P&C Tools

The firm of Peterson and Carlborg emerged in McCall, Idaho around 1915, and eventually found a permanent location in 1923 with the start of construction on the factory in Milwaukie, Oregon, just south of Portland. The factory was the realized dream of John N. Peterson and Charles F. Carlborg.

P&C is best known as a subsidiary of Plomb Tool (later Proto), but was an interesting and innovative company in its own right. Founded around 1920, the company had developed a very extensive line of automotive service tools by the end of the 1920s.

In addition to establishing its own line of tools, P&C also served as the direct or indirect catalyst in the founding of two other tool businesses: Thorsen Manufacturing of Oakland, California, and General Tool of Portland, Oregon.