Spear & Jackson
Spear & Jackson is a Sheffield-based British brand of gardening tools, hand tools, saws, and precision instruments with origins dating to 1760.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
2requests
1companies- Anthropic2
- Profile
- 2
- Controversies
- 0
- JSON · MD
- 0
- First read
- Nov 4, 2026
- Latest read
- Nov 4, 2026
From this site's server log
Overview
Spear & Jackson is a British tool brand whose history is closely tied to Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and the city’s long-established metalworking and cutlery industries. Its origins are traced to 1760, when Alexander Spear and John Love established a tool-making partnership in Sheffield under the name Spear & Love. The business later developed through the Spear family and its apprentices: in 1814, John Spear, Alexander Spear’s nephew, took on Sam Jackson as an apprentice, and the Spear & Jackson partnership was formed in 1830. This succession is the basis for the name that remains associated with the brand. The company’s early activity centred on saws and other metal tools. Saws were reportedly part of its output from the beginning, and the business later participated in the development of specialist saw designs. In the late nineteenth century, Spear & Jackson introduced a skew-back saw, including the 1887 Jubilee Saw, following the wider development of skew-back saws in the tool industry. These products reflected the company’s connection to Sheffield manufacturing and to the broader evolution of durable hand tools for professional and domestic use. A major strand of the company’s history is the Eclipse brand. In 1889, James Neill patented composite steel, described as steel-backed iron, and later registered products made with the material under the Eclipse trademark in 1909. The Eclipse name referred to the celebrated racehorse Eclipse and was promoted with the slogan “Eclipse first and the rest nowhere.” In 1911, Eclipse produced what is described as the world’s first composite-steel hacksaw blade. The company began manufacturing hacksaws in 1924, and its hacksaw designs became an important part of its tool-making identity. Eclipse products and the associated technical development helped reinforce the reputation of Sheffield tools for strength, precision, and reliable cutting performance. Ownership changed several times during the twentieth century. The business was acquired by Neill Tools in 1985, when it was known as Spear & Jackson International plc. James Neill Tools had previously been a family-owned business and made a public issue of shares in 1970. In 1989, during the company’s centenary year, Neill Tools was acquired by the MMG Patricof Group. In 1995, the business was renamed Spear & Jackson plc. It subsequently became part of Hong Kong-based United Pacific Industries Limited and was acquired by SNH Global in 2014. Today, Spear & Jackson is associated with gardening tools, hand tools, hacksaws, saw blades, and precision instruments. The brand continues to be headquartered in Sheffield and is reported to have activities in approximately 115 countries. Its modern identity combines traditional British tool-making heritage with a broad international distribution footprint. Although the company’s ownership and corporate structure have changed over time, the Spear & Jackson and Eclipse names remain linked to long-established tool designs, Sheffield manufacturing history, and practical equipment for gardening, maintenance, workshop, and industrial applications.
History
Spear & Jackson traces its origins to eighteenth-century Sheffield, a city that became internationally recognised for steel, cutlery, saws, and other metal goods. In 1760, Alexander Spear and John Love formed a tool-making partnership called Spear & Love. The business later developed through the Spear family. John Spear, Alexander Spear’s nephew, took Sam Jackson as an apprentice in 1814, and the Spear & Jackson partnership was established in 1830. The partnership name eventually became the enduring commercial identity of the business. Saws were central to the company’s early activities. During the nineteenth century, manufacturers were refining saw shapes and construction for different cutting tasks. Spear & Jackson introduced a skew-back saw design in the late nineteenth century; the 1887 Jubilee Saw is one documented example. The company’s development took place within Sheffield’s broader industrial ecosystem, where advances in steel production supported the manufacture of increasingly durable and specialised tools. The Eclipse name became particularly significant in the company’s technical and commercial history. James Neill patented composite steel, described as steel-backed iron, in 1889. The material was marketed under the Eclipse trademark from 1909. The name was drawn from the famous racehorse Eclipse, whose historical reputation supported the promotional phrase “Eclipse first and the rest nowhere.” In 1911, Eclipse made a composite-steel hacksaw blade described as the first of its kind. Hacksaw manufacture began in 1924, and the Eclipse design became an important reference point in the company’s cutting-tool business. Corporate ownership changed during the twentieth century. Neill Tools acquired the business in 1985, when it was known as Spear & Jackson International plc. The wider James Neill Tools business had been family-owned and issued shares publicly in 1970. In 1989, MMG Patricof Group acquired Neill Tools during its centenary year, with an intention to expand the business and later return it to the market. In 1995, Neill Tools changed its name to Spear & Jackson plc. The company subsequently became part of United Pacific Industries Limited, a Hong Kong-based group, before SNH Global acquired the brand in 2014. The company remains associated with Sheffield and supplies a range of gardening tools, hand tools, saws, hacksaws, blades, and precision instruments. Its products are distributed internationally, with the business reported to operate in about 115 countries. The brand’s historical value rests on the continuity of its name, its association with Sheffield tool-making, and the Eclipse line’s contribution to hacksaw and composite-steel development. Its present identity therefore combines a long industrial heritage with international brand distribution.
