, three stories high, 40x150, and six other smaller buildings for storing, painting, etc. All of these are of brick, substantially constructed. A new foundry, 70x150, will be erected by the company immediately.

  Behind this change of location is the necessity of greater facilities than the company's location in Chicago afforded. The Plymouth factory solves the problem nicely and will enable them to handle their large and increasing trade with promptness and satisfaction.

• 1899-12-21 Farm Implement News has a full-page ad from Clizbe Bros. Mfg. Co., Plymouth, Ind., showing their Star sickle and tool grinder, New Star reel mower sharpener, and Star automatic stock-watering fountain.
• May 1915 Mill Supplies carries a full-page ad for Clizbe Bros. Mfg. Co.
• January 1921 Automobile Trade Directory lists "Clizbe Bros. Mfg. Co., W. Harrison St., Plymouth, Ind." as makers of plain tool grinders and emery dressers.
• Advertisement in 1953 and '54 issues of Popular Mechanics.
• A correspondent reported in Mar. 2020 that he has a Clizbe Brothers farmers' vise.
• 1906 Farm Implement News Buyers' Guide lists, under Disk Grinders, "Clizbe Bros. Mfg. Co., Plymouth, Ind." Their product line consisted of "Disk sharpeners and grinders, lawn mower sharpeners and knife grinders."
• April 1917 Automobile Trade Directory lists, under Emery Wheel Dressers, "Clizbe Bros. Mfg. Co., Plymouth, Ind. 'Crown'."
• Pedestal stand marked "M12 / Clizbe Mfg Co / Plymouth / Ind". Also on the base is a plaque from "F. O. Stallman Supply Co. / Machine Tools & Supplies / S. F. Cal." A web search on F. O. Stallman Supply Co. found data points spanning 1918 to 1925.
• Hardware Age, Vol. 174, No. 2, July 22, 1954, Pg. 853.