Lee Breton has been asked to do some crazy things in his career at Lenox Industrial Tools, and he's done them all. But now, after 48 years with the company, he's hanging up his tool pouch – and leaving a hole in the tool industry that will never be filled.
That's because Lee is famous around the world as "Hackman," the friendly, muscular, high-energy ToolHound who has cut in half everything from freight trains, airplanes, and tank trucks to houses and more than 500 cars in order to demonstrate Lenox cutting technologies. In 1999 he even cut a bus in half during the Super
Bowl. These demonstrations became so popular, Lenox had to create Team Hackman, a group of master cutters who worked with Lee to keep up with car-cutting requests.
Lee's career at Lenox began on the factory floor in 1962, and he's credited with inventing bi-metal hacksaw and recip saw blades, having been inspired by the bi-metal technology Lenox developed for its band-saw blades.
His first car cuts were done by hand to demonstrate the new Hackmaster blades. And then the legend – and the list of impossible cuts – grew from there.
Most recently Lee's been an integral member of our Site Commander truck tour – which is sponsored by Lenox – and he's brought the same leadership, creativity, experience, humility, and warmth to that program that he's known for throughout the industry. We'll miss you Hackman, and thanks for everything.
