Hello all, I bought this saw "blind" from the same seller who sold Richard his Kenyon. I possibly wouldn't have bought it had I known that it was a Buck, as previously I have had little interest in them as most of the ones that I remember seeing on Ebay have been quite late. But I am glad that I did. It has a heavy back and a quite substantial handle with a good feel to it. The blade is 8 inches long but unfortunately with a kink in it. The saw screws are of two different sizes. The front one being half inch and the back one being 7/16ths. According to HSMOB, various Bucks as sawmakers (or their successor companies) stretch from 1826 (Joseph - London) to Buck and Hickman right up to 1975, and they existed in Sheffield, London, Southsea and Bedford. This particular saw is a little curious is that it is stamped Buck and Co Whitechapel. Now, according to HSMOB Buck and Co. should be at 28 Brick Lane in 1831 and it is not until 1834 that this particular Buck dynasty moved to Whitechapel in the guise of Buck and Hickman. The owners of Buck and Co. are Ann Buck and John Hickman, but the person attributed to owning Buck and Hickman is Ann Hickman nee Buck. So are we to assume that Ann Buck married John Hickman? And if so what happened to him? And what does this mean for this saw? Is it on the cusp of the changeover between Buck and Co and Buck and Hickman, or is it a continuation of the Buck and Co. mark as a brand of the latter (ie. post 1834 instead of pre)? It would actually make a lot of sense to me if the Buck and Co. mark continued for some time after because, as soon as I saw the mark I did not think that it was as early as 1831. I don't know why, it just doesn't "look" that early. Does anyone have any ideas that have some basis in reality as oppsed to a WAG par excellence. Fred
Buck & Co It's late, and I would need to be early in the day and tanked up with specially strong coffee to embark on the Buck families. British Planemakers 3rd ed is the place to go for information. I have an iron back saw of c1880 with an identical mark to this, but I agree that Fred's looks as though it could be earlier - but the design of open handle dovetail saws was the least changed of all saw designs. I could imagine Buck and Co being used by Buck & Hickman, if they were anything like Sheffield makers, who would often use the & Co for other partners' names.