Simonds No. 10 1/2 Cross - Cut 7ppi Hand Saw Fully Renovated And Hand Sharpened
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:42464134 | Brand: Simonds |
| Country/Region of Manufacture: United States | Modified Item: No |
| Original/Reproduction: Antique Original |
I love antique woodworking tools. I love finding them, using them and, if needed, returning them to their 'once upon a time' glory. I especially like hand saws, maybe because long ago my dad gave me a small one when I was about 4 years old. I sawed everything in sight with what was my very first tool. Fast forward a lifetime to now. I have way, way, way, way too many hand saws so have to start finding new homes for most of them. I have all types: user saws, uncommonly found o...nes, high quality ones, collectible ones, and a couple rare ones.
I hand filed this saw, which included a jointing of the tooth line and sharpening of the teeth. This saw was manufactured by the Simonds Manufacturing Company which started in business in 1832 and amazingly is still in business today! They began making hand saws around 1901 and immediately developed a wonderful reputation as a top producer and they captured a large market share. However, they abruptly exited the hand saw segment 25 years later in 1926. No one knows why.
This saw is roughly 100 years old. The handle is was broken when I received it -- actually in 2 pieces. The worst break was at the bottom of the grip. A previous owner had fastened it back in place with a nail driven up from the bottom. I removed the nail and made a proper repair with 2-part epoxy. The old shaft that housed the nail was also filled with epoxy. The other significant break was about 1/3 down from the top and between the saw fasteners. Because the fasteners held both parts firmly in place there was no movement and no rubbing of the wood faces, therefore I repaired that break with Titebond III glue. There were a couple of other tight cracks, like can be seen at the bottom of the medallion. These were all repaired with a very thin CA glue that was dripped in. All told the handle is very sound now and ready to saw for another 100 years.
After repairing I removed the remaining old finish and replaced it with 8 to 10 coats of ultra-pale, de-waxed shellac that I made from flakes. I rubbed out each coat with 0000 steel wool before applying the next, and finished it all off with a coat of a good quality wax for protection. You maybe wondering, Why go to so much trouble? Well, it just feels so good in the hand, I think it's worth all the effort. Plus shellac was the standard finish used on hand saws for a very long time, including this era.
The saw plate was a bit rusty when I received it so I soaked it in a bath of Evapo-Rust for 24+ hours. Evapo-Rust eliminates rust and neutralizes the spots below the surface. Although showing some old formerly corroded spots, which are now seen as black specs, the plate has been finished to a near mirror finish and is as slick as glass. It also has a coat of wax for protection. When you will show someone this saw the first thing they will do is touch it and run their fingers down the metal, people just can't resist. Without the wax the acid moisture in fingertips can leave behind areas that will induce rusting later on. This, I've learned from experience.
If you use it, the saw will eventually show signs of wear, but these can be virtually eliminated with a fresh application of wax – on both the saw plate and the handle – which should bring the saw back to this condition in addition to extending its protection. It's also a very good idea to wipe the blade with a rag spreading a light oil before, during and after use. That will make sawing easier and serve to preserve the saw in its current condition. Take reasonable care of it and it will long out-live you, your children and your grandchildren.
It has a reasonably good etch. A 7 point profile means there are 6 teeth per inch, or 7 points of teeth within a one inch distance. The tooth line is very straight. There was a time when Simonds included a suggested selling price on some of their medallions, like the $2.00 on this medallion. This would not be permissible in today's world -- it would be considered a form of price-fixing.
After being jointed and hand filed it saws beautifully. Please check out the last photo showing my test cut across a 2" x 3" piece of black walnut.
I only accept PayPal and only ship to the USA with USPS Priority Mail.
I hand filed this saw, which included a jointing of the tooth line and sharpening of the teeth. This saw was manufactured by the Simonds Manufacturing Company which started in business in 1832 and amazingly is still in business today! They began making hand saws around 1901 and immediately developed a wonderful reputation as a top producer and they captured a large market share. However, they abruptly exited the hand saw segment 25 years later in 1926. No one knows why.
This saw is roughly 100 years old. The handle is was broken when I received it -- actually in 2 pieces. The worst break was at the bottom of the grip. A previous owner had fastened it back in place with a nail driven up from the bottom. I removed the nail and made a proper repair with 2-part epoxy. The old shaft that housed the nail was also filled with epoxy. The other significant break was about 1/3 down from the top and between the saw fasteners. Because the fasteners held both parts firmly in place there was no movement and no rubbing of the wood faces, therefore I repaired that break with Titebond III glue. There were a couple of other tight cracks, like can be seen at the bottom of the medallion. These were all repaired with a very thin CA glue that was dripped in. All told the handle is very sound now and ready to saw for another 100 years.
After repairing I removed the remaining old finish and replaced it with 8 to 10 coats of ultra-pale, de-waxed shellac that I made from flakes. I rubbed out each coat with 0000 steel wool before applying the next, and finished it all off with a coat of a good quality wax for protection. You maybe wondering, Why go to so much trouble? Well, it just feels so good in the hand, I think it's worth all the effort. Plus shellac was the standard finish used on hand saws for a very long time, including this era.
The saw plate was a bit rusty when I received it so I soaked it in a bath of Evapo-Rust for 24+ hours. Evapo-Rust eliminates rust and neutralizes the spots below the surface. Although showing some old formerly corroded spots, which are now seen as black specs, the plate has been finished to a near mirror finish and is as slick as glass. It also has a coat of wax for protection. When you will show someone this saw the first thing they will do is touch it and run their fingers down the metal, people just can't resist. Without the wax the acid moisture in fingertips can leave behind areas that will induce rusting later on. This, I've learned from experience.
If you use it, the saw will eventually show signs of wear, but these can be virtually eliminated with a fresh application of wax – on both the saw plate and the handle – which should bring the saw back to this condition in addition to extending its protection. It's also a very good idea to wipe the blade with a rag spreading a light oil before, during and after use. That will make sawing easier and serve to preserve the saw in its current condition. Take reasonable care of it and it will long out-live you, your children and your grandchildren.
It has a reasonably good etch. A 7 point profile means there are 6 teeth per inch, or 7 points of teeth within a one inch distance. The tooth line is very straight. There was a time when Simonds included a suggested selling price on some of their medallions, like the $2.00 on this medallion. This would not be permissible in today's world -- it would be considered a form of price-fixing.
After being jointed and hand filed it saws beautifully. Please check out the last photo showing my test cut across a 2" x 3" piece of black walnut.
I only accept PayPal and only ship to the USA with USPS Priority Mail.
