Thread: W. Chance Son & Co handsaws

I probably read the same thing ...
"All I have is that he was British maker with offices in New York. He had a warehouse on Bead Street in Birmingham.
I also found this:
William Chance, a merchant of Birmingham England 1777-1780 became Chance & Homer, then William Chance & Sons 1812-1821. He sold guns marked London. William Chance the 2nd, son of William, 2 Coleman Street Bldgs. London 1829-1842 became William Chance Son & Co. 1842-1856; then William Chance & Co. 1858. "

W. Chance gunmaker - The DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com

If you google for the name in quotes there are a number of references ...
Gunsmoke and Saddle Leather: Firearms in the Nineteenth-century American West - Charles G. Worman - Google Books

Need assistaince identifying old gun - The Firing Line Forums


A backsaw makes it into a Donnelly auction for next year ... https://www.mjdtools.com/ToolList.php?list=1069

So I'm guessing it was part of commissioned advertising/promotion.

Pictures please!

Cheers,
Paul

Munin,

If you post some photos of the condition of the blade and the handle with the rivetts some of the experienced restorers and saw makers may be able to offer more accurate advice.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Munin,

If you post some photos of the condition of the blade and the handle with the rivetts some of the experienced restorers and saw makers may be able to offer more accurate advice.

Here are some pictures of the rip saw as suggested. The no of teeth per inch is 5, with the teeth seemingly in good condition. The first picture shows the best side of the saw, with the medallion. The blue colour of the blade is also evident. I have scraped it with a steel scraper and there's very little rust left on this side. Details of the rivets are also shown.


WChance saw best side.jpg

Close-up of the etching:

WChance_etching.jpg



Some of the words are very faint. On the left they read: "Double refined", on the right " Cast Steel"

The reverse side has a lot more rust on it and any serious attempt at removing it would most likely also damage the blue colour.

WChance inferior side.jpg

Finally, the medallion with a bit of help from Brasso

WChance saw medallion.jpg

Munin

The saw looks to be as the medalion suggests a superior product even though the handle looks to be simple beech. It is a great looking saw and I would suggest it is well worth the effort to restore it and the style of inset medallion would suggest it has some age to it. Unless you are one of the "preserve the patina at all costs restorers" it is easy enough to re blue the blade using a gun blue product or kit. If you dont feel comfortable doing it, have it done by a gun smith. I look forward to seeing pics of the finished restoration.
All the best.
Jeff

It is so difficult to tell colour online ... but having seen a few I'm wondering if the 'blue' you are seeing isn't just the dark, stable 'rust' that develops on iron over time.

BobL has commented before and would know more than I do about it.

He has mentioned using electrolysis to clean saws ... which then exposes them to new rusting ... getting an even, light covering and then using Phosphoric acid to convert that to a stable oxide.
I'm not sure if that is the same oxide as accumulates over time.

For myself, I'd want to get rid of any red rust ... and check any of the areas that sit out from the saw plate.
Standard red rust is porous and doesn't prevent more rusting, so best to remove it.
You don't have to get down to bright shining metal.

In any case, keeping inside would be nice, and cover the metal with WD40, G15, Ballistol, ... to protect against more exposure.

Cheers,
Paul

Jeff, Paul,
thanks for your comments. I have learnt from posting the pictures on Backsaw.net that W Chance Son & Co was not a saw maker, but a trading firm commissioning the manufacture of tools (and guns) for export to the US and British colonies. The medallion also reflects this - it is a generic medallion used on such goods. The arrows within the engraving suggest that the saw was made in Sheffield, probably some time around 1850, so the saw is at least 150 years old, but to establish the actual manufacturer and how it found its way into the hands of my father-in-law will be difficult.
Since my post, I have cleaned up the plate - there was red rust hidden under some of the dark oxidation, so a bigger job than I thought. To remove some of it, I had to sand down to bright metal, but as suggested by Jeff, an application of gun blue has restored the appearance. There is no deep pitting. The saw's been jointed, sharpened and tested - it cuts very well.
I'm still working on the handle - the paint spots and the build up of grime have been removed, but there is a dark layer of a hard finish on both sides where the handle and plate meet which is hard to get rid of - possibly, the handle has been refinished at one point. I'd like to finish the handle with (linseed) oil and wax, as it is very dry where the finish has worn off - suggestions on how to finish the handle are welcome.
Living near the coast means that rust on tools is a perennial problem. Based on advice from a local mechanic who was skeptical to the rust prevention capability of WD40, I have been using Inox Lanox since it is readily available. I would be interested in trying Gilly Stephenson's Gun Polish, as it claims to protect both wood and metal.
I will post some pictures when the work on the saw has been completed.

Odd K.

Yes ... lanolin ... absolutely. I can't believe I forgot that one.

The lanolin I have is better suited to storage than daily protection I'd say ... but some people using tools often just use aromatic oils.

This stuff has been discussed before ... look for 'rust prevention'.

I think I've read a few posters finishing with Linseed Oil and then rubbing Bees Wax ... maybe search on 'handle finish'.

Cheers,
Paul

Here's an example ... BLO + Shellac + Wax

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f278/v...ml#post1739287

Originally Posted by pmcgee

Here's an example ... BLO + Shellac + Wax

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f278/v...ml#post1739287

Thanks, Paul. I quite like the warm colour this poster on Lumberjocks.com has achieved with BLO, oil-based varnish and turps, followed by wax, on a restored beech handle; I don't want to obliterate all traces of previous use, though.

The Restoration of a 14" Tenon Saw #4: The Finale - by Brit @ LumberJocks.com ~ woodworking community

Odd K.