Neon Tube Bender Story – Randy Steinmetz
November 23, 2024
Erin Gould Ph.D., Bill Ost, Leslie Gilbert
Randy Steinmetz of Element Ten began his sign career more than 40 years ago in Lawrence, Kansas before moving to Hutchison, Kansas, where he trained to bend neon. He finally settled into a long career in Kansas City, Missouri.
Born in Lajunta, Colorado and raised on a farm, Randy was heavily influence by his busy father who was constantly building, repairing or creating things. Randy noted that each creation, while primarily benefitting the farm, was artistic in its own way. Randy joined the U.S. EEOC Volunteer Service Program and attended McPherson College where he earned his degree in Audiovisual Communications.
After college, Randy and wife Sara (Janssen Steinmetz) moved to Lawrence, Kansas where Randy began working at Art and Sign. He wondered how the sign business might intersect with his interest in building things. Under the direction of owner Bob Trainer, the sign workers at Art and Sign were all artists. They taught Randy the intricacies of sign work, including sign writing, painting, and fabrication (especially how to use an Exact-O knife). New team member Randy was sent to Wholesale Neon in Wichita, Kansas to pick up some outsourced neon for Art and Sign. There, he saw Dale Bradrich bending neon right in front of him. Fascinated, Randy asked, “How long have you been doing this?” “Thirty-five years,” Dale answered. Randy followed with, “How long does it take to learn how to do this?” “Thirty-five years,” said Dale. Randy was hooked and his love of neon has never stopped growing.
Returning to Lawrence, Randy was determined to learn neon tube bending. He found a shop in Wichita, Kansas in need of another bender, but first, he and the family moved to Hutchison, Kansas where he began studying tube bending with Don Necessary, who to this day is Randy’s favorite teacher and mentor. Randy remembers, “Life, everything looked brighter. I mean…I felt more alive.” After about a year, Don insisted that Randy move to Kansas City to study with Finis Necessary, Don’s brother. Randy took a job at Federal Sign in 1983, where he stayed for about five years. Building on his original training with Don, Finis challenged him. He also insisted, “If anyone ever wants to learn this trade, you better give it to him. Don’t hide anything.” Randy takes this advice to heart whenever approached by someone eager to bend neon.
In 1989, Randy moved to ACME Sign, where he worked as one of four tube benders until 2015 when he opened his own shop, Steinmetz Neon. He has since changed its name to Element Ten (the number for neon on the Periodic Table of Elements). Today, Randy’s team includes son Dylan and daughter Olivia. Dylan’s sign restoration work complements Olivia’s neon tube bending—the Steinmetz legacy continues. Randy notes that Dylan and Olivia bring new opportunities to the company that he would have never imagined: “I just stand back, and I see them both working in the craft that I love…they’re taking it way beyond me.” Should Randy ever retire, the shop will be in capable and innovative hands.
Over the years, Randy has worked on many notable neon signs, including various UMB Bank and Commerce Bank signs when at Federal Sign Company in Kansas City. Later work includes recreating the local Katz Drug sign, helping re-neon the Michael’s Clothier sign on Main Street, a neon KC Heart for the Parade of Hearts in 2022, and the Glenwood Theater sign, among many private neon works.
Element Ten is located at 1809 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO 64108, or they can be found through their website: https://www.element-ten.com/
