A Historic Sharpening Stone Manufacturer in Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Founding of the Deerlick Oil Stone Company
The Deerlick Oil Stone Company was established in 1868 by M.B. Kent and Z.L. Kent, relatives of Adamson Bentley, the Disciples of Christ minister who founded the settlement of Bentleyville, Ohio. The company became one of the area’s most successful early industries, helping to establish this area as a center of manufacturing and commerce during the late nineteenth century.
Producing High-Quality Oil Stones and Whetstones
The company’s primary product was the oil stone, a type of whetstone used to sharpen tools and cutting implements. These sharpening stones were quarried locally and were highly valued by craftsmen, farmers, and tradesmen who depended on sharp tools for their work. Each oil stone was carefully packaged in a durable chestnut wood case, adding both protection and value to the product.
Expanding Product Lines
In addition to its whetstones, the Deerlick Oil Stone Company quarried and manufactured a variety of sharpening and grinding products. These included:
- Sandstones
- Scythe stones
- Razor hones
- Other specialized sharpening tools
The diversity of its products allowed the company to serve customers in multiple industries, from agriculture and woodworking to barbering and manufacturing.
National and International Distribution
The quality of Deerlick’s sharpening stones earned the company a reputation that extended far beyond Northeast Ohio. Its products were sold throughout the United States and reached international markets, making the company one of the region’s most successful nineteenth-century industrial enterprises.
Sale to the Carborundum Company
As industrial manufacturing evolved in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Deerlick Oil Stone Company was eventually acquired by the Carborundum Company, a major producer of abrasives and sharpening materials. Following the acquisition, operations were relocated out of Chagrin Falls, bringing an end to an important chapter in the village’s industrial history.
Legacy of the Deerlick Oil Stone Company
Today, the Deerlick Oil Stone Company remains an important part of our historical heritage. Its success demonstrates how local natural resources, skilled craftsmanship, and entrepreneurial vision helped shape the economic development of Northeast Ohio. The company’s sharpening stones and whetstones are reminders of a time when small-town industries supplied products to customers across the nation and around the world.