What ! Not ANOTHER Robert Sorby backsaw ! Here's one for Fred. Not quite as interesting as his Robert Sorby with no kangaroo and a blank medallion, but it has some interesting special features. Its another of the three saws bought 14 Oct (see Lloyd Davis thread). Initially I had thought this saw was just a nice solid example of Sorby's brass backed kangaroo brand saws, with a hook design in the handle (I like hooks. Some of my nicest old backsaws have hooked handles). This saw was in the best shape of the three saws with a good depth of saw plate remaining, so I started cleaning it first to see what was under the black dirt and grime and oxidation from decades of storage. I had already determined that each of the other two saws had some rare feature, so I supposed this saw must have something special about it too, and lo and behold, the brass back is significantly tapered in depth from handle to toe; 1†deep at handle, 0.84†deep at toe. The beech handle is also unusually thick, a full 1†thick, and is nicely carved. I especially like the sculpted detail under the end of the lamb's tongue. The heavy handle and the tapered brass back give this saw a nice balance, without the toe-heavy feel of some backsaws with heavy backs. P. Gilbert was certainly proud of it as he (she ?) stamped his name on it in multiple places on both sides of the handle and (more lightly) on the brass back. I was going to replace the missing split screw, but the saw plate is slightly misaligned with the handle so I can't just tap my replacement screw through. The medallion screw must have a notch worn into it at the plate, as I can move it slightly but it refuses to be knocked out. I can wiggle the handle slightly, especially with the lower split screw removed, but the brass back prevents much movement (It looks like the back has been knocked back against the handle), and the medallion remains stuck and the top hole will not line up for the replacement screw. What to do ? [ I dare not smash any harder on the medallion screw post. The back didn't move with experimental hammer taps, but I might be able to move it with more force. Or I could leave "well-enough" alone, and maybe use a filed down replacement screw for looks, and a little hardwood wedge behind the back if necessary. ] A little more restoration work, a light filing (its already fairly sharp ), and it'll be ready to saw wood. Any comments on tapered backs on backsaws ?
Hi Kiwi and all, Well, at least you got me looking through all my brass backed saws and giving them a good pre-winter airing. I have 5 saws with any taper at all, and three of those are Sorbys albeit a couple of them have very little. I will (hopefully) refer to them in the order that they appear in the photo below. The top one is a Hill late Howel that has a taper from 1" to 0.8". The second (and which is the blank medallion/no kangaroo Sorby) is 0.9" to 0.85". The third is a Sorby and goes from 1.05" to 0.95". And the bottom one (another Sorby) is 1.00" to 0.925". I do have a Moulson which I found after I had taken the photo and which goes from 0.92 to 0.85". It is interesting that I have no other brass backed Sorbys and so on this very small sample (but 100% consistent sample), would it be possible to say that Robert Sorby had a penchant for tapering his brass backs generally? If he did, I don't think that it was for visual effect as the taper is almost impossible to see except when you are really looking. Could it possibly have something to do with balance. You refer to the "toe heavy feel" of some saws. Might a tapered toe lighten up the front just a little? As far as your handle goes Kiwi, on the Barley scale of "class" to "tat" handle thickness , yours definitely comes out well into the "class" category. And as for the screws, I am of the "leave well alone" inclination (as you can see from the less than perfect state that the pictured saws are in) unless you are desperate to have it is a user saw. Normal split nuts are not too hard to come by, but I suspect that a replacement Sorby medallion is not the easiest thing to find in the eventuality that you fatally damage yours. Fred
Nice saws Fred, and I see your Sorbys all seem to have that nice sculpting under the lamb's tongue too. (I have that feature on one other saw, a Sorby panel saw) I don't have any other tapered-back backsaws, but I don't have a large sample size as my saw collecting focuses more on full size handsaws ( the three brassbacks I bought last week doubled my supply of brassback backsaws in the over-10" size). I do have a small 10" Sorby brassback, but its not a tapered back. I have a bigger selection of steel backed backsaws, but no tapers there. Regarding the saw renovations: I gave the back a few mighty whacks, but it sensed my doubts and didn't move, so I abandoned that idea and filed down one of my spare screws til I could tap it in to replace the missing one. This made the handle nice and tight. I've oiled and waxed the saw, and after touching up the teeth with a file I tested it in some wood with satisfying results. (Not a true renovation, but the saw looks happier, and its now functional, enough to allow me to put this saw away and feel free to move on to another of my many rusty saws asking for a little TLC to prevent further deterioration) I'm glad I was able to give you an excuse to air out your collection Fred. (I should do the same with mine, some of them have been abandoned too long as I get lured away by the thrill of hunting for new ones )