Thread: Triangular needle files for sharpening dovetail and gent's handsaws

Originally Posted by IanW

Paul, I think the term "gent's saw" originated in Britain, probably more specifically in the English counties and well before 1916. It seems to have been adopted quite late in Nth America, some time in the latter 20th C, so it's not surprising to me that they are not referred to as such in your Simonds catalogue. I have seen the term used for tools in literature that predates that catalogue by about 100 years. There is a brief discussion in this book published by Gutenberg press (you'll need to scroll down a few screens worth).

Somewhere, can't remember where, I've read a discussion on the origin of "gentlemen's" tools. Apparently, it was acceptable & even fashionable for "gentlemen" (especially in Victorian times), to take up hobbies including light woodwork such as marquetry & inlay, after all, they needed something to occupy themselves whilst others earned a living for them. Nothing too taxing, of course, so the tools tended to be both dainty & at least in some cases, a bit more decorative than tools meant for the sweaty & uncouth for real work .....

Cheers,

Ian

Looks like you are on the money again with the pome connection. This is from Spear & Jackson's 1923 catalogue:

Spear and Jackson gents 1923 catalogue.jpg

The delicate nature of Gent's saws seems to be reflected in the sizes available. 4" to 7". I have a 1915 catalogue that offers the same No.154 in 4" to 8" blades. This contrasts significantly with the American offerings, which start at around 6" and go right up to 12" Not so many "gentlemen" in the US.

Regards
Paul

Paul, the first saw I bought specifically for dovetailing and fine work was a generic brand, 'knife-handled' saw with a rather pathetic thin steel back. That was in the early 70s and it wasn't called a "gent's saw" as I recall - I didn't see that term used until quite a bit later on. The blade was about 50mm wide x 200 long and toothed at ~16tpi. It was quite a good little saw & I used it for 3 or 4 years until it became so dull I just had to get it sharpened (I was still years away from attempting to do it myself!). The local hardware store advertised they did saw-sharpening so I took it there and the result was an order of magnitude worse than my own first attempt!

Eventually, I discovered there was an old saw-doc just down the road from where I lived who was able to resurrect it, but in the meantime I had splashed out on my first brass-backed Tyzack & it had become my 'go to' dovetailer.
But I kept the gent's saw, and eventually, it donated the blade for my first-ever attempt at saw making:

First attempt.jpg

Excuse the funny saw bolts, that was long before my mini lathe and so I used some bookbinders bolts (later replaced with slightly more convincing hardware).

So that's essentially where my 'real' saw education began. I am astounded at how little I knew back then & am surprised that my first attempt turned out quite a decent little saw. I've learnt a little bit more about saws & saw-making since, but realise I still have many "unknown unknowns".....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

Paul, the first saw I bought specifically for dovetailing and fine work was a generic brand, 'knife-handled' saw with a rather pathetic thin steel back. That was in the early 70s and it wasn't called a "gent's saw" as I recall - I didn't see that term used until quite a bit later on. The blade was about 50mm wide x 200 long and toothed at ~16tpi. It was quite a good little saw & I used it for 3 or 4 years until it became so dull I just had to get it sharpened (I was still years away from attempting to do it myself!). The local hardware store advertised they did saw-sharpening so I took it there and the result was an order of magnitude worse than my own first attempt!

Eventually, I discovered there was an old saw-doc just down the road from where I lived who was able to resurrect it, but in the meantime I had splashed out on my first brass-backed Tyzack & it had become my 'go to' dovetailer.
But I kept the gent's saw, and eventually, it donated the blade for my first-ever attempt at saw making:

First attempt.jpg

Excuse the funny saw bolts, that was long before my mini lathe and so I used some bookbinders bolts (later replaced with slightly more convincing hardware).

So that's essentially where my 'real' saw education began. I am astounded at how little I knew back then & am surprised that my first attempt turned out quite a decent little saw. I've learnt a little bit more about saws & saw-making since, but realise I still have many "unknown unknowns".....

Cheers,

Ian

That is a good demonstration of how "easy?" it is to transform a saw beyond all recognition. I suspect you would have been well pleased with yourself and clearly it set you down a certain path.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

...... I suspect you would have been well pleased with yourself.....

Pleased, borderline smug!

Though sometime later I revisited it & made some necessary alterations...

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

...... and clearly it set you down a certain path.....

Yes....

Woodworking Tools 1600-1900-Peter C. Welsh.pdfWoodworking Tools 1600-1900-Peter C. Welsh.pdf
I started reading the excellent open source book that Ian linked to in Post #31 (above), but found the continuous single-page presentation onerous so went off and found a copy of the original book, which I hope that I've successfully attached to this message.

Being an open source Project Gutenberg publication, there are no copyright issues involved in publishing this book on the Woodwork Forums. Hope you enjoy the whole book as much as I am.