Spear & Jackson has a heritage as one of the world's oldest hand and garden tool manufacturers and it all started in 1760 with a draper named John Love who realised that a solid future lay ahead not in cloth but in steel. He set up a new business in the small town of Sheffield in Northern England, a natural choice for steelmaking thanks to three important local resources; iron ore, water from five local streams and easy access to refractory material in the local Pennine Hills.

Love was joined in partnership by Alexander Spear, a rich merchant from another local town called Wakefield. Between them Love & Spear met an essential need and ever-increasing demand.

By 1814 the business was in the capable hands of John Spear, Alexander's nephew but pressure of work required the assistance of an assistant and a young apprentice by the name of Sam Jackson was enrolled in "Ye Art, Trade or Mistery of Sawmaking". His first job was to carry blades from the forge to the grinding wheels but he soon proved his worth and in 1830 a new partnership was formed - Spear & Jackson!

Today, Spear & Jackson's world headquarters and woodsaw & hacksaw blade factory are still based in Sheffield, England after over 240 years of production. The city of Sheffield has a reputation for quality steel production stretching back only a few years more than the company itself.

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