Any info on this old Spear & Jackson handsaw?

[carpenteire2009]

I picked this old S & J handsaw up during the week; I bought it along with two other saws (one S & J ""Workshorse" and another unmarked saw, both 22") for €15 in total. This saw is in reasonable condition, certainly a good user once cleaned up and sharpened. Any ideas on its vintage? It has a good etch which reads " Made by New Process- Spear & Jackson- Warranted Silver Steel Sheffield 88B". Included in the etch are the following instructions: "If possible set with a hammer instead of a plier saw set" and "Extra high temper, set points of teeth only, reset frequently". The heel is stamped "6 PTS". There is a paper disc label under the brass medallion, very worn and illegible. This saw has two broken teeth and badly needs a topping anyway as the tooth line is very uneven. After cleaning up the plate I intend to top, shape, sharpen and set in the original 6 point configuration. I have a suitable Somax sat set which I'd be happier to use in setting as I've no experience using a hammer and punch for setting teeth. Is this advisable or should I heed the maker's instructions? I'm a novice in saw sharpening terms, having only sharpened 6 handsaws to date but I'm reasonably confident of my abilities. Any info on dating this saw much appreciated, thanks.

 

[bugbear]

After cleaning up the plate I intend to top, shape, sharpen and set in the original 6 point configuration.

I would recommend topping prior to cleaning - it's much easier to clean a plate with blunt(ed) teeth.

BugBear

 

[Cheshirechappie]

From the photographs and description, that's a very good saw. The handle shape suggests 20th century, and not early 20th. The number 88 is the one S&J used for their top-of-the-range handsaws post-war, so I'll guess at a late '40s or '50's date - they started using the horrible modern handle shape in the '60s.

Silver Steel is something I've seen on other saws. I've a couple of Tyzack Sons and Turner plc saws bought new in the mid '80s, and one of those is endorsed 'Silver Steel'. I'm not sure if it's a marketing ploy, or a reference to the type of steel often sold in the form of ground round bars. It's a 1.0% carbon steel with few additives, and hardens and tempers well. It is used by engineering types for all sorts of jobs - small cutting tools, locating dowels in machinery, crosspins and so on. I'm not sure that it's currently available in rolled sheet form, but as one of the things it can be made into is springs, it may well have been. It would make very good sawblades, harder than most modern sawblade steels, and comparable to the 19th century cast steels.

I think I'd have a go setting with the Somax, but aiming for a minimal set. If you do a couple of test squeezes at the heel end, where the saw doesn't usually do much work, a broken tooth or two will be least damaging (albeit unsightly). The saw will be taper ground, being a top-range saw, so it won't need much set anyway. Try for just a few thousands - about 1/4 of blade thickness or less - and test the saw. If it does bind, increase the set a tiny shade until it cuts cleanly. (Most saws have too much set when new - all that's needed is enough for a bind-free cut, and in dry hardwoods that's a lot less than many people assume. The less set, the narrower the kerf, and the less work the sawyer has to do.)

 

[carpenteire2009]

Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated. I look forward to cleaning up this saw and putting it to work!