Ebay Droppings Thread.

[rob streeper]

Another Spehar saw from the same seller as the one above. Interesting in that the back is two pieces of brass riveted or pinned to the blade on each side. I Googled Spehar and a couple of places still carry links to the original site but all are now dead.

Spehar saw 2.JPG


Spehar Toolworks Custom Tenon Saw Maple Handle Like Adria or Lie Nielsen | eBay

[pmcgee]

https://web.archive.org/web/20101114...etailsaws.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20101114...com/index.html

[Bushmiller]

Is this R. Groves a nice saw or just a nice price?

Antique R Groves 14" Brass Back Tenon Saw | eBay

R Groves 14 inch backsaw.jpg

I think the Beech handle just lets the overall effect down a little, but that is a small quibble I suppose.

Regards
Paul

[rob streeper]

Brillo pad special or Scotch-Brite deluxe? I do like the three engraved/embossed/relieved screws.

[Heavansabove]

Is this R. Groves a nice saw or just a nice price?
I think the Beech handle just lets the overall effect down a little, but that is a small quibble I suppose.
Regards
Paul

Paul, is there something wrong with this? The handle looks new, the blade looks new, I can't recall ever seeing a vintage saw with plate like this. The back (mis-described for some reason) and the nuts may be the only original parts of the saw. Having said that, a nice job

Cheers
Peter

back from extended travel

[Bushmiller]

I agree Rob. If one is going to be screwed, that is the perfect way for it to happen . With the logo on each saw screw that really does speak refinement.

Regards
Paul

[Bushmiller]

Hello Peter

I know what you mean and as far as the plate is concerned I would suggest it is too good to be true and we know the saying there. There is at least one US Ebay seller who very frequently does this, but he is right up front and says it is a brand new 1095 steel saw plate.

Simonds #97, 12" 15 PPI X-Cut Back Saw, New Saw Plate, (inv995)

The issue, of course, is if you are trying to pass it off as original. I think the back may be original and the seller has taken advantage of the deep stamp to clean the brass vigorously and this has removed the majority of the blemishes. I do note that the brass has two splits in it from the folding process. I am assuming that happened 100 years ago. Having recently attempted to fold some brass very unsuccessfully I can relate to just how that happens.

The handle has just been poorly cleaned. I have seen Beech come up this way before where the ridgy effect from the relatively hard and soft growth rings shows up like a piece of Oregon (Douglas Fir).

The hardware is a treat, although I think it tends to make you obsess over that to the exclusion of other "issues." I think the pricing of this saw overall is excessive however. Once you are talking this type of money, prospective buyers are going to become very critical.

Regards
Paul

[goodvibes]

Paul, is there something wrong with this? The handle looks new, the blade looks new, I can't recall ever seeing a vintage saw with plate like this. The back (mis-described for some reason) and the nuts may be the only original parts of the saw. Having said that, a nice job

Cheers
Peter

back from extended travel

On the other hand the plate shows the marks of being heavily scoured with a coarse abrasive - I'm guessing a non orbital sander and 60 grit. So long as there is no pitting a bright finish can be acheived by aggressive means.

You would not expect to see that on a newly made replacement plate though. But if it is the original plate done that way its a lazy job. Why leave out the steps down to finer grit with a randomly orbital sander to take out the scratches before going to the buffing wheel?

[Heavansabove]

On the other hand the plate shows the marks of being heavily scoured with a coarse abrasive - I'm guessing a non orbital sander and 60 grit. So long as there is no pitting a bright finish can be acheived by aggressive means.

You would not expect to see that on a newly made replacement plate though. But if it is the original plate done that way its a lazy job. Why leave out the steps down to finer grit with a randomly orbital sander to take out the scratches before going to the buffing wheel?

Yes, I should have looked closer, such aggressive scouring not needed on a new plate, he must have been very aggressive because there is no pitting. Looking closer at the plate near handle, looks like some residual pitting.

[ian]

Is this R. Groves a nice saw or just a nice price?

Antique R Groves 14" Brass Back Tenon Saw | eBay

R Groves 14 inch backsaw.jpg

I think the Beech handle just lets the overall effect down a little, but that is a small quibble I suppose.

I think the back may be original and the seller has taken advantage of the deep stamp to clean the brass vigorously and this has removed the majority of the blemishes. I do note that the brass has two splits in it from the folding process. I am assuming that happened 100 years ago. Having recently attempted to fold some brass very unsuccessfully I can relate to just how that happens.

The handle has just been poorly cleaned. I have seen Beech come up this way before where the ridgy effect from the relatively hard and soft growth rings shows up like a piece of Oregon (Douglas Fir).

The hardware is a treat, although I think it tends to make you obsess over that to the exclusion of other "issues." I think the pricing of this saw overall is excessive however. Once you are talking this type of money, prospective buyers are going to become very critical.

I know collectors can get excessive, but nearly AUD $400 for a 14" tenon saw missing any etching? should we be looking for a similar saw with an etch but no stamp on the back?

In the light of the comments higher in the thread, I particularly like this bit (from the seller)

The saws are at the top prices because I take great care restoring them and, normally, it takes a week and a lot of sweat to restore a single saw. The restoration is done without use of any power tools as I like to keep saw original and prevent overheating saw plates. Saw handles are hand sanded and oiled (I don't like using varnished finish) and then lightly polished.

[goodvibes]

In the light of the comments higher in the thread, I particularly like this bit (from the seller)

The saws are at the top prices because I take great care restoring them and, normally, it takes a week and a lot of sweat to restore a single saw. The restoration is done without use of any power tools as I like to keep saw original and prevent overheating saw plates. Saw handles are hand sanded and oiled (I don't like using varnished finish) and then lightly polished.

Anything is possible I suppose.

I have gone the whole hog on refurbishing a rusty old saw plate (once, to see how far I could push it). With power tools it took me more than a day. I wouldn't do it again because A. the effort versus improvement ratio is way out of whack and B. If I ever had a saw which I perceived to be worth the effort I'd be concerned that with that much metal coming off to get rid of the stained patches it would be far too easy to concentrate on the discolored areas and end up with uneven thickness and ruin the plate.

I did once see video of a guy in Europe who makes accurate replica broadswords which are polished entirely by hand. It takes him THREE MONTHS to polish a sword; starting with a stroking a cold chisel along the blade to remove the slag and finishing with several days of long even strokes down the full length with his fingers in a felt glove. It was notable, bearing in mind the evenness concern, that whatever the stage of polishing he was at, every stroke covered the full length of the sword in one motion.

In the case at hand, however, I suspect the seller is taking the liberty of bullshitting us.

[lightwood]

All this time I've been telling people, "these old saws don't grow on trees"
Now I find out in NZ they really do actually grow on trees.


Peter

Kauri Saws | Trade Me

[NCArcher]

I think those saws are a bit over ripe.Should have been picked years ago.

[Twisted Tenon]

Vintage Stanley Baily No 5 Wood Plane & Other Small Plane - Rusty

Yep, some people are by nature optimistic.

TT

[Vann]

Dawn vice - "English made"

Solid English made six inch jaws Dawn vice | Trade Me

Cheers, Vann.