Spear & Jackson Backsaw Handle.

[swagman]

A handle shape I have always wanted to work with.



What concerned me was the lack of ideal beam strength within the neck line specifically where it branches into the cheek. By taking advantage of some scope within the finger hole I was able to resolve that issue.

I now have a extra handle shape available in 3 sizes that I can later use.

Stewie;

 

[swagman]

Strength through the neck of the handle is best achieved through the use of directional long grain. By broadening the neck line I am now in a better position to achieve that. The bottom rail should now be in a better position long term to withstand the applied forces of the saw stroke. IMO

Stewie;

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Useful information Stewie, your research, endeavours and willingness to share your experiences make it easy for the rest of us.

David

 

[RogerP]

I insert a stainless steel rod right through, wooden plug and sand flush. Particularly reassuringly on open handles. Some are commercially made this way. Spear & Jackson did it with their "Unbreakable" range.

 

[swagman]

http://www.backsaw.net/forum/index.php? ... style.111/

 

[pedder]

Hi Stewie,

yes that is one nice handle. I made new handle for an old saw a few years ago using that pattern::

Ray was helping and scanned the handle for me:

More about that here: http://pedder-altedamenauskiel.blogspot ... aw%2012%22

One of my alltime favorites.

Cheers
Pedder

 

[D_W]

Spear and Jackson made really nice handles a lot of the time on relatively pedestrian saws. I can't see the problem from the pictures if the grain is oriented correctly, but I have seen some older handles that don't have a lot of continuation.

I wouldn't want to drop them...which is where my real fear comes in with handles. I've never broken a handle in use, but I have broken tool handles probably 4 times in the last 10 years dropping things or getting careless when doing something other than using the tools.

Nonetheless, Stewie, I'm sure you'll make a nice handle of that style. If anything, I think the lamb's tongue could use some help as it gets too thin too quick and doesn't have the liveliness in proportion that an actual tongue would have. In fact, the original is downright chunky, but it was probably made to a price or at a given rate per day.

The only shame I can think of with the older spear and jackson handles is that the beech is often dry rotted somewhat.

 

[swagman]

Hi Stewie,

yes that is one nice handle. I made new handle for an old saw a few years ago using that pattern::

Ray was helping and scanned the handle for me:

More about that here: http://pedder-altedamenauskiel.blogspot ... aw%2012%22

One of my alltime favorites.

Cheers
Pedder

Hi Pedder. It is indeed a woderful handle shape. I agree with your comments regarding the extra screw being unnecessary.

Enjoyed your post.

regards Stewie;

 

[swagman]

Spear and Jackson made really nice handles a lot of the time on relatively pedestrian saws. I can't see the problem from the pictures if the grain is oriented correctly, but I have seen some older handles that don't have a lot of continuation.

I wouldn't want to drop them...which is where my real fear comes in with handles. I've never broken a handle in use, but I have broken tool handles probably 4 times in the last 10 years dropping things or getting careless when doing something other than using the tools.

Nonetheless, Stewie, I'm sure you'll make a nice handle of that style. If anything, I think the lamb's tongue could use some help as it gets too thin too quick and doesn't have the liveliness in proportion that an actual tongue would have. In fact, the original is downright chunky, but it was probably made to a price or at a given rate per day.

The only shame I can think of with the older spear and jackson handles is that the beech is often dry rotted somewhat.

Strength through the neck of the handle is best achieved through the use of directional long grain. By broadening the neck line I am now in a better position to achieve that.

Hi David. I did cover the importance of grain orientation within my previous comments.

It may not be obviously clear from the drawings, but the shaded area on the underside of the bottom rail does form part of the lambs tongue shape.

regards Stewie;