Simon has very generously made the latest updates and revisions to BSSM freely available for downloading. You can download it from http://www.backsaw.net/BSSM.pdf right click and select save as. Be careful it's over 550 Mb He has also given permission for the content to be made available in an on-line searchable form, I am working on a couple of different ideas as to how this could be acheived. My initial thoughts are a Wiki type of system, which could be revised and maintained on-line. All suggestions welcome, if you have any ideas as to what the best method might be. Many thanks to Simon for so generously making this resource freely available. Ray
Ray and Simon Thanks you both for providing us with not only ready information but to also provide it freely. Not everyone is so generous and it is certainly appreciated. A wiki type system would be fine as long as you have complete control of the content Ray. Misinformation is so rampant and checks and balances are so important. as always thanks Joe S.
Hello all, Why not have a sticky thread on here which will update the updates. At least it is guaranteed to be peer reviewed and it seems to have worked well for Bob's medallions "sticky". In my experience there are few new marks appearing nowadays, with most of the "new" ones being variants of an already recorded brand. And the only people who can alter the information posted is the originator and Ray. As long as chapter and verse of any research is provided (re a new mark) so that we can refer to it to verify it, I can see little wrong with the idea except that it will make a little more work for Ray and, of course another place to visit. Fred
Thanks Fred, I'll make it a sticky. Thanks Joe for the suggestions on the Wiki, I agree their needs to be restricted editing access. I'm setting up a small wiki just to familiarize myself with how it works. Ray
Ray, I don't know if you saw this comment from Mark Stansbury on the facebook discussion group "Saws, using, collecting, cleaning and restoring" (I don't know if its helpful either) https://www.facebook.com/groups/857101454366905/search/?query=barley "Mark Stansbury He could join Archive.org (free) and post it. He can upload replacement versions anytime. A text-only version is created automatically which enables fast text searching."
Thanks Fred, I've applied to join that facebook group. Looks to be quite a good resource. I'll also follow up on the archive.org suggestion. Ray
I've uploaded Simon's updates and revisions to archive.org, https://archive.org/details/ray_etheira_BSSM Ray
Hello Ray, Thanks for setting this up (along with all else you do to keep this site going!). It's very convenient and helpful. How are we to suggest additions to the content? Should we send it to you for vetting? David
Hi David, I'm open to suggestions, but, I'd think Simon would be the one to have the final say on revisions, I've installed the wiki software, but haven't spent enough time learning my way around it yet, it's at http://www.backsaw.net/wiki but it's not organized in any way at this stage, and there are no images yet. I'm working on a way to get the images to upload properly. The initial thought is to have the facility for forum members to upload images and text and have it marked in some way as a "provisional update". That way I'm thinking that the newer additions could be highlighted. Ray
Hi Ray, I was thinking of additions of images of saws rather than revisions, however I think if we can make provisional updates, identified as such, that should be a great way for us to participate without junking up the place with unverified myths and rumours. I look forward to being of help. David
Thanks to everyone for their kind remarks: from my point of view I am simply feeding back in a differently organised manner much of what has appeared on this site. I don't quite agree with Ray that I should have some kind of final say: I would prefer, if it can be appropriately organised, for users to post their additions, maybe in some provisional way, for approval or otherwise from the whole group. Maybe that's beyond the current technology, but it's precisely because I feel out of my depth with said technology that I'm now handing it on to the next bunch of editor/contributors. But part of my reason for logging on tonight is to make an addition, and one of those that is particularly satisfying, namely the pinning down of a name that seemed likely to be a brand, and by a piece of luck can be documented as such. In the process of setting up an exhibition on Taylor Brothers at the Hawley Gallery, Kelham Island Museum, Sheffield, I was looking at copies of the order book the firm had with their printers of etching transfers. TB also made saws for several other companies, among them Thomas Firth, who were mainly steel makers, but also traded in saws with their own name on. In the middle of this order book under the Firth page for 1860 are orders for, amongst others, Timothy Scott (BSSM has this as a probable brand) – no less than 199 dozen and 8 (ie 2000 transfers, in other words 2000 saws) with this name. With the 1919 Cutlers Company list of trade marks, 2 and 2 could be put together. Another atom of satisfaction! Simon