Information on back saw

[Michael W. Clark]

This is my first post on this forum. Just bought my first back saws today. One appears to be a Disston No.7, but I can't find much info on the other. The back is stamped Wm. Sykes & Co. It has an open handle and uses split nuts to attach the handle to the blade. I think the company is from Sheffield and the saw may date back before 1876 based on the split nuts. The back also says "A.B" and "CAST STEEL".

Any additional information or related links would be much appreciated. I intend to use the saws, just trying to find out more about the saws story.
Thanks, Mike

[Mark Dorman]

You might try the Disston Institute and backsaw.net .Also post some photos someone may recognize them.

[Michael W. Clark]

Thanks Mark,
i checked those out to learn what little I do know. I'm not very familiar with back saws, so just learning. I'll try to post some pictures of each. Neither saw has been cleaned and that was going to be another question. How do I clean the Disston without erasing the etching?
Mike

[Mark Dorman]

Try this. http://www.vintagesaws.com/library/saw_clean/saw_clean.html it has worked for me.

[Chris Vandiver]

Thanks Mark,
i checked those out to learn what little I do know. I'm not very familiar with back saws, so just learning. I'll try to post some pictures of each. Neither saw has been cleaned and that was going to be another question. How do I clean the Disston without erasing the etching?
Mike


Here is a very good link for refurbishing vintage saws; http://home.grics.net/~weir/saw_restoration.html

[Stewie Simpson]

This is my first post on this forum. Just bought my first back saws today. One appears to be a Disston No.7, but I can't find much info on the other. The back is stamped Wm. Sykes & Co. It has an open handle and uses split nuts to attach the handle to the blade. I think the company is from Sheffield and the saw may date back before 1876 based on the split nuts. The back also says "A.B" and "CAST STEEL".

Any additional information or related links would be much appreciated. I intend to use the saws, just trying to find out more about the saws story.
Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike. This following site will be your best recourse for information on the Wm. Sykes & Co. backsaw. Your contact for this site is Ray Gardiner. http://www.backsaw.net/

[Mark Dorman]

Matt's saw blog is good too. http://thesawblog.com/?cat=16

[Don McConnell]

Michael et al,

Regarding the "WM. SYKES & Co." saw, my information is very sketchy. But, I thought I'd pass on what little I think I know and hope others can fill in the gaps.

William Sykes, as a patten ring and awl blade maker, appears as early as 1797. Next, he may have been one of the partners in the saw making firm of Kenyon, Sykes & Co., with working dates of about 1805 to 1818. He appears, alone, as a saw maker in the 1822 Sheffield directory, located at 33 Chapel Street. This is followed by a listing for William Sykes and Sons, saw makers, at Willey Street, Wicker, in 1825.

Unfortunately, the next information I have is from 1905, when "WM. SYKES & Co./A. B./Sheffield" is listed as one of the many marks used by Sanderson Brothers & Newbould, Ltd. in the Sheffield directory. My guess is that the mark had been kept alive by one of the firms (Sanderson Brothers & Co., Ltd. or Samuel Newbould & Co., Ltd.) which had amalgamated to form this company. Hopefully, someone else can help fill in the blanks.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR

[Michael W. Clark]

Thanks to all of you for the additional information. I'll pursue some of the contacts you suggested. Thanks Don for the info on WM. Sykes. I did find the info on the 1822 Sheffield directory (I think on the Backsaws.net site), but did not know anything other than that. I am going to post some pictures of the two saws for anyone interested that wants to take a look. Please feel free to leave a comment or provide any additional information. I'm going to try to clean up the Disston and would like to do it without removing the etching if possible. Will mineral spirits take off the etching? I have some Boeshield rust remover that I use for some of my power tools, but I am afraid it may be too harsh.

Both saws cut very good, but the Sykes saw is definitely heavier and maybe sharper has well. It cuts with very little effort. The Disston is finer pitched, and cuts good but takes a little more effort.

Mike

[Michael W. Clark]

Here are some pictures of the Disston Back Saw.

[Michael W. Clark]

Here are some pictures of the Wm. Sykes & Co. Back Saw.

[Tony Shea]

I use Boeshield rust remover on all my saws. I apply it liberally and let it sit for ten mins or so. I then take a scraper of some sort, a razor blade work well, and scrape the whole surface. I have never had any issues with losing any etching from this proccess. The place that causes issues with the etch is when sanding the saw plate. Be very gentle around the etch and ALWAYS use a sanding block when sanding over the etch with very light pressure. For the most part if I want to keep the etch then I will do very little sanding on it.

[Michael W. Clark]

Thanks Tony. I usually use steel wool with the Boeshield. The scraper or razor sounds like it may work better with it.

[Chris Vandiver]

You want to stay away from steel wool. Sandpaper(wet/dry) is best.

[Michael W. Clark]

Thanks Chris, will Boeshield harm the wooden handles? I can take the Disston one off, but not sure about the Sykes saw. It uses the split nuts, and seems like it would be difficult, at best, with a standard flat blade screwdriver. I suppose I could modify a straight blade screwdriver to straddle the threaded post. Maybe I am making this too difficult?

[Chris Vandiver]

Thanks Chris, will Boeshield harm the wooden handles? I can take the Disston one off, but not sure about the Sykes saw. It uses the split nuts, and seems like it would be difficult, at best, with a standard flat blade screwdriver. I suppose I could modify a straight blade screwdriver to straddle the threaded post. Maybe I am making this too difficult?

You can modify a wide blade screwdriver to work on the split nuts or you can buy one(and maybe have to do a slight modification, for it to work properly). Tools For Working Wood carries them. The only way to "really" clean a blade is to remove the handle.

[Jim Koepke]

but not sure about the Sykes saw. It uses the split nuts, and seems like it would be difficult, at best, with a standard flat blade screwdriver. I suppose I could modify a straight blade screwdriver to straddle the threaded post. Maybe I am making this too difficult?

This is just one of the reasons it is seldom anything that comes my way gets tossed out.

It is easy to modify those flat pieces of steel that come with replacement hose ends to do this kind of job.

In the past I have also just used a needle nosed pliers or a couple of nails filed flat and driven through carefully drilled holes in a block of wood.

Another option would be those cheap stamped wrenches that come with some home assembly furniture.

Files, grinders, hammers and a place to do all this is the makeshift way of making tools for doing these odd jobs.

Then if you do it enough, but the tool needed.

Just looked at a set of tools that might work for this that I bought for working on bicycles about 40 years ago:

http://www.buy.com/prod/2-pc-spanner-wrench-set-slotted-round-pin-point/225250712.html

Mine were about $10 if my memory is working. I am sure they can be found cheaper.

jtk