For over 50 years, Smith & Company Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer has been the gold-standard when it comes to performance. From professional wood-smiths, luthiers and shipwrights to contractors and DIY’ers alike, CPES has always been the go-to when it counts most.

As Steve Smith, the pioneer behind the groundbreaking CPES technology continues to create and innovate with various projects, he has entrusted both his onetime apprentice and eventual successor Herbert, as well as his longtime friend and confidante Cecily with the enormous responsibility of stewardship as they have humbly done since their purchase of Smith & Company in July 2025.

Herbert, who has long been an end-user of Steve’s products and is an avid yachtsman, was already very familiar with Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer when he restored a 1963 Desco shrimp trawler over the course of 3 years. When entrusted and eventually tasked with the enormous responsibility of manufacturing CPES and eventually Fill-It, he was initially hesitant due to his lack of chemical engineering and scientific chops. But after literally hundreds of hours of lecturing and mentoring by Steve, and after several failed efforts to impress his mentor with oft thought-out and even sometimes interesting ideas (and actual trials) he eventually honed in on and perfected the art of making CPES and he is honored with the responsibility which has been bestowed upon him as Smith & Company and Smith’s Original move forward and beyond!

Cecily has known Steve for years and when she did some marketing work for Steve in 2022, and it was at this time that the thought first crossed his mind- “I wonder if she has what it takes?”
Steve had been, in his own words, “looking for the right steward(s) to pass the torch on to” since 1992.
Many have been considered, a few have even tried and, believe it or not, 2 have even attempted to break into and burglarize his Herculean 1,245 12 gauge Liberty composite steel vault in which the Warm and Cold Weather formulas supposedly reside, only to be met with frustration, grief (and arrest) as reality sunk-in…which was “Alas!” That those exact recipes and proprietary formulas are contained in the safest place on Earth,… in the neo-cortex of the human brain. And there are only 3 of those cerebrum’s to date with this knowledge.
When Cecily and Herbert were invited to an impromptu dinner with Steve in 2024, they were intrigued when Steve presented an offer. The proposal was this-

That they would work together with Steve over a 6 month trial period and learn the business from the ground up. Herbert would man the shipping room as well as the day to day operations of the manufacturing side of things as Cecily would apply her marketing expertise in maintaining and acquiring new clients. Her strategy was simple…”We have the best product available and you’re going to agree when you see your sales improve,” and boy was she right.
While Steve is admittedly a brilliant inventor and scientist, he’s also the first to admit that he has “no idea” when it comes to marketing. And so, over the next six months, Herbert and Cecily put their boots to the ground and showed Steve that yes! These two have the right stuff to make Smith & Company rise again…or as Steve so adequately put it, “It’s like Smith’s Phoenix is rising from the ashes!”

Well, now that the leadership has been handed over with Steve’s blessing, the best is yet to come! New products and innovative technologies are in the works as Herbert and Cecily continue to impress with their determination to not only protect, but promote the proud legacy created by Steve.

So as Smith’s Original carry the torch that Steve has passed on, they’d like you to know that they know and understand that you, the end-user of our products, will never settle for less than the best, and they aim to please.

Thank you,

Smith’s Original