SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. )*

                             Acme United Corporation
                             -----------------------
                                 Name of Issuer

                                 Class A Common
                                 --------------
                         (Title of class of securities)

                                    004816104
                                    ---------
                                  Cusip Number

Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement _____ (A fee
is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described on Item 1; and, (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class).
(See Rule 13-d 7.)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

                        (Continued on following page[s])

                                Page 1 of 4 pages




CUSIP NO. 004816104                   13G                      Page 2 of 4 pages


              Name of Reporting Person

               1.   Social security or IRS Identification No. of above person

                    Fleet Financial Group, Inc. 
                    05-0341324

               2.   Check the appropriate box if a member of a group*
                                                       (a) [      ]
                                                       (b) [      ]

               3.   SEC Use Only

               4.   Citizenship of place of organization 
                    One Federal Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110

               5.   Sole Voting Power
    Number          185,506
   of Shares
 Beneficially  6.   Shared Voting Power
   Owned by         0
     Each
   Reporting   7.   Sole Dispositive Power
    Person          81,366
     with
               8.   Shared Dispositive Power
                    104,140

     9.   Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person 
                    185,506

     10.  Check box if the aggregate amount in row (9) excludes certain shares*

     11.  Percent of class represented by amount in row (9).
                    5.56%

     12.  Type of reporting person*
                    Holding company




                                                               Page 3 of 4 pages

Item1(a)      Name of Issuer:  Acme United Corporation

Item 1(b)     Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
              75 Kings Highway Cutoff, Fairfield, CT  06430

Item 2(a)     Name of Person Filing:  Fleet Financial Group, Inc.

Item 2(b)     Address of Principal Business Office, or if none, Residence:
              One Federal Street, Boston, Massachusetts   02110

Item 2(c)     Citizenship:  Massachusetts

Item 2(d)     Title or Class of Securities:            Common

Item 2(e)     CUSIP Number:                           004816104

Item 3        If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b),
              or 13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:

(a) ( )       Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act

(b) ( )       Bank as defined in Section 3(a) (6) of the Act

(c) ( )       Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a) (19) of the Act

(d) ( )       Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment 
              Company Act

(e) ( )       Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the 
              Investment Company Act

(f) ( )       Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to the 
              provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 
              or Endowment or Endowment Fund; see 240.13d-1(b) (1) (ii) (F)

(g) (X)       Parent Holding Company, in accordance with 240.13d-1(b) (ii) (G)
              (Note: See Item 7)

(h) ( )       Group, in accordance with 240.13d-1(b) (1) (ii) (H)

Item 4.       Ownership

(a)           Amount beneficially owned:         185,506

(b)           Percent of Class:                  5.56%

(c)           Number of Shares as to which such person has:

                  (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:         185,506

                 (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:             0

                (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the 
                      disposition of:                                    81,366
                 (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the 
                      disposition of:                                   104,140


                               Page 4 of 4 pages


Item 5.       Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

              If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of
              the date hereof, the reporting person has ceased to be the
              beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of
              securities, check the following ( ____ ).

Item 6.       Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

              N/A

Item 7.       Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary
              which Acquired the Security being reported on by the Parent
              Holding Company.

              Exhibit A attached.

Item 8.       Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

              N/A

Item 9.       Notice of Dissolution of Group.

Item 10.      Certification

              By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
              belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
              ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the
              purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing
              the control of the issuer of such securities and were not
              acquired in connection with or as a participant in any
              transaction having such purpose or effect.

Signature     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge
              and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
              statement is true, complete and correct.

Date          February 13, 1997

Signature     /s/  Gunnar S. Overstrom

Name/Title    Gunnar S. Overstrom, Vice Chairman
              Fleet Financial Group