Smith resharpening cutters for the carpet industry. It is the first grinder his father purchased and is still in use today.
Barron Smith at his desk.
Barron Smith and his dog Max, who goes to work every day with him.
A #2 Cincinnati centerless grinder with a regulating wheel chain tensioner designed by Barron. This innovation is used on all of his centerless grinders.
A #2 Cincinnati centerless grinder with safety guard features a regulating wheel chain tensioner designed by Smith. This innovation is used on all of his centerless grinders.
Centerless grinding a part.
Tool and cutter grinder.
One of Smith’s remanufactured #2 Cincinnati centerless grinders.
A milling cutter being resharpened on a tool and cutter grinder.
What began in a DeSoto, TX, garage in 1972 has evolved into one of the region’s few remaining manual grinding operations. Today, Barron Smith continues his father’s legacy in North Oak Cliff, operating a fully equipped shop focused on close-tolerance centerless and tool and cutter grinding. With roughly 20 machines and decades of specialized expertise, Smith provides capabilities many modern CNC-focused shops no longer offer, maintaining a critical niche within the North Texas manufacturing landscape.
A Family Business Built on Grinding
Smith’s father, Raphael Smith, launched R. W. Smith more than 50 years ago. A visionary in the cutting tool industry, the elder Smith remained dedicated to grinding throughout his career. In addition to tool and cutter grinding, he added centerless grinding capabilities during the 1980s.
After graduating with a business degree in 1989, Barron Smith joined the shop as a centerless grinder operator. With no internet and few resources available, he taught himself by working directly on the machines, honing his craft over the years with dedicated hands-on problem-solving and a commitment to mastering the details…