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How old is a Spear & Jackson back saw?

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Previous Back to: Tools and Tool Maintenance/Restoration9 Replies

Welcome! / Forums / General Woodworking Discussions / Tools and Tool Maintenance/Restoration / How old is a Spear & Jackson back saw?

Tagged: Spear&Jackson backsaw

  • This topic has 9 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 6 months, 3 weeks ago by Terry Dixon.
  • Author
    Posts
  • gallarotti
    22 October 2015 at 11:24 pm #131621

    I recently purchased a couple of brass back tenon saws on eBay and I am in the process of cleaning them, sharpening them and setting them. They have two different logos on one of the brass nuts on the handle. i was looking online for resource to understand how old they can be, based on the shape of the handle, on the shape of the logo on the brass nuts on the handle, etc. but couldn’t find any info. Does anyone know of such a resource?
    Thanks,
    //Francesco

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    Matt McGrane
    23 October 2015 at 5:16 am #131626

    I don’t know of anything specific, Gallarotti, but maybe you could search the Lumberjocks.com website. A member there named “Brit” has done many, many posts and blogs on saws. Maybe he’ll have something you’re looking for.

    Matt, Northern California - Started a blog in 2016: http://tinyshopww.blogspot.com/

    Settings
    gallarotti
    23 October 2015 at 10:35 am #131627

    @mattmcgrane – now that’s an awesome reference – while I haven’t found the answer I was looking for, that guy really knows his saws!

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    Matt McGrane
    23 October 2015 at 3:50 pm #131630

    Yes. And he is the same guy who did the long youtube video on Sharpening Western Saws. He’s got so much knowledge and shares it willingly.

    Matt, Northern California - Started a blog in 2016: http://tinyshopww.blogspot.com/

    Settings
    Scott
    23 October 2015 at 7:41 pm #131635

    Francesco-

    Spear & Jackson is over 250 years old. I have not been able to find a type study on their backsaws, but here is some history:

    SJ History

    Please post a photo of the saw’s medalion and imprint on the back. Perhaps we can dig up a scanned catalog…

    -Scott Los Angeles

    • This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Scott.
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    Scott
    23 October 2015 at 8:44 pm #131637

    More info from Ray Gardiner courtesy of “The Porch”:

    Spear and Jackson

    Does the back saw have split-nuts to secure the handle? That may assist in dating the saw.

    -Scott Los Angeles

    Settings
    Scott
    23 October 2015 at 8:55 pm #131638

    More helpful:

    Comparative Dating by Style (also by Ray)

    -Scott Los Angeles

    Settings
    MaxWheeler
    23 October 2015 at 10:40 pm #131643

    Spear and Jackson still make back saws today I own a few so they could be very old or not that old it’s any bodies guess.. as far as I understand it they don’t have distinguishing features to determine age

    Swindon, England

    Settings
    Terry Dixon
    19 July 2022 at 6:32 pm #767670

    Hi,
    I hope no one minds me resurrecting this old thread but I’m looking to try and date a old S&J 14″ tenon saw, brass backed with a lambs tongue handle and medallion. Unfortunately some amateur has ‘renovated’ it and there is no sign of the blade etch that I can make out and teh back has been ‘tightened’ by squeezing in a machine vice withoout protective jaws. However it still sharpens and cuts very well, I didn’t pay a lot but just interested to find out an approximate age.

    Picture of the handle below (before I strip and refinish)-

    TerryD

    Settings
    Terry Dixon
    20 July 2022 at 2:16 pm #767768

    Hi,

    I forgot to add that the saw I posted above is a ‘Leapfrog’saw with a ‘cast steel’ plate (blade);

    TerryD

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