Somta Tools (Pty) Ltd | 290 Moses Mabhida Rd, Pietermaritzburg 3201, KwaZulu-Natal

cutting tools, felco cutter, slashers, tile cutting and eqpt - hire, tools - cutting Somta Tools was founded in 1954 by Samuel Osborn Ltd of Sheffield, England. The name Somta is an acronym derived from the names of Samuel Osborn (founder of Osborn Steels U.K.), and Robert Mushet (the 19th century inventor of High Speed Steel).<br/><br/>The full name being Samuel Osborn Mushet Tools Africa.<br/><br/>Original Products: Somta started out producing Twist Drills, Reamers, Toolbits and Chisels with a complement of about 20 employees.<br/><br/>A First: One of Somtas claims to fame is that its former parent company produced the first Twist Drill made from High Speed Steel. Prior to 1870, twist drills were made from a flat piece of steel and then physically twisted, New Picture (10)hence the name. Thereafter the flutes were produced on milling machines until the grinding method arrived.<br/><br/>Milestone: One milestone worth a mention is when Somta purchased a Hertlein drill flute grinding machine in 1963, even before the parent Sheffield compan