- 2014
SNH Global acquires the brand
[1]SNH Global purchases Spear & Jackson from United Pacific Industries Limited.
- 1995
Business is renamed Spear & Jackson plc
[1]Neill Tools changes its corporate name to Spear & Jackson plc.
- 1989
MMG Patricof Group acquires Neill Tools
[1]MMG Patricof Group acquires Neill Tools during the company’s centenary year.
- 1985
Neill Tools acquires the business
[1]Neill Tools acquires the business, then known as Spear & Jackson International plc.
- 1970
James Neill Tools makes a public issue of shares
[1]The previously family-owned James Neill Tools business makes a public issue of shares.
- 1924
Hacksaw manufacturing begins
[1]The company begins manufacturing hacksaws, building on the Eclipse cutting-tool development.
- 1911
Eclipse develops a composite-steel hacksaw blade
[1]Eclipse produces a hacksaw blade using composite steel, described as the world’s first composite-steel hacksaw blade.
- 1909
Eclipse trademark is applied to composite-steel products
[1]James Neill registers composite-steel products under the Eclipse trademark.
- 1889
Composite steel is patented
[1]James Neill patents composite steel, described as steel-backed iron, which later becomes associated with Eclipse products.
- 1887
Jubilee Saw exemplifies skew-back design
[1]Spear & Jackson introduces a skew-back saw design, with the Jubilee Saw recorded as an example from this period.
Products and positioning
A heritage British tool brand positioned around Sheffield manufacturing tradition, durable hand tools, cutting products, gardening equipment, and practical precision.
Cutting tools · 1911
Eclipse hacksaw blades
Eclipse composite-steel hacksaw blades are a defining part of the brand’s industrial history. The Eclipse line is associated with James Neill’s composite-steel patent of 1889, trademark registration in 1909, and development of a composite-steel hacksaw blade in 1911. The line helped establish the company’s reputation in metal-cutting tools.
Hand tools · 1924
Eclipse hacksaws
Eclipse hacksaws form part of the company’s long-running cutting-tool range. Hacksaw production began in 1924, following earlier composite-steel blade development. The products are associated with workshop, maintenance, and general metal-cutting applications.
Hand tools · 1760
Spear & Jackson hand tools
The hand-tool range represents the brand’s traditional tool-making activity and includes cutting and general-purpose tools. The company’s historical association with saws and Sheffield steel provides the main heritage context for this category.
Gardening tools
Spear & Jackson gardening tools
Spear & Jackson supplies gardening tools as part of its modern consumer and professional offering. The category extends the brand beyond workshop and industrial cutting tools into outdoor maintenance and horticultural use.
Precision tools
Precision instruments
Precision instruments are among the product areas associated with the current Spear & Jackson business. The available reference material does not specify individual instrument models or launch dates.
Brand decisions
2014
SNH Global acquisitionM&ABackground
Spear & Jackson had become part of United Pacific Industries Limited before the subsequent change in ownership.
Action taken
SNH Global purchased the Spear & Jackson brand from United Pacific Industries Limited.
Aftermath
The brand continued operating internationally under SNH Global ownership.
1909
Launch of the Eclipse trademarkStrategyBackground
The company sought a distinctive commercial identity for products using its composite-steel technology.
Action taken
Composite-steel products were registered and promoted under the Eclipse name, supported by a slogan referencing the famous racehorse.
Aftermath
Eclipse became a durable sub-brand associated with saws, hacksaws, and cutting performance.
1889
Adoption of composite-steel technologyOtherBackground
James Neill patented composite steel, a steel-backed iron material, creating a technical basis for later Eclipse products.
Action taken
The company associated the material with the Eclipse trademark and later applied it to hacksaw blades.
Aftermath
The development became a notable part of the brand’s cutting-tool heritage and Sheffield engineering story.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/spear-and-jackson · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled