Many of the hand tools used by stone cutters were originally forged by blacksmiths. They carried no manufacturers name but often the stone cutter would scratch his own name onto the tool.

In Missouri one of the first tool companies to supply stonecutters by started by George Vogel. Born in Austria in 1865, he emigrated to America, settling in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1889, he and Robert Schaefer owned Schaefer & Company.  Located at 13 West 17^th in downtownKansas City, they were edge tool manufacturers.

Vogel then opened his own company, Vogel Tools, also located in Kansas City. His tools were used by many area stonecutters but in the building trades and the memorial trade.

These tools, along with bush and masons hammers bearing his marks are still used by Kling Memorials, Butler, MO.

 Source:  Kansas City Directory, Interview Melissa Phillips, Butler, MO