Chapman Manufacturing was started in Old Man Chapman’s garage all the way back in 1936. Since then, the tool company has only changed hands two more times, but continues to offer the same quality tools and values that Chapman MFG has built on. If you pick up a Chapman set from 1950 and one from 2020, you might be hard pressed to find a difference at first glance to the bits inside. Of course subtle, modern changes have been made and applied to the tools such as milling a ring into the bit instead of the “ear” you have seen originally. We have updated our factory with state-of-the-art CNC machines, but still work with some antique machines when we can. Chapman Mfg is a heritage company that values quality above all else to this day.
Each and every Chapman set is hand inspected and assembled in small batches by one of our tool experts. Before your screwdriver set has been delivered to your door, as many as 3 different pairs of eyes and hands have examined your set, bit by bit to ensure that you are getting the best tools possible.
We love to hear from customers who have had their sets for 40+ years or had their set handed down to them from a relative. Many often tell us that they have “one of the red case sets,” which we have not sold since the late 1980s. During WW1, Chapman tools were exclusively sold to the US Gov’t and used on military equipment across the world. Chapman MFG is considered a classic tool company with the history and experience to make tools that will last a lifetime and can be passed down for generations. We understand that sometimes tools have more meaning than just being tools. They can stand for tradition, be a family heirloom, or have a history beyond their practical use.
Although Chapman values its history, we look to the future and are excited to modernize our manufacturing line whenever we can. Simplifying the process and cutting out unnecessary secondary machining has been key to bringing Chapman into the 21st century. We continue to make changes to our tools to help improve their quality. Beyond that, adding tools to our line including JIS, Ball Allen, and double-ended bits, has been an exciting venture for our machinists. No one likes a challenge like our tools experts and creating new tools for our customers is the best way to challenge ourselves to continue Chapman traditions while making new ones.
So when you pick up your Chapman set, know that years of tooling history has gone into making and crafting them. Our tools have a history unlike any other on the market and have withstood the test of time. The traditions of Chapman MFG will continue to grow for years to come. We can’t wait to see what we do next!