For Harry

[Mike Wenzloff]

Just a few pictures for Harry,

http://wenzloffandsons.com/saws/md/md_0003.jpg

http://wenzloffandsons.com/saws/md/md_0004.jpg

Take care, Mike

[Chris Barton]

Vary handsome saw Mike. You do great work. And, I am sure Harry will enjoy... Tell us more?

[Jim Becker]

Beautiful! I really love that little carved relief detail at the bottom of the hand slot in the handle...'really makes it special! This is the kind of thing that is missing in most mass production...aesthetic details.

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Chris,

Harry and I spoke on the phone about 18th century saws. This is a replica of the John Kenyon "pannel" saw as found in the Benjamin Seaton chest. Made about 1793 or so.

Cross cut, 7 tpi. 26" blade length, .042" thick saw plate, taper ground as close to the original spec as I can do. QS German Beech handle, shellac finish. Two sizes of brass bolts/split nuts, 1/2" on the topmost and ~9/16" for the two lower ones.

I think that's it...well, there's Schwarz's assessment on his blog and in the latest FTJ...

Take care, Mike

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi again, Chris and Jim--thank you both for the kind words.

Jim, it is a lamb's tongue--but a friend of mine equates them to a panting dog's tongue. Either works. It's kinda just like it!

Take care, Mike

[Mike Wenzloff]

Oh--just to be clear. The post was simply an easy way to share the pictures with Harry's use...the saw is another's...Along with this one <g>...

http://wenzloffandsons.com/saws/md/md_0001.jpg

http://wenzloffandsons.com/saws/md/md_0002.jpg

This is the Kenyon large tenon from the Seaton chest. Well, our remake anyway. 19" blade, .025" saw plate. ~4 1/2" usable depth at the toe, rising about 1/4" at the heel. 9 ppi rip. Brass is 1" high.

Take care, Mike

[Chris Barton]

Hi Chris,

Harry and I spoke on the phone about 18th century saws. This is a replica of the John Kenyon "pannel" saw as found in the Benjamin Seaton chest. Made about 1793 or so.

Cross cut, 7 tpi. 26" blade length, .042" thick saw plate, taper ground as close to the original spec as I can do. QS German Beech handle, shellac finish. Two sizes of brass bolts/split nuts, 1/2" on the topmost and ~9/16" for the two lower ones.

I think that's it...well, there's Schwarz's assessment on his blog and in the latest FTJ...

Take care, Mike

Very interesting. Can you tell us more about how a woodworker (carpenter/cabinet maker) of the period would have used this particular saw and how they would have viewed it as part of ther woodworking arsenal? I have to believe that a fine instrument such as this was just as expensive (maybe more so) then than now and could immagine that the care of such was very meticulous. Was it common for them to own several rip and cross cut saws or only one of each? I really like the European Beech with the tiny ray flecks in the handle.

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Chris. I have not seen much in the way of comparitive costing between Kenyon saws and contemporary makers. I have the cost somewhere. But I do know the Seaton chest did not have the most expensive nor even necessarily the very best tools of the day. Kind of like my own kit.

As for use, an 8 ppi saw then as now would be for breakdown, not final cuts. The Half-Rip in the chest of the same 26" length was 5 tpi/6 ppi. It was not the coarsest rip available. I have an early I&H Sorby which is 3 1/2 ppi...

I am making one for a gentleman who runs a period cabinet making shop who has and uses an original of the period. It was from an estate back East, so they made their way to America. In fact, some scholars believe Benjamin Seaton had plans to immigrate before his father's death.

I think Seaton was typical of a cabinetmaker of the day, and there were 6 saws in the chest: DT, carcass, sash, large tenon, this handsaw and the half-rip. This too is similar to the Phyfe saws. If one was to have a well rounded set, this would be a good classification. Perhaps a larger cross cut sash [14"] if one was working on large carcasses. But that's it.

Adam Cherubini did an article in PopWood a few issues back on the Charles Plumley inventory [can be downloaded from PopWood's web site, Magazine Extras]. The entire shop had:
5 handsaws
4 Tennant Saws
3 beam Saws
3 small saws
1 Morris fraime [coping saw]
1 Large frame saw

What I don't remember was about how many workers there were.

Well, gotta go back to work...Mike

[harry strasil]

If you read Part 10 of the Apprentices Journal, you will understand why Mike put the pictures up.

[Ken Bryant]

Hey Mike, are those my saws by any chance? I sure hope so; they're beautiful! Well worth waiting for... :)

Cheers,

Ken

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Ken--nope. It was late in the day and didn't have time for pics, sorry.

You should have 'em today or tomorrow I suspect! But yours are the same, only different <g>...

Take care, Mike

[Doug Littlejohn]

besides the obvious about what good owrk you do, I am curious about a couple of aspects of the saw.

First, to what purpose do the various notches serve in the handle, the ones on the top side? I've seen various types of notches there a real long time but no purpose is evident to me (block headed I supose) and,

Second , to what purpose does the nib serve near the top end of the blade. Again, I have seen these on myriad saws but never a reason.

TIA, I always look forward to seeing your latest works.

Sherwood

[Mike Wenzloff]

HI Doug--thank you for the kind words!

Both are mere decoration. It's possible the nib is a vestige of a more elaborate toe treatment from days past. They are on saws which predate Disston's statement that they serve no useful purpose--except decoration. Whether they [or what predates them] at one time did have purpose is a source of speculation.

Take care, Mike