# any info on walter cresson saw?



## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Hello just found this at the local flea market.Its a walter cresson 1XL saw it looks like a crosscut saw it has flem.I cant find anything on this saw found info on companey.can anyone help with what kind of saw it is?anyinfo?I want to get the rest of the rust off and get some color back in the handle with boiled lind seed oil


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

What's the scale of the saw? I can't tell from the pictures. How long is it, etc?


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

its 14" long 3"tall at tallest part,has no spine


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

This is a new one for me and very interesting. The saw looks quite a bit like the saws shown by Moxon. Apparently Cresson was a craft style / low volume saw maker and his saws are pretty cool.

I will be doing some additional research on this.

In the mean time have you seen: http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUS-saws/CressonW/tools/saws/tableSaw01/tablePruningSaw-01.asp


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Yes I was just on that site I did a image search on w cresson only and looked till I found one like mine found it it took me to that page its a tablesaw,yes atable saw to cut table tops oval ones thats why it has a slim profile thanx thats a greatsite I guess its uncommon saw someonelooking at it was hoping he would put it down and he did and i got it for 3bucks


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Man... 3 bucks? I'll take that deal any day and twice...


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Sorry to disagree with the guy in Fire medics link but a table saw is a shipwrights saw and its not for cutting tables out.
The reason its called a table saw is lost in time,I do have a theory and I must admit it is a lose one but I`ve never heard of another.

When a Shipwright lofts-man lays a craft out on the scrive boards he uses what's called a table of off sets to obtain the shape of the craft.
When he has all the shapes he needs he makes templates of them on battens 1/4" thick by 4" wide,he then has to cut the sweeping shapes out of the battens,the table saw being not high at the toe lets him twist the saw to follow the sweeping lines.

Disston also made a saw with a narrow toe that was also called a ships saw and I think it was for the same reason.Today's modern Lofts men Use jig saws to cut this shape so the saw has lost its use.

Any way thats my theory and I`m stuck with it.Billy.


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Who is right not sure.the nuts are not the threaded nuts.i guess I shouldnt take it off?the handle is loose but the blade is straight


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

o you said they guy in the link sorry can ask what makes you think that?or how did you come up with that?


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

cms83 said:


> Who is right not sure.the nuts are not the threaded nuts.i guess I shouldnt take it off?the handle is loose but the blade is straight



They look like they might be split nuts holding the handle on. Look here at Tools for Working Wood to see a driver for them.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

cms83 said:


> o you said they guy in the link sorry can ask what makes you think that?or how did you come up with that?


The discussions on what was the reason for the table saws name and its function have been going on now for quite some time and in different places here is one link http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=193520&submit_thread=1#message

On the discussions I have seen most participants are convinced it was a shipwrights tool.Shipwrights as far as I know are not distinguished by there ability to cut tables out but the ability to lay out, pick up and transfer shapes of any form or design.

When the shipwright lofts man starts to lay down a craft he has lists of numbers which help him get the shape of the craft in three different planes.These numbers are called the table of off sets,depending on the size of the craft the templates he makes can some times take three or four men to carry them.

The templates themselves are only a 1/4" thick and will have long sweeping shapes cut out of them this seams (to me at least)the ideal place to use the saw.The saws ability to cut these sweeping shapes could have lead to it finding its way into other craftsmen's tool boxes.

The situation today is that no one can say for certain why it is called a table saw or what its uses where.

Tim is right about it having split nuts my own experience with them is you can remove the split nut but the thread part of the bolt takes a lot of gentle persuasion to let go of the plate. Billy


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

thank you for taken the time to explain,I just like to take in the info not bein a wise guy.in your guys oppion is this a good user?plate is straight small crack on inside of the top part of the handle but not all the way through.I usually only take rust off and do a light cleaning on handle and a little boiled lind seed oil to bring the color back and sharpn it


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

and if user ill glue the crack


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

my saw is 14" long the saws on the link of the site you gave me had a link of pics of his saws,they look longer then mine.is 14" about average length?also my plate has a slight v in it ill take a pic off the plate


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

Here is the plate v and the crack also made the tool to take the nuts off and it worked, threads are flat on the bolt side, so I hope they tightn up ok we see whats happens


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Hi CMS your asking something now what you are calling a V is in fact called a nib and what it does and why it is there nobody truly knows, saw makers just kept putting it there through tradition.

The handle well just glue it and see if it holds, if it breaks you have a template anyway.Then all you would need is a coping saw a rasp and a scraper sure does look nice.A small spade bit filled and a handle fitted will make a good turn screw for the split nuts.

The blade you will know if it is good when you sharpen and set it loose to many teeth and it may have metal fatigue if it takes a good edge then you may have a keeper.Tim had a good thread here about sharpening and setting an old saw turned out good and looking at your saw it looks rip cut. Billy


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Found that thread by Tim here it is.http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f11/disston-12-saw-restore-47622/


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## cms1983 (Apr 25, 2012)

thats what I ended up donin was made a few cuts kerf with hack saw fine tuned with file it worked.The plate has alot of surface rust so maybe it wasnt flem maybe just the set.I hope it turns out good I really like the saw I allways wanted a earlly open handle.The saw looks like it didnt see much use but like you said the metal fatigue could be a issue I havent thought about that.the crack isnt all the way to the top So i hope it wll be good I like using the handles with all the history in em thank you chris


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