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Sheffield's 185-Year-Old Factory Strikes a Chord
5 Jul
Summary
- This Sheffield factory has been making tuning forks since 1833.
- Forks are used in music, medicine, sound therapy, and science.
- The company is the UK's oldest manufacturer of tuning forks.
A small factory in Sheffield city centre has been producing hundreds of small metal tuning forks daily for 185 years. Ragg Tuning Forks, established in 1833, is recognized as the UK's oldest manufacturer of this device.
Initially created by brothers John and William Ragg for musicians in 1841, the tuning fork's history dates back to the 1700s. Today, the company manufactures a broad spectrum of tuning forks.
These forks are essential for tuning musical instruments and are also utilized in medical applications for hearing tests, such as the Rinnie and Weber tests.
Lower frequency forks, like 128 Hz, serve as sensory tests for doctors to detect nerve damage or bone fractures. The manufacturing process involves machining and hand-filing single pieces of metal.
The company is also experiencing growth in the sound therapy market, where forks are used for relaxation. Despite evolving uses, Ragg Tuning Forks continues to find new applications, with their products being shipped globally.
