Old hand saw help James?

[Jacob Nothstine]

I told myself last week that I would not buy any more hand saws. So here is what I pick up at a Estate sale last week. Trying to find out more information about it. There is a little bit of etching on it that say.



James & ___________


W __ Griffiths


Warranted Cast Steel N-Y



The handle is just nuts.
It's old has a skew back and a nub.
26" 6 TPI

Any ideas?

[Andrae Covington]

James & ___________

W __ Griffiths


Warranted Cast Steel N-Y


Hm. The "W__ Griffiths" might be Welch & Griffiths, which started around 1830 in Boston. They had operations in New York by the 1850's.


The handle is just nuts.

One look at the photo makes it obvious what you mean but, I chuckled when I first read this. "That handle is craaaazy!"

[Jacob Nothstine]

I did some more research and it looks like the saw was made in 1800. James was a saw makers in the Welch & Griffiths company.

http://www.wkfinetools.com/hus-saws/welch%26griffiths/history/welch-Griff-history-5.asp

I will have to take a closer look at the etching again, now that I know what I'm looking for.

[Chris Vandiver]

The saw bolts on your saw certainly don't look like they're from 1800. Just saying...

[David Young]

Nice find, those round head fasteners were used by a few New England makers in the 1850's, Shotwell and Cortland Wood were two. Here is a link to pictures of a few more in Mike Stemples collection.

https://picasaweb.google.com/116740232904988541224/NewYorkSaws#5660435755851388530