Slack Sellars & Co. No.95 saw question

[Daryl Weir]

Hello All,

This will be my first post here so I'll introduce myself. My name is Daryl Weir, I live in the U.S. and have been restoring and collecting vintage hand saws for quite a few years now. I'm more knowledgeable on the U.S. made saws and less so on the British made saws. I own Erv Schaffer's "Hand-Saw Makers Of North America" but have never purchased "Hand-Saw Makers of Britain" which I probably should. My interest has mainly been saws from this side of the pond, so I guess that's my excuse for nut buying it!

I placed a question on woodnet where I have posted for quite a few years now (hope this is allowed here) and was directed to this forum by an individual for some possible answers. I was asking the age of a Slack Sellars & Co. No.95 26" rip saw. I found some information that they manufactured saws up until 1963 but found little on the models they produced or any timelines. The saw in question features a cover top beech handle, much like the Disston D8, but unlike the D8 has a straight back with a nib. It has a very good taper grind on it and filed quite well when I touched it up. The edge measures approximately .040" along it's length, .021" at the back edge at the point, .030" in the middle of the back and .040" were it enters the handles nose.

My initial guess on the manufacturing date would be from the 1950's, would I be close in that assumtion?

If anyone has any catalog pictures or information it would be greatly appreciated.

Take care,
Daryl

 

[tobytools]

Hello All,

This will be my first post here so I'll introduce myself. My name is Daryl Weir, I live in the U.S. and have been restoring and collecting vintage hand saws for quite a few years now. I'm more knowledgeable on the U.S. made saws and less so on the British made saws. I own Erv Schaffer's "Hand-Saw Makers Of North America" but have never purchased "Hand-Saw Makers of Britain" which I probably should. My interest has mainly been saws from this side of the pond, so I guess that's my excuse for nut buying it!

I placed a question on woodnet where I have posted for quite a few years now (hope this is allowed here) and was directed to this forum by an individual for some possible answers. I was asking the age of a Slack Sellars & Co. No.95 26" rip saw. I found some information that they manufactured saws up until 1963 but found little on the models they produced or any timelines. The saw in question features a cover top beech handle, much like the Disston D8, but unlike the D8 has a straight back with a nib. It has a very good taper grind on it and filed quite well when I touched it up. The edge measures approximately .040" along it's length, .021" at the back edge at the point, .030" in the middle of the back and .040" were it enters the handles nose.

My initial guess on the manufacturing date would be from the 1950's, would I be close in that assumtion?

If anyone has any catalog pictures or information it would be greatly appreciated.

Take care,
Daryl

Welcome to the forum, I'm sure your find the answers to the questions you seek, sadly not from me. There are many knowledgeable.
You might be a manner already but backsaw.net is a good site for saw lovers
Thanks
TT

 

[Harbo]

Found this another site

"Thomas Slack and William Sellars, of Sheffield, established Slack, Sellars & Co. in 1857 - a successor firm to Slack, Sellars & Grayson, which dated back to, at least, 1833 (possibly 1830). The firm became a Limited company in 1905 and continued in business until, at least, 1960. They were located in Townhead Works, first on Townhead Street then on Lancaster Street. So, yes, they were a reputable Sheffield firm with a long tenure."

http://www.diomedia.com/public/;jsessio ... tails.html

There's quite a lot on Goggle - No knowledge of them myself though the logo seems familiar?

Rod

 

[TobyC]

Hey Daryl,

Welcome to "the other side", I got nothin' but I'm sure someone here can steer you in the right direction. It looks 1950-ish, give or take 10 years, but that's just based on the handle and on what other saw makers were doing at the time. Nice saw! :mrgreen:

 

[Evergreen]

Hi Daryl

I have a "Speed" tenon saw made by Slack Sellars and Company that I bought new in 1970. The blade and brass spine are excellent but the original beech handle was uncomfortable and downright ugly so I replaced it some years ago. I've always kept it as my "best" tenon saw.

So, at least one model in their range of saws was still available as late as the 1970s but it was quite rare and I never saw any others for sale. I got the impression that the line was petering out.

Yours looks a very nice saw, by the way.

Evergreen