1865-1871, 8ppi filed crosscut, most common handle type, short plate with only three nuts, intact nib, more common of the two known "and son" buttons. Good temper, I bent the blade 180 degrees and let it snap both ways in the store before I bought a $34 hard sided suitcase to fly it home in a checked bag.

The wood is in remarkable shape for a tool that is at least 150 years old. A little wear, but no pieces broken off. The plate is evenly rusted suggesting it was oiled or waxed the last time it was used, but it could have been 100+ years ago.

So here is the thing. If I can restore this and put it in my till as a user I want to tighten the split nuts back down in July or August at the height of my wet season here and let this thing rest in the dry season with possibly loose nuts. The plate is fairly pitted, in the one pic you can see where someone started on the plate with a power sander, found pits where the etch would be and sold it off cheap (to me, yippee!!).

If I can't restore it to use I at least want to get the wood and brass looking dignified before someone paints a primitve landscape scene on it and hangs it up in a bar or outhouse. Hopefully an indoor space with good climate control.

I feel good about using mineral spirits and fine stool wool to lift the grime off the wood. I feel good about leaving reasonable patina on the brass.

The plate gives me the heebie jeebies. I am just flat going to have to start with 80-100 grit to break through the rust, and may have to step back to 60 grit to expose metal. I am sorely tempted to joint the teeth before I do anything else to the plate (looks pretty flat) , and then shape the teeth just to get the rust out of the gullets before I get going on the sides of the plate.

I have some concerns about setting the teeth on a saw this old. I read a couple places the steel can (not a metalurgist) change over time, putting the teeth at risk of snapping off when set. I don't want to do that. If all y'all think it is a go I will probably wait a little while for Lee Valley to ship a new saw set before I dare try it, none of the wonky vintage sets I own currently will ever touch this saw.

If I mangle up a screw driver tip to fit these split nuts, will at work on similar products, or am I going to end up sacrificing a screwdriver tip on the altar of technical excellence for each successive split nut saw?

Did Pete Taran ever start a new thread on vintage wood finishes that you remember? I found a thread from 2017 where he had ordered up some sandarac resin (mediterranean cypress tree) to make some spirit varnish with grain alcohol, but I haven't been able to find a later thread with his results. The sandarac resin as readily available on Amazon, and I can get 190 proof up here still.

Getting those answered will keep me going a while. I found it at the north end of the San Joquain valley, pretty dry place up around Redding, Ca. In a few days I might be asking if I should immerse the wood in a 50-50 mix of mineral spirits and BLO for a few days, but first I have to introduce Mr. Screwdriver to Mr. Benchgrinder and Mr. File.

Thanks in advance, I really don't want to screw this up.

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