Thread: Help needed with a Stiletto

I'm going to be really ignorant.
And ask why the wheat carving on saws
Is there some historical reason

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I'm going to be really ignorant.
And ask why the wheat carving on saws
Is there some historical reason

Mr. Murray, one of my 7th-9th grade shop teachers, said they were for grip. He also said not to buy any saw without a carved handle as the newer saws were garbage. This would have been about 1975 or so.

I was thinking grip
Rob. but thought na that's too easy
So maybe MR MURRAY was
Right
Saws hundred years ago were used a hell of lot more then, than now.

The odd thing about saw handles Matt is that they were not always carved. For example, if you look at the Disston brand, the early saws had no carving, but were all the same impressively elegant.

I think what happened was that the saw business was hugely competitive with an enormous amount of businesses producing hand saws. Success was all about marketing and making a point of difference. Disston was supreme at this. I am not exactly sure when the first carved handles appeared. I would have to research that one, but I would guess around the 1870s. Somebody might know off the top of their head.

I think realistically the wheat carving was like the nib and purely for decoration. Incidentally, some companies used carving other than "wheat." Atkins had a floral pattern, although I don't think it was applied by a carving process, and later on in the second half of the twentieth century Sandvik had their own style of decoration.

I think it is a big step of the imagination to think that the wheat carving offered any degree of grip. However, in a way, Rob's Mr. Murray was right in that any saw with carving was likely to be a better grade of saw. There was no point in adding production cost to rubbish.

It was one of my points with this Stiletto. All the trappings of an expensive saw are right there. Complex handle, nickle plated brass screws, wheat carving and tapered saw plate.

I don't think that tracking this one down will be easy, which is why I attempted to enlist the sleuths.

Regards
Paul

This is just an opinion, and nothing more than that. I've got a lot of saws with wheat handles....but....I think wheat was a way to adorn handles in such a way that didn't involve the skill that it takes to actually make a crisp looking handle that doesn't have wheat on it. Take a mid-late spear and jackson handle or groves handle and compare it to a handle with wheat. The handle with wheat pattern can be done entirely with machines, but not the english handle.

I don't know functionally whether or not they have a purpose (grip, etc).

No clue on the makers of the saw, but the stiletto brand is not too uncommon around here in the states.....but, where it's common is axes and hatchets. I bought a low-priced double bit kelly axe head not too long ago (vintage, of course) to handle it, and under the crud, it has a stiletto stamp.

I've never seen a stiletto etched saw in person, but I think the branding of it has some appeal, as opposed to writing "Craftsman" on something, which definitely does not!!

D.W.

I think you are quite right with the Stiletto name being quite common. There seems to be a range of goods around that reflect this. Much of it seems to be in the recent past and this is muddying the waters a little.

This is a link to the Stiletto Tool Co

https://stiletto.com/t-about.aspx

They started in 1849 and their current logo is the same as that on the saw sold on Ebay that I have highlighted above. It is possible that my saw is from that company, but from an earlier era, which would explain the difference in logo.

It also looks like the Bad Axe saw company has a saw bearing the name Stiletto but this is very modern. In fact it is their very latest model.

Bad Axe stiletto.jpg

I did try extensive searching through the net before posting here, but my limited abilities in the computing world did not produce results.

Regards
Paul

I fond this link https://stiletto.com/

can't copy and paste the company logo, but it looks remarkable similar to

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Stiletto No.8 sold 2.jpg

also https://www.survivalmonkey.com/threa...nd-saws.51990/

Thanks Ian for that link. It does in fact take me to the same place I linked earlier despite the different address. I copied the "About Us" page so that is why it was not immediately obvious.

I did see the saw above when I went to google images and my guess is that it is very modern judging by the handle shape and hole in the toe (why the hell do they do that? Did nobody point out the huge hole in the handle?) The interesting thing about that example is the logo is identical to the saw sold on Ebay by Jerry Oosting (one of the better sellers by the way).

Regards
Paul

Hi Paul

"my bad" as today's kids say. I took far too long to compose my response and you posted while I was still writing.

The hole in the toe -- note that it's elongated -- is so you can hang it on a single nail. hanging by the generally requires two nails


I also found these

[QUOTE=Bushmiller;1944922]It is very likely that the word "stiletto" conjures up a couple of images in the fertile imagination of the human mind.

My first thought was one of these because I learnt to ski behind one. A Swiftcraft Stiletto - great little boat.

Thanks Picko

Your imagination and mine are not exactly the same, but if I had had that information I would have used it too.

Regards
Paul

Ian

I know what you mean about the posts and having the glory removed while typing, but don't fret, that is a truly magnificent find.

On the second page the S8H looks like an exact replica of my saw: The only exception is the etch, which depicts the more modern version. As we know from other manufacturers the etches frequently evolved at least and sometimes changed completely.

Something that is very telling is the wheat carving on the flat of the handle: I have been cleaning up the handle this morning and I realised that the sprigs, if that is the right name, are two distinct pieces. Most times they are joined if you have a look at the three other handles I posted. Your advertisement replicates the two separate sprigs the same as my saw.

It also shows the same saw nut pattern and identifies nickel plated screws. The only question, to my mind, now is where these saws fit into the timeline.

Do you have the date of this advertisement? Their saws are clearly aimed at similarly numbered saws of the other manufacturers. So we have No.12s and No.8s for example.

I would guess from the prices that this was prior to America's entry into WW1.

Regards
Paul

While the sleuths were at work I cleaned up the saw plate and started work on the handle, but I have had to stop operations as a rainstorm has come through. Pix later hopefully.

I also sent an email through to the Pacific Hardware Co before I saw the advertisement to ask if they can supply any further information.

Things are a lot more hopeful now than when I first got up this morning.

Regards
Paul

The sawplate cleaned up quite nicely with no major issues. There is just a small amount of pitting at the toe:

Stiletto No.8 012.jpg

With the handle off there was an interesting mark at the top of the plate. A "4." It was quite common for various marks to be placed under the handle as that would identify the intended use for the saw as it was transferred around the workshop or in the case of Disston around the different sheds. Their No.12, for example, always has an "X" (it stood for Extra refined) stamped on the plate in the same position as this mark on the Stiletto.

Stiletto No.8 016.jpg

What did the "4" signify? Don't know. Four sawnuts? Several of their saws had four sawnuts so that would not have been enough to distinguish the model.

The 8ppi on the heel is also more visible now.

The tooth line needs some work:

Stiletto No.8 017.jpg

The handle was clamped in the vice and became a rain soaked casualty of the violent storm that came through so I am now waiting for it to dry out. I suppose one day I will get a shed with four walls instead of three .

Regards
Paul