# Flea Market Score - Bailey No4 and Penn State Saw



## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Went to church today with my wife, not something I normally do, and God rewarded me with a flea market score afterwards. I got a Stanley Bailey No 4 type 18, circa 1946-47, for $12. A Penn State Saw Corp A-1 hand saw for $5 and some files for $4. The No4 and the saw are in extremely good condition.

Everything on the No4 seems to work smoothly. I took it apart and gave it a quick cleaning with mineral spirits and a green Scotch Brite pad. I would say 95% of the Japanning is there. Its not cutting thin ribbons yet, but I think it is a matter of adjustment and maybe the blade needs sharpening.

The guy wanted $22 for it, which I passed on and walked away. This guy sold me a broken craftsman no4 a couple of months ago, which I mentioned to him. I had not noticed it being broken when I bought it. Now I know to look at everything closely. (Side note, Sears replaced it for free.)

I went to another table and was looking at the saw. It looked in great shape and when I asked the guy what he wanted for it he said $5. Sold! He then said he hand a nice hand plane he sold to the other flea market guy for $5 and he wished he asked more. I said that guy wanted $22 now and I passed. He told me the tools were his grandfathers and he had no use for them. He was also selling a beautiful desk his grandfather made out of quartersawn white oak. The guy kind of wrecked it by cutting the legs off to get it out of his house. I didn't ask how much, I had no room for it. He said I should go back and offer $10 since I knew he only paid $5. I did and he said no. He countered at $12 and I bought it. I was happy

Anyone know how to date the saw? Is it older? I am not even sure if it is a cross cut or rip. I am new at the hand tool thing.

The files are all made in the USA. The round one and the large one are Nicholson, one is even marked "Bastard." Don't know what that means.

Anyway thanks for looking and I know this is a long one, but I was stoked about my find. I am still looking for a No7 or 8. I think the thrill of hunt and the I scored feeling is a rush in its self.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)




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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Nice finds Paul.

The plane looks nice and should be a good user.

I'm not familiar with the saw but my first impression is that it's not all that old. It appears to be a CC saw but it's pretty tough to tell firm a picture.

A bastard cut file is basically a rough cut file. It's the courses of the metal files.

Good find and good price! Gloat all you want!


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## joe bailey (Dec 15, 2011)

Hi Paul
A quick primer on saw tooth configuration. The often-used metaphor for woodgrain is a bundle of (drinking) straws. The straws would be oriented so that their length runs with the grain. The crosscutting operation must sever the straws, and so the saw teeth are filed with "fleam" or bevel so as to form a knife edge on the leading face of the tooth.
The rip saw has no fleam, and so the teeth basically form a series of tiny chisels which sequentially chip off the straw's length as you rip a board.

Have a look at the two drawings on this page.


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## Tools (May 30, 2012)

Nice!

I too am a sucker for quality brand files and chisels sold cheap at yard sales. I have a big bucket of both that just doesn't ever seem to stop growing :laughing:


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## SeniorSitizen (May 2, 2012)

Good find Paul.:thumbsup:

From the pictures we can almost be certain by the number of points the saw is crosscut. But anyone can always change that and a sure way to tell a crosscut is to sight down the cutting edge and we should see a " V " shape from the set and the way a crosscut is sharpened. 

So if we were to tip the end of the saw down about 60° and lay a needle in the V near the handle the needle would travel down the V completely to the tip and fall off. That is if it was sharpened right.

The needle won't do that with a rip saw because of the chisel teeth mentioned earlier.


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