One more quick comment about the "Keller" machine. A Keller is a tracing machine - the completed die is positioned on top and the work piece is fastened below. The top stylus traces the pattern and the bottom cutting head machines the piece as you go.
Notice how the top pattern is kind of "dull", but the bottom one is comparatively shiny? One of the things they would do is line the pattern piece with a special type of masking tape, "Keller tape", to give them the thickness of the tape (approx .007") as extra material. That allowed them to finish/polish the die by hand, removing the extra material to "spot" the die or mold in as required.
Even at the time of his passing Dad would refer to masking tape as "Keller tape"...
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