Thomas Bloor backsaw

Gentlemen,
New to this forum and have enjoyed browsing through the posts.
I would like to submit for your scrutiny, two saws, neither saw appears in the database here.
The first is a Thomas Bloor backsaw. The blade is 14" long, 4 1/2" wide at the heel and 3 5/8" at the toe. Blade is 26 thou at the heel and 25 thou at the toe. The teeth appear to be peg tooth at 9 ppi. the back is brass and a full inch wide.
markings say Thos. Bloor, Belgrave Gt., Leicester, est. 1852. Warranteed cast steel. Midland saw & tool works.
The planemakers database lists Bloor as taking over for George Kaye in 1895 and was in business from 1895-1967.
I'd like to solicit opinions on resharpening: There is some undulations in the teeth and I'm certain it will need retoothing. My only local sharpener would sheer off the old teeth, would it be better to seek out someone to hand joint and retooth?

 

Welcome aboard.
Great looking saw and I would bet that it is a keeper if you get it sharpened. I don't know if self sharpening is an option but there are lots of sites that can walk you through the process. Any jointing and sharpening on those teeth would improve it a lot even though it might be the first time for yourself.
As for the original est being 1852, I wonder if they are basing this on the very first established saw manufacturer. Thomas Bloor in the HSMB (Hand-Saw Makers of Britain, Erwin L Schaffer and Don McConnell) states they succeeded George Rusby Kaye who was in business from 1865-1894. George took over from the (Late W. Elliott) who as HSMB states existed from 1854-1864. I wonder if this was the circa close enough date that is etched on the saw.
Enjoy the saw, it is from a maker I haven't encountered.
Joe S

 

This is incorrect, slightly. Schafer & McConnell list him in business from 1895-1914 in Handsaw Maker's of Britan, which fits with the domed saw nuts. Split-Nuts changed to slotted nuts (which domed nuts are) around late 1880s.

The brass back is typical of English saws of that era.

The 1852 date is what is not correct, as if the saw was from that era it would have split-nuts.

It is a nice saw, and the beech handle is typical of English saws as well.

 

Welcome to the forum Bhamiter,

Nice etch on your Thomas Bloor, (but snagly toothline !)

I'd agree that a re-toothing would be required if you want to make this saw a user. If you trust your local sharpener to only "shear off" the minimum of saw plate and not threaten to eat into the etch area, you could go that route. A hand jointing would likely be safer and minimize the loss of saw plate, and you could easily do that yourself, then get your local sharpener cut in the new teeth if you're not confident on tackling that yourself. (talk to him about it and make sure you're comfortable about his work before giving him a "special" saw)

[It's not difficult to do a passable job of saw sharpening yourself, even on your first few tries, but takes a bit of practice to become expert, and its easier to practice on the bigger teeth of full size handsaws than starting on small backsaw teeth]

 

Welcome indeed, bhamiter, and keep showing us such nice examples!

I have Bloor as follows:

BLOOR, Thomas (1932: Ltd) LEICESTER
31A (37) (37A) (15) Belgrave gate 1895-1951
23½ Harding Street (Works) 1951-1969
1895: tool dealer; 1896: cutler, saw repairer etc; 1903: cutler and saw maker, guillotine and splitting knife grinder; 1932: saw makers, tool dealers and cutlers; 1947: saw makers; 1966: saw sharpening specialists.

The large etch on your backsaw has been recorded in a larger form on handsaws, and I've guessed a date for its use at about 1910-1930. I think your backsaw looks about 1910. If you can get it well restored I would think it will be a fine saw - a very good period for British saws (this was almost certainly factored for Bloor by a Sheffield firm - could be Tyzack, Sons and Turner. The description "Saw maker" was self-applied...Bloor would have had saw doctors in house, for sure, but making from the plate upwards is doubtful.)

Elliott and Kaye were in the same street (one of the main streets in the town) but at different numbers, E 1854-1863 and K <1870-1891.

 

Thomas Bloor

And wouldn't it be even more wonderful if TB could pass on his skills as a saw sharpener. We spatially challenged old men who are past learning new skills are needing his like more and more.

 

Just joined from Australia from where I am astounded to find on your great forum, examples of Thomas Bloor saws. My father left school in Leicester to work for Tom Bloor in Belgrave Gate at the tender age of 14. He worked for him for 5 years eventually dressing his store windows, a skill he developed further for John Bull Rubber in Leicester.

I would love to connect with Vikki Bloor or indeed her father the next Thomas Bloor as I have anecdotal info which might be interesting to the family and the connection might aid us both. PS I am a keen wood worker myself and just maybe it carried through the bloodline. Love a quality saw, wish I had an original Bloor Saw as dad used to pronounce with great rhyme.

Cheers from Oz.

 

Thank you Ray, I do hope it results in contact with Vikki, will let you know if anything relevant results. PS Dad in his autobiography (well no, just a rough set of notes really) said how funny it seemed later that one of his tasks at Bloors in Leicester way back then, was packaging up saws and mailing them to Australia in the early 1930's, considering he ended up in Oz in 1948 and making a home there until he died in 2006. There must be some fine Bloor saws out there somewhere in Australia just waiting for me to find on eBay...a silly hope I know. Cheers Simon