Handsaws

[bc.gold 3,403]

 formariz in a recent post you made there was a fair number of handsaws in a rack, two things came to mind. Do you play any saw music and do you collect the badges with the makers mark from handsaws beyond repair.

 

 

 

[jay bee 896]

@formariz is a Journeyman Woodworker by trade and I'm sure that accounts for all the handsaws.

[bc.gold 3,403]

9 minutes ago, jay bee said:

@formariz is a Journeyman Woodworker by trade and I'm sure that accounts for all the handsaws.

 

In some arena's calling a master craftsman a journeyman would be construed as an insult.

 

journeyman Wikipedia

A journeyman is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee. They earn their license by education, supervised experience and examination.^[1] Although journeymen have completed a trade certificate and are allowed to work as employees, they may not yet work as self-employed master craftsmen

Edited May 29, 2020 by bcgold

[formariz 11,987]

I don't play so called music on them, although I can make them sing with my right thumb while twisting the other end. One does that to get an idea of the quality of the steel in them.

I don't collect the badges, actually they are called Medallions. Those should never be discarded when you find them since they can bring up to $30.00 each sometimes depending on how rare they are. Saw collectors are always looking for them to replace missing ones. They are one of the few ways to identify many saws and about when they were made.

I have and use quite a few hand saws, not exactly sure how many quite honestly. Not all of the are on that rack. Cross cut ones are mostly all sharpened differently specialized for different hardness woods, one of the reasons for the multiple saws. This mostly doesn't happen any more today but old handsaws sharpened to the end were not discarded. They were cut into pieces to make scrapers since they have excellent steel.

[formariz 11,987]

15 minutes ago, bcgold said:

 

In some arena's calling a master craftsman a journeyman would be construed as an insult.

 

journeyman Wikipedia

A journeyman is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee. They earn their license by education, supervised experience and examination.^[1] Although journeymen have completed a trade certificate and are allowed to work as employees, they may not yet work as self-employed master craftsmen

Could be, however I am not insulted by it whatsoever. I have been a life student of this craft and will continue to be to the end. Its my job, my hobby, and my passion and I always enjoy every second of it regardless of what one calls it. Heck, my wife always says I am a Carpenter to everyone. She stated once to someone complimenting me on what I knew,  " he is a walking encyclopedia of useless information".Got to love her!

Edited May 29, 2020 by formariz

[bc.gold 3,403]

17 minutes ago, formariz said:

They were cut into pieces to make scrapers since they have excellent steel.

 

I've heard of people putting an obsolete air compressor back into service by cutting out new reed valves from a handsaw.

[squonk 41,035]

8 hours ago, formariz said:

Could be, however I am not insulted by it whatsoever. I have been a life student of this craft and will continue to be to the end. Its my job, my hobby, and my passion and I always enjoy every second of it regardless of what one calls it. Heck, my wife always says I am a Carpenter to everyone. She stated once to someone complimenting me on what I knew,  " he is a walking encyclopedia of useless information".Got to love her!

You are an "Encyclopedia"     I am a "fountain"  

[tom2p 2,394]

10 hours ago, bcgold said:

 

I've heard of people putting an obsolete air compressor back into service by cutting out new reed valves from a handsaw.

that be heckuva reed ... don't recall a reed with that thickness 

 

( but I have not checked out any old compressors ) 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

1 hour ago, tom2p said:

that be heckuva reed ... don't recall a reed with that thickness 

 

( but I have not checked out any old compressors ) 

 

The Disstonian Institute", which was put together by Erik von Sneidern as a "non-commercial website intended to be a resource for people interested in Disston handsaws. Apr 13, 2014 · Disston handsaw restoration. We also make compressor valve plates for all makes and models of reciprocating compressors.

[bc.gold 3,403]

12 hours ago, formariz said:

I don't collect the badges, actually they are called Medallions. Those should never be discarded when you find them since they can bring up to $30.00 each sometimes depending on how rare they are. Saw collectors are always looking for them to replace missing ones. They are one of the few ways to identify many saws and about when they were made.

 

I've always found them interesting and always save them from any old saw I find,

 

 

 

[formariz 11,987]

14 minutes ago, bcgold said:

I've always found them interesting and always save them from any old saw I find,

Should also take a good look into the saw before discarding it. Some are rather rare and pricey. Funny, most people do not think old saws being a valuable item and one finds them thrown around all the time everywhere.They would be surprised of their value. I once came across one painted as decoration on a craft show selling for about $30.00. That one was actually more like a $300.00 dollar saw had he known and not altered it.

[bc.gold 3,403]

Early American Disston's.

 

Disstonian Institute Quick Glance Guide to Disston Handsaw Models

 

I once sold a large Mercury Disston two man chainsaw with a very long bar which had the Henry Disston and Sons logo on the bar, unfortunately someone had cut and shortened the bar and re-welded it together at the location of he logo.

 

The carburettors on the first chainsaws made used a float and needle valve, you could not operate the engine in any other position other than upright. To compensate for this  the saw manufactures made it so the bar and  chain could be unlocked and re-positioned for felling.

 

The Tillotson carburettor a marvellous invention changed the world forever with its all position diaphragm carb.

 

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by bcgold

[bottjernat1 2,190]

A good friend of mine who is alot younger then me is a chainsaw and saw collector showed me one of these not to long ago. Has anybody ever seen a gas powered skill saw? I hear they are pretty rare!

[wh500special 2,160]

My dad and grandpa never let an old handsaw go by at an auction without at least taking a crack at it. 

 

My skills with the little carcass saws and similar are getting better, but I still have a long way to go.  There is something innately gratifying to manually cut a piece of wood with a handsaw.  Every year at the woodworking show I play with the expensive little saws at the Lee Valley store and try talking myself into pulling the trigger.  They have a couple that seem to be made for my hand.

 

The gas circular saw is interesting.  I can see that being quite handy but I bet it was crazy expensive when new.  But wouldn't the blade spin the wrong way if directly coupled to the engine like that?  Maybe it has a gearbox on the other side or something.

 

Steve

[formariz 11,987]

4 hours ago, wh500special said:

My dad and grandpa never let an old handsaw go by at an auction without at least taking a crack at it. 

 

My skills with the little carcass saws and similar are getting better, but I still have a long way to go.  There is something innately gratifying to manually cut a piece of wood with a handsaw.  Every year at the woodworking show I play with the expensive little saws at the Lee Valley store and try talking myself into pulling the trigger.  They have a couple that seem to be made for my hand.

The ancient venerable handsaw is probably the most under rated and neglected woodworking tool ever.Personally I don’t know what I would do without them. It would be like missing a hand. A few years back a friend bought a countertop at Home Depot and called in a panic that it was about 3 inches too long and he did not have a circular saw to cut it. Told him I would stop by after dinner which he found odd. So sure enough after dinner I stop by carrying my dividers and a handsaw to his dismay. Told him not to worry and proceeded to scribe it to the wall and cutting it with the handsaw all in less than 15 minutes. No noise, barely any dust and no drama.

 There are hundreds of great handsaws out there for almost nothing. The secret is to learn how to sharpen them. Not knowing or having access to someone who does it is one of the reasons why they get discarded.