Hi All, I would like to ask a few questions. I know that all saws prior to 1849 were stamped and that any saw with an etch is post 1849. But is there a date were stamping the trade name was stopped completely? I see saws that were stamped 25-40 years after the etching process came in. I must say that I much prefer the stamped trade names as they seem more permanent and less decorative. Were there any tangilbe benifits to the etching process? Did it cost more? I assume that the etching was more expensive, but I also assume that a stamped saw required work to flatten the reverse side of the stamp mark, as some of the stamps are relativly deep. Did this offset the etching cost. It also might be a less skilled task, and therefore could be done by a less skilled worker? I don't know enough about the actual process of stamping and etching, maybe a modern saw maker could enlighten me. cheers lui
Hi Lui, Here is an article on Acid Etching by Simon Barley, http://www.wkfinetools.com/tMaking/z_reading/2005-acidEtching_Saws/acidEtching-Simon1.asp Here is another article on how to do your own etching from TATHS, http://www.wkfinetools.com/tMaking/z_reading/2005-acidEtching_Saws/more-SawEtching.asp As far as dating saws by whether they are etched or stamped, the only thing you can be fairly sure of is that an etched mark on a Sheffield made saw is very likely to be made after 1849. A stamped saw could have been made anytime.. (but all other things being equal more likely prior to 1849.) Like manufacturers of all periods, they were quick to see the cost and productivity advantages of etching over stamping, so the process was widely adopted fairly quickly. The cost of the transfers would have been a factor, but much less than the cost of the additional processes involved in stamping. Regards Ray
Just to expand the discussion of stamped versus etched. The Kenyon posted by BugBear on Woodnet was confusing, since it is a stamped plate with a late handle style. Here is what I mean.. This looks like a stamp you might see on an early 1800's saw.. But the rest of the saw looks like this... So either it's a 1900's handle on an early 1800's blade, or Kenyon decided to use stamped blade... Here is the "F.Brittain" which is probably later than 1870.. So it seems that stamped marks continued to be used long after the etching process became popular. I might have expected smaller makers to do exactly that, but a large maker like Kenyon? Regards Ray