Forum: Saw Identification and Discussion

Kitchen saw?

invalid@example.com (ilges71) — Sat, 09 May 2026 23:40:34 +0000

I have just received this saw.
I am thinking it might be a kitchen saw.
The logo is feint and incomplete but definitely Spear and Jackson c1850 as seen on page 545 of Simon's book.
The teeth cut on the push.
I am hoping someone might have access to a Spear and Jackson catalogue of that era, with an illustration to confirm the use.
My first new saw find for many years.
Thankyou
Graham View attachment 6664
Thankyou

BSSM - Additional info

invalid@example.com (Woodringer) — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:42:14 +0000

Hope this is the right place; I'm a newbie.
As a volunteer at a local charity I refurbish to a usable condition (as opposed to restoring to a collectable condition) donated saws for export to charities in Africa. However, in the course of that work I have found a number of vintage and antique saws which I hope to restore and sell to assist with running costs of the charity, as well as preserving something that might be of interest to enthusiasts. I have researched on genealogy sites (mainly...

BSSM - Additional info

Birmingham handle style?

invalid@example.com (David) — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:22:48 +0000

Here are three saws with a unique, simple notch detail on the top of their handles. Two of them are marked by Birmingham makers; Smith & Loome is at the top and Barnard & Perry in the middle of the photo. The third saw is unmarked. It has had some restoration on the top, but the notch detail existed before the work was done. I have not noticed this detail on any other saws which leads me to believe it may be unique to some Birmingham-made saws. Has anyone else noticed this detail...

Birmingham handle style?

old mystery backsaw

invalid@example.com (geojoe) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:19:46 +0000

Hello, A recent saw find intrigues me and I wonder if any of you might recognize the few marks I found. There is a stamped name but it is a weak/old stamp and I can only make out a few letters--not enough to put together a recognizable name. There is also what appears to be a faint anchor stamp above the name. The teeth are straight and sharp--a tiny bit of play in the handle. I think this is a very usable saw unless its vintage suggests otherwise.
All best,
Joe

A C17th & C18th Cripplegate sawmaking shop

invalid@example.com (shoarthing) — Mon, 12 May 2025 10:21:40 +0000

Below is a screengrab from the superb Obilby & Morgan survey (published 1676/7), than can be found, among the overlays, at: layersoflondon

Recent research suggests - strongly - that between <1693 - 1725 one shop/workplace in this exceptionally heavily-traffic'd locale was successively occupied by 3 Master sawmakers . . . . .
View attachment 6645

BLAKE and GEO BLAKE

invalid@example.com (shoarthing) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:13:00 +0000

Even the considerable researches of Geoffrey Tweedale, gathered in his 2019 Directory of Sheffield Tool Manufacturers, appear a trifle stretched by the BLAKE clan . . . here, with a saw focus, is a summary of what we know.

. . . I hope it may offer pointers to where & when in the family's activities the above stamps likely had their origin:

There are two plausible George Blakes:

George Blake (1) was baptised in 1790 at Sheffield Cathedral, son of Joseph & Hannah. His father, Joseph...

BLAKE and GEO BLAKE

Copley Dovetail saw

invalid@example.com (rob1713) — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 16:48:51 +0000

I thought I’d share this nice dovetail saw I picked up recently. Its in lovely condition and cuts nicely. The user made Mahogany sheath was a nice bonus.
Its marked COPLEY, OAKLEY SE . BS&SM list a number of London Copleys but this was address for Albert Copley until 1912 which I guess is about the date of this saw.

Steelhouses

invalid@example.com (shoarthing) — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 14:48:18 +0000

Hi - this is snipped from a 1732 Prospect of Birmingham, from the South-East . . . the twin chimneys along the furthest (Northern) edge are "Kettle's steel-houses" . . . in the right-ish mid-ground, in its little fenced domain by Cole's Hill Street, is: "Carlesse's steel-house" . . . all 3 have the tell-tale form of cementation furnaces, doing their roughly week-long thing.

View attachment 6642

Just 21 years later, this East Prospect by the Buck brothers - from a similar tho' not...

Steelhouses

F Constantine backsaw

invalid@example.com (geojoe) — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:41:38 +0000

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here. I've lurked about for some time and have greatly enjoyed this forum. This seems like a great group.

I have acquired a few backsaws--but there is one I really know nothing about and so far have not seen another near enough like it for comparison. It was kind of a "throw-in" in a group of tools I purchased from someone last year and has been hanging in my shop since.

It has the maker mark of F (I assume--part of the letter is gone)...

F Constantine backsaw

Dunwood & Co saw

invalid@example.com (Batman3000) — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 19:01:10 +0000

This is my new saw purchase. Not in great condition but I love the shape and feel of the handle. Anyone have an idea on the age of this Dunwoody & Co Sheffield steel saw please?

