Father and Son Half-Backs

[MikeW]

Recently, I was asked if I would make someone a pair of half-backs for his 8 year old son, 16" in blade length, one rip, the other cross cut. This person had also had me make him a half-back, along with the set of Kenyon saws. So we used the Kenyon saws as inspiration.

Here are the Father and son half-backs.

It was fun to do...Take care, Mike

 

[Paul Chapman]

A bit more practice and you'll get the hang of saw-making, Mike (only joking :lol: ) Lovely, as always 8)

Paul

 

[Philly]

Nice! Must email this to my Dad...... :lol:
Philly

 

[Anonymous]

When I saw the title of the thread I thought it was to do with football
What amazes me is why the london pattern hadnle still looks "modern" even though its well old, I think its the neat flat area on the base of the handle??
Any chance of a close up of the wooden handle please Mike?

 

[MikeW]

Why sure, Mr. S.

The son's:

The Father's:

I have always like the London pattern. It's a nice touch. But then, I have owned few vintage handles I didn't like. I especially like the handle on my early Spear and Jackson rip. I keep waiting for someone to pick it for a handsaw. Same with my old Sorby...so many styles, so little time.

Take care, and thanks, you lot!

Mike

 

[superunknown]

Just stunning!

Nothing else to say.

 

[Anonymous]

Mike they are bloody superb

I am not very good at identifying wood; are the son's saw handles maple?
I doubt a brand new diston was as pristine as these. Thats one very fortunate young lad, who knows they might just get inherited by his son or daughter one day? I hope so, I do.

I got that meier blade, I also got a 6 inch x 1 1/2 inch plank of quite fine mahogany from a fire mantel piece-would that be any good as handle stock??
And I still have those "old nuts" in the garage :wink:
Cheers Mr Spanton

 

[MikeW]

Nola and Mr. S, many, many thanks for the kind words!

Nah, all nine saws I made for this person are from the same board of German Beech.

This is a case of my typical mess up with the camera. Shoot pictures all in a rush, get these and a few other orders packaged, get them to the Post Office at the last minute, get home, get the pictures off the camera and, in this case, notice several of the pictures were too "hot" to show much color.

The father's half-back is more representitive of the correct color.

Mahogany, especially old, fine-grained stock like you describe makes for wonderful handles. You've worked the stuff before I imagine. Lovely to shape and holds detail great.

If you have a saw with a handle near worthless, but is a pleasing shape to you, you can saw it in half to make a good pattern. Here's one I did for a Disston D-8 handle. Drew in the missing horn and lower bridge once the rest was transfered:

D-8 handle redo.

Take care, Mike

 

[Anonymous]

That photo sequence is very inspirational Mike.
You certainly have an extremely well developed sense of sculptural form, interesting that you hold the stock in your hands most of the time not so much in a vice or clamp. I like the little improvised Filing stop!
I am surpirised you just marked a centre dot for the nut holes, knowing what a pain it can sometimes be to reassemble a saw, and the holes need to match exactly, hats off to your drilling skill; I'd have temporily clamped the blade to the handle stock and used it as a templet guide cos sods law says I'd have got one of them (at least) out of line!!

good tip about sawing a duffer in half for a template! I've used my scanner and flooding on photo shop to do balck and white silohuette shapes
Cheers Mr Spanton

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thanks for that link to the D-8 handle redo, Mike. Very interesting and it shows just how much hard work you put into it :wink:

Paul

 

[MikeW]

That photo sequence is very inspirational Mike...

Well, [he says blushing] thank you.

I cannot remember what thread I put it into, but here is Phil's saw being made. I don't always hold the saw in my hands, depends on if someone is using both benches...Kris [my oldest son] and I can pretty much shape hung upside down while William pretty much desires to use a solid surface.

Phil's saw

And thanks, Paul--it is rewarding work. Makes it easy to go through a day. Tunes playing, me and the boys flinging the rubbish at each other [usually in jest]. Seems each day we decide on who is the "victim" for the day and that person gets the worse of it :lol:

Take care, Mike

 

[engineer one]

so now having wetted our appetite with individual saws, you are
now saying we have to obtain a family of them :twisted: :twisted: :lol:

mike your evil knows no bounds, and to be really nasty about it, you
make them so quickly too what is going on????

so which one did you use to cut the hand off the chicken that
was feeding the bear your pizza :? :twisted: :roll:

or is that a special with a newer kind of hen's teeth profile :lol: :lol:

paul :wink:

 

[MikeW]

...mike your evil knows no bounds, and to be really nasty about it, you make them so quickly too what is going on????

Hah. Some people do not think so...

Aside from the remainder of those 9, here's what else we did last week, or in the case of the lined up handles you'll see, what we will do, and more, this week:











We also managed to get 5 or 6 spec saws all but finished. Those are the hardest. For our friends to the north of us, we also need to get them a few more samples...

Take care, Mike

P.S. ... The one for the chicken's feet [hands, really <g>] is a special one. Not shown lest we scare away the bear. It's almost winter...

 

[mahking51]

Gosh Mike,
All those pics have really whetted my apetite! Can't wait to see my old saw.
Don't suppose you have a WIPpic of it do you?
regards
Martin

 

[Waka]

Martin

We should put in a collective order for some new ones, just while you're waiting for the table saw.

 

[mahking51]

Waka,
You are sooooooooooooooooooooooo bad!
Martin