# Is this a type of pit saw?



## sdbranam (Apr 19, 2010)

Found a treasure at the flea market today. Is it some type of pit saw? 

















I thought pit saws were only two-man, with an additional handle (the box) at the end. This is a one-man saw, with what appears to be a tiller, and very large teeth. The teeth have an interesting filing on them, they appear to be shaped like rip teeth, but each tooth has the leading edge filed alternately, similar to a crosscut. No set to them. Is this perhaps a pit saw that was broken off?

My plan is to give it the Vintage Saws treatment and sharpen it up for ripping sections of applewood logs. I've been using a one-man crosscut, but the bigger the teeth the better!


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## Oak Tree Woodworks (Mar 25, 2010)

It looks more like a saw for cutting ice from a lake or river. Not really for wood.


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## Logger (Nov 26, 2009)

*saw*

I say ice saw also.


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

I would leave it as what it appears to be, a ice saw. I still agree that it is a treasure though.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I think it must be an ice saw too, but I would've never thought of that myself. I've never seen one before. Keep it though it'll come in handy with all this global warming going on. :icon_rolleyes:


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## Oak Tree Woodworks (Mar 25, 2010)

TexasTimbers said:


> I think it must be an ice saw too, but I would've never thought of that myself. I've never seen one before. Keep it though it'll come in handy with all this global warming going on. :icon_rolleyes:



Check out Ebay, category Collectables sub category Tool, hardware and Lock, sub sub category tools, sub sub sub cat; Carpentry, woodworking... then Saws... I have seen many and I imagine many are still listed. http://cgi.ebay.com/Collectible-Ant...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3efecf2d67

I just scored a nice old Stanley sweetheart No.5 Plane. a wee bit of surface rust but nothing detrimental


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## Ogee Fillet (Aug 20, 2009)

The ice saw in action. 



I fish the Great Lakes, and often see the old ice saws hanging in bait shops.
Hold onto it, it’s a very cool part of American history.


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## sdbranam (Apr 19, 2010)

Ah, well, too bad! Once I Googled ice saws, I was able to find several pictures matching this one.

I briefly considered removing the handle and using it to make a large frame saw like Adam Cherubini's, since the teeth are already pretty close to the required profile, but the video of the ice festival convinced me to keep it intact (I remember camping at Tobyahanna as a kid!). I will clean it up and put it in usable condition, never know when I might get a chance to try it in the wilds of Mass, Maine, or New Hampshire. Ice harvesting used to be big business up on the Kennebec river.

I do have a couple of two-man crosscuts in better shape, maybe I'll convert one of those to a frame saw. I'll just have to spent more time with the file.


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

That was a cool video. How would they keep the ice blocks from freezing into one big solid block in the ice house?


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## smithingman (Jan 8, 2010)

Sawdust,and lots of it. They layered the blocks and surrounded them with sawdust. The old icehouses used to have anywhere from 6" to 12" of sawdust in the walls also. A buddy of mine set up his blacksmith shop in one-he took a huge amount of sawdust out of the walls-it was a real problem being there's a lot of fire in a blacksmith shop.
Mark


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## bmaddox (Apr 8, 2010)

Yep Ditto!,..... Ice saw.


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## bigbo1234 (Feb 13, 2013)

I have the same saw, I really want to go cut some ice. I it it for $25 and thought that was too much. You can loosen the handle nut and turn the handle so its inline with the blade and hang it on a wall. That's where me sits until I need ice.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Yep, ice saw. Here is my pit saw - if you want a pit saw like this I had it custom made it Sheffield and they made a run of them when they did. It's about $500 shipped to the US.

You still have to make a box and have a black smith make a till for it. The other option is Frog Tools, it's a couple hundred cheaper and comes with a till and box... not sure of the quality though.


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