# Handsaw ID help!!



## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

Came across this old saw at a yard sale. Couldn't resist! The old style domed sawnuts grabbed my eye immediately. There is some evidence of a stamp on the plate, but it's 90% gone and what's left is totally illegible. The handle is beech and aside from the sheared-off top horn is in great shape. 





























My guess is Spear & Jackson, but that may just be because I don't know any better lol

Anybody have a clue?


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Can you make out a shape of a logo? So if you found a better example you could match the generAl shape?


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

Upon closer inspection, i can make out the letters CLARK (not sure if alone of part of a longer name) in what would be the downward side of an arc, like this: 








It won't show up in a picture, unfortunately. 

I'm pretty sure that's correct, anyway. The K could be an H maybe? Or something else? I've only scraped it in that area to look for an etch or stamp. When I get time (hopefully this weekend) I'm going to carefully sand it with 600 grit & some WD, see if that will reveal anything else. 


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Um I'll check out a few books. It's a place to start though


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Is that a London pattern handle?


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Maybe not


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

I don't think so. There's no lamb's tongue. It resembles a Disston 16 in shape & nut layout, and has the same tight notch at the top. 


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## Hackberry (Jul 4, 2013)

Try a razor blade for heavy rust and a scotch brite type pad before 600 grit sand paper. The sand paper will definitely remove metal and any engraving.


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Yeah mAy not be London style I have seen pics of London style handles without the lambs tongue not many.They have a bigger Cheek and the cheeks are rounded as well, I believe, right?


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## mavawreck (Nov 26, 2011)

Not sure, pretty cool saw though.

I'm seeing domed nuts, nib, stamped tooth count, no medallion....that has to fit the description of someone.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

I don't think it is Spear and Jackson they liked to put medallions on their saws with a crown and S J, the crown was the emblem of Spear and Jackson.
They did buy out a lot of firms and would keep the name going.The firm IMO where the English version of Disston and they emulated them a lot.
When Disston introduced the clumpy handles on their saw S+J where right behind them with it.

As to London patent saw handles I only Know them on back saws with a open pistol handle and the bottom of the grip shaped like a dolphins tail. The bottom of the grip was changed to being flat and they where called London patent the only reason they did that IMO is because they where cheaper to produce.

I hope you don't mind if I talk about the saw itself, when you look at the teeth it has a pattern that some people call big Cow little Cow I`ve also heard it called big Elephant little Elephant. What is meant by this is you have a big tooth followed by a small tooth followed by a big tooth and it can go all the way down the saw.

If this is the case then even if the teeth are sticky sharp it means that the saw is only 50% efficient as only 50% of the teeth are ever in contact with the wood and can be extremely frustrating when you try to use the saw.

I`v seen this caused when a saw is changed from crosscut to rip but that dose not mean thats the only cause of it.To bring the saw back up to snuff you really have to be bold when you joint it, but that's OK for me to say but when I first sharpened a saw I had a Journeyman standing at my shoulder telling me and showing me what to do and I was still nervous of getting it wrong so I can understand any one on their own being reluctant of being bold.

So if you have to joint it twice, then joint it twice. This is how I do it I joint the saw first and then I don't go from one end of the saw to the other,I look for the teeth with the biggest jointed flat top and the widest base and will take a few strokes from the cutting edge of the tooth (the front of it ) then move to the next widest tooth some where else on the saw and again and again.

By doing this you are actually moving the teeth on the saw little by little and you cant sharpen one tooth more than another because the jointing line is the cutting line of the tooth.

Tooth after tooth the saw starts to come into line if you don't get it right first time don't worry just joint it and start again but check you joint line with a straight edge, there is no better feeling than when you can strum you fingers along that edge, sticky sharp, enjoy it , its a hobby , have fun,Billy.


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

Thanks for the advice Billy. I did notice the big tooth little tooth thing going on & wondered how it could happen. I thought maybe it was a result of sharpening without jointing. 


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Try rubbing the area of the maker's mark with some oil. Use enough to get rid of the matte appearance. Then with strong but very low angle lighting, you might get a better look at it.


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

The nibs went out of style on the 30's. I think?


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

I'll give that a shot, Robson. It's not etched though, it's stamped. It may have been stamped unevenly I guess, since ~half of it is completely gone. 

NBO I think you're right, nibs did go out in the 30's. I also believe the domed-style saw nuts went out with the issuance of Glover's patented modern style saw screws in 1887. 


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