Hello to all, I would like to tap into the collective wisdom of this saw forum hoping for more information. I picked up this saw on a flea market and was intrigued with its unusually shape; like a sturgeonhead and the blades sawteeth running allong the underside of the handle (nonfunction / purely esthetic). The information I could find about Slack Sellars & Co is they were in business under that name between 1860 - 1963 in Sheffield. Based upon the looks of the metal I guess its age is about 1900, but the design could just as be from the later 50s / 60s. My questions: - is there more information about the age of this saw? - is this an uncommon shape or are there more brands with simular shape and nonfunctional esthetics design? Information about the saw; - Crosscut saw, 8 p.p.i. - Medaillon text: All Super speed saws are unconditionally guaranteed Slack Sellars & Co Ltd Makers of fine saws since 1830 - Length 24 inch, overall 27 inch - Width 5 inch - No visible etchings Thanks, Rohan Crow amateur woodworker
Hi Rohan, My bet would be on over enthusiastic sharpening. This saw once surely was longer and the blade was wider. Repeated sharpenings have shrunk the blade down to what you have. The tooth filing under the handle is certainly humorous rather than practical. David
Ha ha ha, Thanks David. That explains a lot! Never seen a saw sharpened down this much / previous owner(s) sure had a go at it ... Humorous rather than practical, just like its current owner, ha ha. Any guesses about its age?
Hi Rohan, BSSM does not have Slack Sellars medallions illustrated, but it does have a "Super Speed" (presumably the name of the saw) etch at around 1960 and I suspect that the date given will not be too far away for your saw. Possibly a little earlier up to the 1970's. I also suspect that the saw probably had an etch at one stage which has been worn away, or filed away. When Simon is around again to ask, I will see if he will upload the etch to this site or allow me to photograph it and post it here. Fred
Rohan – welcome to the forum (if I haven't missed you earlier). (thanks to Fred for the heads-up ) Yes, it's a sign of how precious and personal a saw could be to a woodworker that it should be sharpened almost to extinction like that. And that the etch should have got completely worn away with use. The medallion, with the surrounding metal garter, is very much like this one from a Taylor Brothers' saw that I think is about 1960 (see below). I'm not sure what etch it might have had, as they varied according to the quality of the saw –at that stage this firm was producing at least 4 qualities, with "Super Speed" the best. I've added an etch of that quality from a backsaw, but the one on the handsaw was probably different. Also an etch from a double-sided pruning saw dated 1943 – again, yours was probably not like that. Got any others for us to see? Simon
Hello Fred and Simon, Thanks for the information and the welcome. Apart from this saw I don't think I have anything noteworthy to post here. I recently sold some rusty ones that looked fairly common to me. Rohan
Hello Rohan. Hereby some pictures of an almost unused Slack Sellers & Co no. 95 "SUPER SPEED" saw. Greatings, Chris
I believe that Slack, Sellars had a very strong connection with the Dutch market post 1945; the Hawley Collection has at least one saw by them with a Dutch-language marking on the handle. Simon