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I was three years old when I first came into the machine shop. When I was eight or nine, my grandfather let me make spears on the grinder. Later, I started helping him make his copper-and-brass diving helmets for sponge divers and deep sea salvage operations. But then I lost interest as I got older. I guess I didn't like getting dirty.
How did you get back into the business again?
I was finishing college at the University of Florida - I have a political-science degree - and came back to help my grandfather. I realized what I wanted to do was to keep our family's tradition as helmet makers alive as long as I could. I liked my grandfathers way of solving problems. No matter what it was, he could walk up, take a look, and present you with a solution. No job was ever to tough. He was in his late 80's then and wanted to slow down and retire. Before Antonios Lerios passed away at age 100 in 1992, I had assumed the family machine shop business.
What do you do when you are not working on diving helmets?
The same things my grandfather did. I work on boat parts, doing repairs, making sponge hooks and machining other metal parts.
Do you feel it is your calling to continue the craftsmanship your grandfather started back in 1913?
I truly enjoy making the diving helmets because they keep alive some of the traditions and rich history we have here in Tarpon Springs.
Nick Toth continues to make helmets for a few local divers, he is currently exploring new markets. Divers who work in the colder, rougher waters off the California coast are particularly impressed with his helmets. They appreciate the custom design and find they outlast other manufacturers' products. Nick also receives orders worldwide from diving clubs and individuals who want to display his helmets as works of functional art. He feels fortunate that this expanded interest in enabling him to continue his family tradition. |
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© Nick Toth, 2001
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