Product Timeline

Significant milestones in the development and evolution of the Langdon line of miter boxes.

Events described as “earliest evidence (to us)” mean just that. It’s what we have found so far. Such dates therefore should not be viewed as definitive for the commencement or cessation of some particular activity.

If you happen to have information that would augment or correct that provided in the following table then please let us know.

Year	Occurrence
1864	Leander W. Langdon patents his original cast iron miter box. Manufacturing begins in the town of Northampton, MA on or about this time. (citation)
1868	Millers Falls Company formed, with HQ in Millers Falls, MA.
1874	Leander W. Langdon patents the modern form of his cast iron miter box. (citation)
1874	Various “improvements” are patented, i.e. depth stops, saw raising mechanism, no-slip bed surface, extendable swing arm, and clamping device enabling the use of a common panel saw instead of a traditional backsaw. (citation)
1875	Manufacturing moves to the town of Millers Falls, MA.
1879	Spring actuated swing arm with gib, lockable at any angle from 0 to 45 degrees, two-part wooden bed, and adjustable depth stop are patented. These alterations form the basis of the “New Langdon” miter box. (citation)  Previously, the saw would simply come to rest on a sacrificial, one-piece wooden bed.
1882	The curved arms that permit cutting acute angles between 45 and 90 degrees are patented. This is the fundamental “improvement” underlying the “New Langdon Improved” designation. (citation)
1902	Goodell Manufacturing Company, maker of “All Steel” and “Greenfield” miter boxes, is incorporated, with manufacturing center in Greenfield, MA.
1903	Goodell patent for the “All Steel” miter box. (citation)
1903	Earliest evidence (to us) of the H.C. Marsh Company of Rockford, IL advertising a “Marsh Langdon” improved miter box. (citation)
1907	Langdon Miter Box Company is acquired by Millers Falls Company.
1908	Earliest evidence (to us) of the use of the “Acme” brand. (citation)
1909	Goodell patent for the “Greenfield” miter box. (citation)
1920	Earliest evidence (to us) of the use of the “Acme Improved” brand. (citation)
1931	Millers Falls Company relocates company HQ to Greenfield, MA.
1931	Goodell-Pratt, which bought out Goodell Manufacturing the previous year, merges with Millers Falls Company.
1937	Various “modern” features patented, though some of them seem to have been in use before this time. (citation)
1938	Earliest evidence (to us) of the introduction of ball bearing saw guides. (citation)
1938	Introduction of a metal cutting hand miter box. Strictly speaking it’s not a Langdon but it is certainly derived from them. It is not known to us how long these were produced. (citation)
1938	“All Metal” product line replaces “New Langdon” (as per 1938 catalog, p. 41). Model Numbers 1100, 1101, 1118, 1124A are therefore introduced at this time.
1939	Patent application for small stock holding clamp. (citation)
1949	Replacement of ball bearing saw guides with oilite bronze, as per 1949 catalog (apparently the first to be published after WWII). Also, no further marketing of Goodell-Pratt brand.
1962	Millers Falls Company acquired by Ingersoll-Rand Corporation.
1967	By this time the “All Steel” and “Langdon Acme” products use so many of the same parts that size, cutting capacity, and single- versus multi-piece base construction are their primary distinguishing traits. (See Gallery examples for Model No. 1264C, 1306C, 74C.)
1971	Earliest evidence (to us) of OEM manufacture of miter boxes for Proto Tools.
1976	Last known (to us) example of a Langdon Acme 74C.
1981	“Langdon” and “All Steel” brands seem no longer to be advertised. Miter box models 74 and 76 are now referred to as “Deluxe Steel,” and the slightly smaller model is simply called “Miter Box With Back Saw.” (See 1981 Ingersoll-Rand catalog, p. 9)
1982	Ingersoll-Rand spins off Millers Falls. No further production is known (to us).