Edward Taylor Backsaw with Unusual Brass Fasteners

A couple of weeks ago I came upon a big pile of neglected, orphaned and very rusty saws (about 60 of them). Going through them I found 3 old ones -- 2 old Disstons and the oldest, this 16" Edward Taylor backsaw. It has the most unusual brass fasteners (saw-nuts). Has anyone ever seen a saw with fasteners like these? Any opinions as to whether they came with the saw when it was made, or whether they were an addition later in the saw's life?
Brian

 

I see one proper screw with split nut and one looks like replacement screw.

 

Hi,

BSSM has two Edward Taylors, both from Sheffield. One of them he has from 1828 to 1837 and the other one that he doesn't have dates for, but does have a backsaw which he dates around 1900. Yours, I suspect will be the circa 1900 one if either. Both have an address of Carver Street, Sheffield.

On looking at the mark on yours, there may have been a word beneath the name and which has corroded away, but if it is a saw with a name only, then it is possible that it is a brand of a larger maker.

The handle, to me at least, has a fascinating shape. It has a cheek profile that I cannot remember seeing before and were it not for the lack of a lamb's tongue, it could have been quite early.

But as it stands, I am inclined to go with BSSM at circa 1900, possibly a little bit later. Providing, of course, that it is a British saw.

Wiktor is spot on with the screws. The bottom one looks original, and the top looks to be alien to the saw. Indicated somewhat by the split in the handle through the fastening hole in the wood.

The top nut looks almost like a modern shear-head nut. If it isn't then I don't know how you would grip either side in order to tighten it.

Fred

 

Wicktor and Fred,

Thank you for your excellent comments and expertise. Fred, you're right on -- after looking closely at the name with a magnifying glass, I detected the words "cast steel" directly below "Edward Taylor". I guess the saw isn't nearly as old as I initially thought. The one split-nut seems original but the top nut is quite strange. And, you're correct, there is no obvious way to tighten, or loosen it. Looks kind of neat though -- like the saw has frog eyes.

Brian