pressman, a question for you

[roysha]

Well, I guess it's actually more than one.

In the thread "Bair Kodiak or Pacific" in post #5 you state that Precision Reloader (Schissell) was acquired by Bair or something to that affect.

I have and use as my primary loading press a Schissel (please note a single "L" instead of the two as you have spelled it) H-type press which was my first loading press that I bought used in 1962. It is marked Cherokee, Iowa. I bought this press from a fellow worker along with a set of Schissel 30-06 dies, a couple of dozen 30-06 empty cases, 3/4 can IMR 4350, 1 1/2 pads or so of primes (CCI if I recall correctly) a wooden shell block, Lyman 55 measure, Lyman loading manual, which number I cannot recall, and a Redding scale that used an oil reservoir to dampen the beam. What a pain that was since the oil would eventually wick out all over everything. Ended up using water and dumping it every time and thoroughly drying it after each use. Had to use something or the beam would swing forever. $35.00 for all of it. For a young guy making less than $1.50 an hour, it was quite an outlay, especially since I had no idea how to use the equipment and didn't even own a 30-06 but I was proud to be in the relative small society (at that time) of reloaders. At the time, all the shell holders were the "Hollywood" type and rather hard to come by. Sometime later the "universal" adapter became available so the button shell holders could be used. I still have 20 or so, of the original old style shell holders.

I have done a little research and what little I have found lead me to believe that Schissel was a "garage enterprise" started when the reloading tool industry was in it's infancy and anyone with an idea, a couple of machine tools and a few castings was in the business. Apparently I am mistaken?

1. Is this the same company and you just added an "L"?
2. Did Schissel make anything but an "H" press? If so, what was it and was it marked Schissel?
3. Did Bair, at any point in time, make an "H" press comparable to the Schissel?
4. At what point did Precision Reloader and Schissel become the same or was Precision Reloader just as a distributor for Schissel or vice-versa?
5. Did Bair absorb totally, the two entities, patents and all, or what, ie: what happened to Precision Reloader and Schissel?
6. Ultimately, what happened to Bair?

Thank you for any and all information you can give me. The majority of young people I talk to have never of an "H" press much less, Schissel.

[Pressman]

Oh boy, that is quite the question.
Schissel is spelled with one L. They made a C press with upstroke operation. They are really scarce. Garage operation would be close. They started small and grew into Micro Precision as the line expanded.
Micro Precision and Precision Reloader are in no way connected.
Micro Precision was started to provide an actual company to market the Schissel line. Prior to reloading tools they made lawn mowers.
There are no Schissel patents.

There are two slightly different Micro Precision C presses along with the H press. They also made regular dies and a type of convertible dies where the user just changed internal parts using the same die body. This was supposed to be cheaper.
Bair picked them up after the split from Pacific. The H press seems to be the only tool kept from that merger.

What happened to Bair is still a bit of mystery. The last catalog I have is Bear with an Ohio address, the Bair tool line and a picture of the Lincoln facility.

Cherokee is about three hours from where I live. If I ever manage to retire I need to drive over there and sort all this out.

Ken

[too many things]

You will most likely find Herters was in the mix.The die system with the inserts . was said to be {patent pending} by Herters. but bet it never was same as the {wasp waist bullets}
We all could be millionairers if you could buy Geo herter for what he was worth and sell him for what HE thought he was worth

[Pressman]

Herter's used a completely different system the Mirco Precision. Herter's actually was practical and a for runner of some of today's dies.

Ken

[SWANEEDB]

Hey Ken, We know a gent from Cherokee, pretty good friend, next time I see him i'll see if he can get us any info on Schisshel, I know at one time he had a few die sets. He may show up at our G-show the end of this month, Feb 27/28.
Cheers, Gus an me.

[roysha]

pressman, The only reason I alluded to Precision Reloading was you had mentioned it in your post that I referenced in my OP. I honestly have no idea about any of the small companies of that era.

Is this Micro company the same as the one that made Micro Bed and/or Micro Lube? I used to use the lube in my full wad cutter bullets that I shot in my 52 S&W. It was very soft and I didn't really care for it in my other guns because on a hot day it would literally melt out of the case but there was a noticeable increase in accuracy using it in the 52. I think I still have a tube or two of it around somewhere, if it hasn't melted into the woodwork.;-)

Back in the day, Micro Bed came in tubes and was super easy to dispense evenly. Than they went to the jars and it was no different than the rest of the bedding compounds, from a convenience point of view.

[roysha]

pressman, The only reason I alluded to Precision Reloading was you had mentioned it in your post that I referenced in my OP. I honestly have no idea about any of the small companies of that era.
Is this Micro company the same as the one that made Micro Bed and/or Micro Lube? I used to use the lube in my full wad cutter bullets that I shot in my 52 S&W. It was very soft and I didn't really care for it in my other guns because on a hot day it would literally melt out of the case but there was a noticeable increase in accuracy using it in the 52. I think I still have a tube or two of it around somewhere, if it hasn't melted into the woodwork.;-)

Back in the day, Micro Bed came in tubes and was super easy to dispense evenly. Than they went to the jars and it was no different than the rest of the bedding compounds, from a convenience point of view.

You mentioned you hoped you could get over to Cherokee some time in the future. While you are at it, I believe you are somewhere near where the Pitzer family made their sizer and luber. It's a shame that one never took off. I believe it to be every bit the equal to the Star quality wise and, except for the dies, simpler.

[nagant]

Last year newspaper blurb found online 50 years ago= 1965 - New Home Of Schissel Mfg.

Schissel Manufacturing Company has a new home, located one mile northwest of the Highway 3 bypass. The cement block plant is now in operation for Schissel's,and the former Schissel plant on North Second Street (Highway 59) is now occupied by Matt Furniture Company.