Welcome everybody to Torch and File, a Portland, Oregon based importer and distributor of SILVA precision framebulding tooling designed and manufactured in Milan, Italy since 1966.
First a little history: Andy Newlands, owner/framebuilder graduated from the University of Washington School of Civil Engineering in 1970 and then took a year off to tour and race his bike in England. That August he entered a road race across the England/Scotland border in the Cheviot Hills held the week before the Commonwealth Games. It was no sooner apparent that he was out of his depth than he was off the back of the pack touring the Scottish Highlands in the pouring rain. Returning south he visited the Reynolds factory at Hay Hall, Birmingham and enjoyed a nice lunch with Terry Bill, Reynolds Sales Manager at the time. This visit led eventually to a framebuilding career fabricating race bike frames with friend Mark DiNucci in 1971.
Fast forward, today both Strawberry cycle frame fabrication and Torch and File distribution are located in a poured concrete warehouse in Goose Hollow, Portland, Oregon which Andy and his wife Kelley purchased in 2002 and now live and work along with their Spinoni pups Fausto and Gemma.
It is good to celebrate over fifty years in the cycling industry and Andy is very pleased to have worked with the Reynolds Technology Ltd. crew for over twenty years distributing steel and stainless steel cycle tubing in the US and internationally. As of November, 2024 Torch and File has passed the distribution of Reynolds cycle frame tubing and supplies over to Chris Blandford of Firsthand Framebuilding here in Portland, Oregon: www.firsthand.bike. Dave Levy of Ti Cycles will continue distributing Reynolds titanium cycle frame tubing and supplies alongside Chris: www.ticycles.com/ticyclestubes-store.
The one man-two dog corporation is headed by Andy as machinist, oxy/propane brass brazer and order taker/box packer. Fausto, our ninety five pound male Spinone has been promoted to Chief Negotiator and our newest addition, Gemma, an orange and white female Spinone is Minister of Enthusiasm. So far neither pup has shown any particular affinity for shop work although they do enjoy a tasty lunch.
Cheers,
Andy
Please contact us if you need help.
Thanks for shopping with us!
Yours truly 1965 on Shoreline Highway 1.
Photo Taken by Peter Stoel
Strawberry Shop/Torch and File Warehouse Strawberry Garage, Winter 2024.
with Gemma and Fausto, 2025.