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Clipper Collection Includes Rare Hand-Crank Model
Clipping cattle for show was a two-man job using a hand-crank Stewart clipper that was made in the early 1900’s. Les Schmidt of Greenleaf, Wis., purchased one at a farm auction. He doesn’t use it, but it’s the oldest piece in his cattle clipper collection.
As a fitter who trims, feeds and cares for show and pre
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Clipper Collection Includes Rare Hand-Crank Model LIVESTOCK Beef Clipping cattle for show was a two-man job using a hand-crank Stewart clipper that was made in the early 1900’s Les Schmidt of Greenleaf Wis purchased one at a farm auction He doesn’t use it but it’s the oldest piece in his cattle clipper collection As a fitter who trims feeds and cares for show and pre-sale dairy cattle he has used a variety of electric clippers in his business “The blades used in the early 1900’s are fairly similar to the ones used today ” Schmidt says “The hand-crank clippers cost $8 75 in 1917 and blade sets were $2 50 ” The inventor John K Stewart had 80 patents including a speedometer used in the first Model T cars He and Thomas J Clark founded Chicago Flexible Shaft Co in the early 1890s manufacturing mechanical clippers and sheep shearers They expanded into home appliances starting with an electric iron in 1910 By 1946 they renamed the company Sunbeam Corporation “I have the first electric clippers Stewart made from the 1920’s Also during WW II because of the shortage of aluminum the clipper heads were made of a cast iron alloy I have two of them and there is a significant weight difference ” Schmidt notes As a fitter and photographer for clients at the World Dairy Expo and other dairy shows around the world Schmidt picks up old clippers blades boxes and printed material at sales and from farmers Last year he built a Blade Box display with 30 sets of blades His collection includes a box of 100-year-old blades that have never been used Despite new clippers available the “bovine beautician” admits he often uses his Stewart Brown clippers made in the 1940’s “They are quieter and easier to handle ” he says He also likes the modern German-made Aesculap clippers Schmidt who started fitting cattle professionally when he graduated from high school has had 30 years of experience using various clippers Mixed with photography at dairy shows and other events it has been an interesting career He looks forward to more opportunities to share clipper history with displays at dairy expos Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Les E Schmidt Photography & Cleaning 7088 Old 57 Rd Greenleaf Wis 54126 ph 920 428-5200; www cleanschmidt com; lesschmidt5200@gmail com; Facebook: Schmidt Exterior Cleaning
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