Bushmiller
18th August 2014, 09:43 PM
I recently acquired a number of handsaws, mainly Simonds, and amongst them were two Simonds saws that at first glance were beyond the pail. However, a second glance led me to believe they had potential. These are the two saws:
322687322672
The first saw, a No.8 1/2 had suffered the indignity of a painted handle in red. The second had fallen victim to a painter, whom I hope has a day job because otherwise he/she resides under a bridge somewhere. I believed this saw to be a No.72 or more likely a No.372.
Well, I could drag the saga out for ever, but nobody would read it so here is the No.8 1/2:
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And the No.372 (which it was).
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For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Simonds Saw Manufacturing Co, who made handsaws from about 1901 (no one is quite sure of their entry into the market) until they ceased handsaw production abruptly in 1926, they are one of the big four American saw makers along with Disston, EC Atkins and GH Bishop. Like Disston, they too had their own steel mills and were a huge enterprise.
Incidentally before the 1stWW Disston employed over 3500 workers.
The No.8 1/2 saw would have equated to a Disston D8 and the No.372 would have been a rival to Disston's D-12 or just for a while the D-115 and D-15.
I was pleased that the etches were present and quite prominent on both saws. The 372, which is one of Simonds' "Blue Ribbon" saws has all three etches. The Simonds etches seem to survive well, but annoyingly the number is often missing. It's positioning means it spends more time in contact with timber.
Not in this case. The 8 1/2 is virtually full depth and the 372 probably hasn't seen much timber as it was a "narrow" saw to begin with (Disston called them "ship point" and "lightweight.")
The handles are good with both featuring wheat carving and only minor scratches and knocks in keeping with tools approaching 100 years old. The 8 1/2 is probably 1914 - 1918 while the 372 is from their last period 1922-1926 judging from the medallion. The 8 1/2 didn't appear in the 1919 catalogue, but the medallion is from the late period. So either it was one of the last 8 1/2 saws made or the medallion is wrong.
Something I have found is that model lines through that era (not just Simonds) were inconsistent and anomalies abound.
For instance I have an Atkins 400 saw, which was their top of the line skewback. The Atkins 401 was supposedly their straight back version of the same saw. I have an Atkins 401, but it is a skewback the same as it's brother. Both have the number etched on the plate!
As a consequence I am reluctant to become too pedantic :wink:.
Regards
Paul
322687322672
The first saw, a No.8 1/2 had suffered the indignity of a painted handle in red. The second had fallen victim to a painter, whom I hope has a day job because otherwise he/she resides under a bridge somewhere. I believed this saw to be a No.72 or more likely a No.372.
Well, I could drag the saga out for ever, but nobody would read it so here is the No.8 1/2:
322675322676322677322674
And the No.372 (which it was).
322679322680322681322682322678
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Simonds Saw Manufacturing Co, who made handsaws from about 1901 (no one is quite sure of their entry into the market) until they ceased handsaw production abruptly in 1926, they are one of the big four American saw makers along with Disston, EC Atkins and GH Bishop. Like Disston, they too had their own steel mills and were a huge enterprise.
Incidentally before the 1stWW Disston employed over 3500 workers.
The No.8 1/2 saw would have equated to a Disston D8 and the No.372 would have been a rival to Disston's D-12 or just for a while the D-115 and D-15.
I was pleased that the etches were present and quite prominent on both saws. The 372, which is one of Simonds' "Blue Ribbon" saws has all three etches. The Simonds etches seem to survive well, but annoyingly the number is often missing. It's positioning means it spends more time in contact with timber.
Not in this case. The 8 1/2 is virtually full depth and the 372 probably hasn't seen much timber as it was a "narrow" saw to begin with (Disston called them "ship point" and "lightweight.")
The handles are good with both featuring wheat carving and only minor scratches and knocks in keeping with tools approaching 100 years old. The 8 1/2 is probably 1914 - 1918 while the 372 is from their last period 1922-1926 judging from the medallion. The 8 1/2 didn't appear in the 1919 catalogue, but the medallion is from the late period. So either it was one of the last 8 1/2 saws made or the medallion is wrong.
Something I have found is that model lines through that era (not just Simonds) were inconsistent and anomalies abound.
For instance I have an Atkins 400 saw, which was their top of the line skewback. The Atkins 401 was supposedly their straight back version of the same saw. I have an Atkins 401, but it is a skewback the same as it's brother. Both have the number etched on the plate!
As a consequence I am reluctant to become too pedantic :wink:.
Regards
Paul