Moses and Eason dating help

invalid@example.com (Batman3000) — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 18:20:37 +0000

I was wondering if anyone would be able to date this saw please. The plate is in rough shape so I may replace it if it’s not that old. Thanks View attachment 6453 View attachment 6454

PONDER LONDON ie Stephen Ponder

invalid@example.com (shoarthing) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 16:08:01 +0000

Recently obtained is a long-neglected 14" brass-back saw, with a London pattern handle, secured via 2x 3/8" flat screws (apologies for vendor image):
View attachment 6636

Though Ponder is now known as a plane-maker; he was primarily a carpenter & builder; also operating plural businesses ranging from a sawmill to a trunk maker; from several addresses.

Ponder is recorded in London Land Tax records of 1822 (only: not 1821 nor 1823) at 31 Banner Street, St Luke's - a property controlled...

PONDER LONDON ie Stephen Ponder

Wade, Wingfield & Rowbotham

invalid@example.com (Barleys) — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 17:09:45 +0000

A mysterious R W & W backsaw appeared on ebay the other day, with a CastdotSteel mark below. I couldn't think at first who would put up such a saw – hardly a memorable "name" for marketing. But some time in the Sheffield library confirmed my hunch that this might be W W & R in an earlier emanation: R W & W was the order in which they listed themselves in the 1825 and 1828 directories, changing to the more familiar order by 1837.
Not surprisingly, this is a pretty beat up old thing, with a...

Wade, Wingfield & Rowbotham

Harrison

invalid@example.com (Charlie Earnest) — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 01:32:57 +0000

View attachment 6629 View attachment 6630 View attachment 6631
9" iron backed dovetail saw with a stamp that reads HARRISON GERMAN STEEL. This is the third Harrison I've managed to add to my collection, the others are a 19" brass backed tenon saw and a 26" hand saw.

Barnard-"Saw Plater"

invalid@example.com (Joe S) — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 11:54:32 +0000

Hey Ray et al
Every once in a while you get lucky. This little gem was purchased very recently off our favourite on line auction house and I'm surprised there wasn't as much interest as there was. The handle screamed early and yet there was nothing on the steel back. There was a very hard to decipher punch in the blade. Took a chance and this is what arrived. Close up of the stamp surely shows a stamp signifying the maker Barnard. He was new to me and more I looked into it I found in W L...

Barnard-"Saw Plater"

Manwaring

invalid@example.com (Charlie Earnest) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:11:50 +0000

View attachment 6626 View attachment 6627 View attachment 6628
A Manwaring dovetail saw that recently came into my possession. Very similar to another shown in a different thread.

F Brittain

invalid@example.com (lui) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 08:26:19 +0000

View attachment 6607 Hi All,

It's been 10 years since I've been on here, My collection of F Brittain saws has increased. Its not been possible to date or even put the medallions into any order, I've found this disappointing over the years.

However, one of my saws, (at the top in the pic) has the plate stamped with the words improved, clearly the newest of my collection. With this information it may be possible to look at handle shape and medallion depth and put an educated guess at...

F Brittain

I.H. Sorby backsaw

invalid@example.com (Wim Spijker) — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 17:47:46 +0000

I filed an I.H. Sorby backsaw for an acquaintance. In itself that went well. Only some of the teeth were already broken off. I have now filed them. The steel (Cast steel) is quite soft, so another tooth also broke off. This does not affect the sawing itself. The saw has 12 TPI.
This brand is an unknown brand in the Netherlands (we know mostly Slack Sellar and Spear & Jackson here).
So I started searching here, but I still can't figure it out. The history of I.H. Sorby is quite complex,...

I.H. Sorby backsaw

John Oldfield 9" London Spring Tenon Saw

invalid@example.com (Gareth) — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 19:32:08 +0000

Hi was wondering if anyone had any information the maker of this saw (its not mine by the way and i only have this photo for the moment). The marks are

JOHN OLDFIELD CAST STEEL WARRANTED LONDON SPRING

I cant find man Oldfield in the BSSM or the update. I would have chalked it up to a secondary line but the marks indicated a high quality saw.

I did a quick search for john oldfield in the sheffield records ( I have no indication the saw was made in sheffield but i figured id play the...

John Oldfield 9" London Spring Tenon Saw

Howel

invalid@example.com (fred0325) — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 21:33:37 +0000

Hello all,

When I first started saw collecting there were one or two people who paid for saws what I paid for this and I thought "Which lunatic would pay that for a saw?" Well I have now become a fully certified member of the asylum!!!

And having got the saw there is an outside chance that it has been shortened. Which, if correct would be a bit of a downer. I say this because the blade of the saw at the handle end is not at right angles to the back. (See photo no.3).

This is the...

Howel