Hi I recently acquired a S & R Howden, Manchester 14" Tenon saw with brass back. It was advertised as "Obscure Maker" on eBay. The saw has a very nice fine detailed handle which appealed to me enough to buy it. The saw id definitely modern'ish, I'm guessing 70-80th, but the make quality is absolutely fabulous as well as steel. The saw is dismantled for cleaning and I cannot post pictures, but dogged out a makers stamp for your references. I will add more picts once I finish cleaning and re-assemble it. I started cleaning the saw plate and must say the quality of the steel is very very good, most modern saws don't come close in quality... I was wondering if anyone have any information about this maker/retailer and, perhaps, have other examples of saws marked S&R Howden All I could find on the Net was references to Mowden Park in Manchester (and various football/rugby events) and Howdens Kitchens. I am curious because this is a very good looking and well made tool and wonder who is a manufacturer and why we don't see more of these tools. Would appreciate any help. Thanks, S
Hi, BSSM has Samuel and Robert Howden operating in Manchester from 1841 to 1885. They then continued until 1893 as Howden and Co. Interestingly BSSM does not have an image of this maker's mark. If you don't have Simon's email, I will give him a nudge to see if he would like one. Fred I still have it on my watch list and from the seller's photo's it looks to be a very clean and sound saw that will not need a lot of renovation to get it looking good again.
Thank you again, Fred I did not realise the saw would be this old. Judging fro its condition, I assumed it was fairly modern saw very well made though. Anyways, I got it all cleaned up and sharpened (original 10TPI)— turned out a very good saw of a similar caliber as Richard Groves and Hill-Howel but in much much better condition. Here are some pictures and yes, please let Simon know if he's interested to have a picture of the maker's mark (I can send him high-resolution images).
This is a very nice saw indeed – congratulations to the restorer, although it's gone further than I personally like, a matter completely of taste. Getting the screws back so nicely flush is especially neat. I think in fact it could be from the 1850-1860 period, judging purely by the making of the words Cast Steel in capitals and lower case (one or two other maker went with that convention beyond that date, but it was rare).What is always fascinating to speculate about, is whether a firm, even if it was in such a major manufacturing city as Manchester, actually employed their own saw makers in house. There is no record of cast steel being made in Manchester (only 35 miles from Sheffield anyway), so how much of the making did Howdens do? Buying steel in the ingot, or as ready-rolled saw plate, or ready pared and toothed, or indeed how far along the line of manufacturing processes? Brass backs ready folded, ground and polished? Handles made locally, or bought in? Screws by the box from Birmingham or Sheffield. You could also say that with Manchester being so specialised in cotton and engineering, would it have made any sense to employ your own in-house saw makers, considering that Sheffield was stuffed with firms that had all the necessary men and with economies of scale could knock them out by the hundred with your own name ready stamped on? The speculation continues. But yes, I would appreciate a picture of the whole saw from the name side, and a close up for adding to the database (barleys@mac.com). Many thanks, in anticipation.