The Belleville Asbestos Shingle Cutter: An Artifact of a Vanished Building Trade

Among the more unusual survivors of early twentieth-century construction technology is the Belleville asbestos shingle cutter, a specialized tool designed for cutting asbestos-cement roofing and siding shingles. Though now obscure, these cutters once served a practical role during the widespread use of asbestos building materials in American residential and commercial construction.

The documented history of the design appears to begin with a 1914 patent application by inventor Beno J. Gundlach, whose cutting machine was explicitly intended for asbestos shingles. In a later patent application, Gundlach referenced his earlier design and noted that the machine was “intended to be used principally for cutting asbestos shingles.”

Gundlach later founded the Beno J. Gundlach Company in 1927, after his brother Bill - a salesman of asbestos shingles — encouraged development of a practical cutting tool for the trade. Bill was most likely employed by Johns-Manville Corporation.

The precise relationship between Gundlach and Specialty Tool Manufacturers of Belleville, Illinois remains somewhat uncertain. However, surviving examples of Belleville cutters, along with later promotional material, clearly associate the tool with Belleville production. A 1968 promotional flyer still references Belleville asbestos shingle cutters manufactured by Belleville Specialty Tool Manufacturers which was incorporated in 1958, but which may have operated with a similar name for years prior to incorporation.

Many surviving Belleville cutters bear the phrase “Patent Applied For.” While this wording may suggest early manufacture, it is not entirely certain whether the reference pertains directly to Gundlach’s 1914 patent application, or the later patent application of 1925. Surviving documentation remains fragmentary.

More than likely the 1914 reference is indicated since it would have been used if this machine were produced later in 1927 as the patent was still in force.

With the decline and eventual prohibition of asbestos-containing building products, these cutters became obsolete. Today they survive primarily in tool collections, architectural salvage settings, and industrial Americana displays, where their heavy cast construction and machine-age design continue to attract attention.

References
• US Patent 1,119,506
• 1927 Patent PDF
• Beno J. Gundlach Company History
• 1968 Belleville Promotional Flyer (Archive.org)