Gabriel

Hi Fellas...first post but I know a few of you from various places on the 'net.

Here's some pix of a saw I found at the local flea about ten years ago...hopefully I've done the 'picture thing' correctly. It's stamped GABRIEL LONDON / (overstamped).

Previous online discussion opined the saw was from the very early 19thC....what say you?

...Rob

 

Hey Rob
Welcome aboard. Love the saw as you already know. Never noticed the overstamp that Ray picked up on. Lots of info on Gabriel and would have to go on the later years as to the date. Goodman actually mentions that Gabriel and Sons in 1802 supplied "Planes saw looking glass and chair manufactures". As the Seaton chest supplier in 1796, it is very specific to timing and that manufacture. Similar time?
Squinting and guestimating at the pics I could only proffer a couple of ideas. Their address was 32 Banner and I couldn't get any of that from the stamp. My eyes sort of see "spring" and I wonder if they would overstamp a cast. steel with "spring" since it is a London product and may mean more to the purchaser. A bit of a botch job but the whole stamp seems like a one off as opposed to a specific stamp that might have been made for a production of saws.
The dents on the spine is another thing that is not the first time I have seen on early saws. Simon might have a comment on the early manufacture and why this occurs. I have some examples too of this and I now think it is not just an aberration.
Thanks for sharing this saw.
Joe S.

 

Hi Rob,

I know absolutely nothing about the saw, but it is one that I would aspire to own were it not yours.


As for the dings in the chamfered bit at the bottom of the blade, I will hazard my four pen'orths worth on this as it is something that I may well do.

The marks look like they were made with a tiny chisel or some such instrument. Some are struck completely into the chamfer and some are on the edge of the chamfer, effectively cutting a bit out of it.

It may be that the brass has come away from the blade, perhaps when the overstamping took place and the person tried to re-flatten it against the blade using above chisel or whatever it was. Some he has hit properly into the chamfer but some it looks like he tried to get too near the edge and the chisel slipped, thus cutting a piece away rather than indenting it.

I think that I have mentioned before (although I was wrong on that occaision) that it takes a bodge artist to know one. Perhaps I am wrong this time, but its an interesting theory.

Fred

 

I nice early one, indeed - not a lot later than the first decade of the 19th cent, I'd guess (handle shape, two small screws; knowing the firm's history).
As for the mark, I'm sure that Ray is right, that it's SPRING struck over CAST STEEL - a new manoeuvre to me. The whole mark is a bit strange, though; it's unusual to see a letter missing from the middle of a word (the second O of London) and the A of Gabriel is pretty ropey too - so a mark that's seen a lot of use, I think; Gabriel made metal planes too - could this mark have been used to strike his name on some of these?
I agree with Fred that the lower edge of the back seems to have been hammered, presumably to tighten up the grip of the back on the blade.
By coincidence, a Gabriel saw was discussed in the latest issue of the newsletter of the Tools and Trades Hist.Soc; a later-looking backsaw, also very messed about with, so very hard to date.
Gabriel was mainly a plane maker, but a considerable dealer also, buying in saws from several makers (mislaid my copy of the Rees book in our recent house move...); listed as a saw maker (I'd prefer to say "saw maker", as he didn't actually make any saws) in 1802 - this could well be close to that date.