This Saw I Bought

This saw popped up, popped out and I paid too much for it, bought it on eBay but when I saw the teeth, how bad they were, I thought, 'That's a good saw, maybe.'

The teeth were as rugged as the Himalayas, the largest peaks and troughs I ever saw in a handsaw, probably supposed to be 10 points per inch. Someone thought they could fix the problem of dullness by just using a big, flat file. He failed! Probably drove a road grader for his day job! He succeeded in filing out each tooth between each one. Some people are like that. The handle and plate were in decent restorable condition for reclamation of the whole saw though, so cutting in and filing new teeth is no big deal. I will grind them off, file the new line straight and then cut in new teeth at 10 teeth per inch or so. I have the simplest system for this.

Did I need another saw?

No, not at all. Not really, anyway!

So why did I buy it?

I will add it to my collection of short, vintage, user-saws from an era when the best saws were made and there was nothing prissy about them. Saws, where a man's hands refined them in the working of them for five decades, are so worth owning and using in the continuum of those who work wood by hand using hand tools. All the more is this so in the every day of life where I work. This saw size works well at the bench where room may be a little more restricted or if you are traveling in work. Not altogether good reasons for owning a few saws really but these saws are punchy, totally functional and they work great once you get used to the shorter length.

For new woodworkers not owning a decent hand or tenon saw I have posted on sharpening them and made a YT video to compare so-called premium saw maker versions with one of my favourite modern makes of saws which just happens to be a particular Spear & Jackson one. I use these S&J saws alongside my vintage ones and have done so for a decade to date with absolutely no issues. The thickness of the plate is just right, the steel takes and holds a good edge, and with minimal effort of about four minutes, the teeth can be settled to the perfection of the best of the best of today's handsaws. I still advocate for the Spear & Jackson saws (replete with the usual ampersand in the maker's name) even though they are nothing to do with the original S&J when saws made were indeed amongst the best of the best of British and America. Currently, for some strange reason, this saw is available on Amazon UK for £11.78 before VAT but with free shipping in the UK. That's half the usual Amazon price. It's comes sharpened for a crosscut but can be sharpened afresh for a ripcut in a few minutes quite simply. Buy two as I just did and have a rip- and cross-cut. Even at twice or three times the price they are well worth the money. I also refined the handles on one I own from earlier days and even though they are quite comfortable enough anyway, they can be improved for feel and looks. I rarely do this but here is the link to buy them at that price.

My next blog will show you how I made the changes to this vintage model to make it work.