Patterson 12" Joinery Saw

I refer to this style as a Joinery Saw. I have made 2 Joinery saws which I use, and this particular saw had the biggest influence in creating those.

It was rare to see longer saws with little plate depth, as this style, and pattern makers were more apt to have/buy them than others, just because of the different work they always seemed to be doing.

The longer 12" Disston No. 70 was similar, but this is a much nicer saw than a Disston.

The cool thing was that Patterson was in San Fransisco from 1863-1866, and from 1864 Sheffield seemed to be a partner with him (Sheffield & Patterson). This saw only has the Patterson name on it, so it might be traceable to 1863. It has split nuts which would back that up also for that era.

However the really cool thing about this saw is that it has a solid brass back. A solid brass back costs much more than the steel backs that most all makers were using, so were not as common. I think that is more true in the United States than other places.

I love the handle and have used it to get a similar curve at times when shaping my open handles.

VERY few San Fransisco saw makers, in fact, while the gold rush was going in California, it was mostly bars, brothels, and clothing companies making money in San Fransisco. Levi Strauss started in San Fransisco in the mid 1800s. This was clothing for miners.

 

These are the saws I made with the Patterson in mind. Plate is 1095 spring steel, split nuts are turned out of bronze, and back is fabricated out of bronze. Handles are both hard maple.

 

Patterson

This is a very pretty saw, Alan, and I'm not surprised you made your own in its shadow, as it were.
The handle is beech, isn't it? And were US beech handles of this quality common at that date? I mean, it could almost be English!
Do you have any information about Patterson and his origins? Where he learned his trade?
Unless the blade depth has been greatly reduced in long years, this is a pattern I've not seen in any Sheffield saw makers' catalogues. And the term joinery saw is also not used over here.

 

I have thought that before, but it's odd that Erv/Don had no Patterson at all in the British edition, and it seems like an English name to me, and the saw obviously has English influence, but it is quite different than any other saw I have seen, other than Erv's reference to Patterson as a saw maker in San Fransisco in the NA book I have not seen any. Sheffield & Patterson for most of the time, but Sheffield is not used by any maker's names either, AFAICT in the British edition. The company only existed for about 4 years and only the first year were they Patterson only. It is also possible some of the stamp is worn off.

The other question is why they would have come into the port of San Fransisco, rather than New York???? I mean, why would English migrate this way instead of the East Coast. Most of the miners were folks from back east that fought their way over the mountains to get to California.

I am not 100 percent sure on beech, and to complicate it even more, the wood has been stained, and has shellack on top of it, AFAIKT (mostly worn off). Beech has been a consideration, as it is definitely quartersawn and has some ray flech going up the back. I've seen some Mahogany like that also however. I have seen that distinctive trait on quartersawn beech of other Sheffield saws. It is possible the saw was built in Sheffield for Patterson, IMO, I haven't ruled that out...and that might back up the name. change to Sheffield - Patterson.

This I know.

1) Brass back is much smaller than even the smallest of English saws, it is about 7/16" high. This is in line with a No 70 brass plated back, but we're talking more than half a century prior, approx 1863.

2) the material is thinner than most backs for a 3" thick blade, as an example, so this back is quite different.

3) The split nuts are also small, and thin, and the slot is thinner. They are 7/16", opposed to most saws which had 1/2".

4) The plate is .023". Most all small tenon plates are at least .025, and it's possible a saw which was 3"x12" or 4"x12" to be at least .028-.032, IMO. I think it could have been 2" or maybe 2-1/4", it just seems that 2" was more likely and then someone tried to sharpen it that didn't know WTF they were doing. I think it was 12 ppi when I got it. It is 14 ppi now, I cut the new teeth and filed them. My own small Joiner's saws are 13 ppi xcut, and 14 ppi rip.

5) I bought it, along with the George Bishop 8" from the same guy, he was an engineer that worked at ATI. He thought he got them at an Estate sell. He had sold all the "Disston's" to construction workers but had a few others left. I have seen other Patterson's, and one was definitely on the west coast (ebay). I got outbid on one and missed the close of the other auction. Those are the only ones I've seen but I don't watch too many saws anymore, I have plenty of tools in general. I always need and buy more though... Saws are always a potential buy if I see them...

That said, it seems like it was intended to be a fine cutting 12" plate, or what some of the catalogs referred to as pattern maker's saws. There is a small backless saw that is also referred to as a pattern maker's saw as well, not to be confused.

My Joiner's saws are about 12-3/4" long and a bit thinner (.020). Why the odd length, they started out 13" I think, but ended up a bit smaller after cutting, and squaring both up to each other, and stamped. Foley doesn't always give you a tooth stamp where you want it on the end...

I've not seen the term "Joiner's" saws used before either, AFAIK, it's a term i use to denote a saw used for Joinery. Sorry if I confused you. Partially a term I created for this type of saw. I have seen it referred to as a Pattern Maker's Saw. Which is also odd as most of the pattern making was done on the east coast, like Edison's labs. This in regard to Patterson being on the West Coast. I call my own small Joiner's saws. The largest one I've made being 18" x 3". It was a bit wieldy ... lol (was done with brass) The small ones seem very useful for me and I've used them on several projects including my workbench, toolbox, small cutting needs. I have used the Patterson to do a lot of work also.

The only place I can find mention to Patterson as a sawmaker is in Erv's North American book. There is no mention of Patterson in the HSMOB however (British version). A lot of just speculation on history, or creating a specific style saw which is not readily available. Dovetail saws in general were not made in masses and why new ones sell so well. I can't explain the smaller sized parts either, or the solid brass back and split nuts. This is why I eluded to Patterson purchasing the saw from Sheffield, who job'd it out to the craftsmen (plates, handles, backs, sharpeners, etc...). On my own saws I can and do know why I used the parts and sizes I did...

It is definitely one of my favorites, aside from my own, but it is truly one I love and have been inspired by it.

 

Patterson

Thanks for all that extra info, Alan. Can't really add anything, except to say that our daughter emigrated from Sheffield to SF without going to NY (and she isn't a miner either).

Best wishes Simon

 

Very cute, but let us not forget that in the modern world where airplanes exist, the choice between NY and SF is like flipping a coin. It is also important to remember why most people entered the U.S. from NY who left from England...when you ride on a boat, the travel is much slower.

 

Simon,

From the Henry Disston book:

"The Turkish Saw is used in Turkey and other Oriental countries. Its teeth are fitted for cutting toward the handle as required by these peoples. The Stair Builder's Saw is adjustable for depth of cut, and is used for cutting the bottom or base of balustrades when it is necessary to fit them to treads of stairs. Another saw illustrated here is the Joiner Saw. This is employed by cabinetmakers for making joints where extremely fine cutting is necessary."

Page 23 shows a picture of a Joiner saw. In seeing this reminded me that there was this same Joiner saw shown in other Disston Catalogs. As I recall, others have referred to those type of saws as well. I think no coincidence that my Joiner's saws resemble such...

http://ia600504.us.archive.org/22/items/sawinhistory00henrrich/sawinhistory00henrrich.pdf