Victor Equipment Company was founded in 1913 by L.W. Stettner. Stettner, a welder by trade, suffered the loss of an eye from a welding accident and subsequently set out to design and build better, safer welding products. His designs for welding and cutting torches and regulators were quickly accepted and the original San Francisco-based Victor Oxy-Acetylene Welding Equipment Company grew rapidly. Stettner's "safety oriented" designs resulted in numerous patents and firsts including spiral mixers, goosenecks nozzles, and safety regulators.