Dunsford Bros back saw.

[Bod]

Following the Holtzapffell, this little saw.

The wording on the spine is "Dunsfold Bros Newcastle on Tyne Cast Steel"
This I take as being the retailer, rather than manufacturer, unless anyone knows more.

The handle is very similar in shape to the Holtzapffell, but smaller, and made of cheaper wood, beech.
It was found at a carboot in Hampshire, so it might be that Mr F. Winter came from the north east to work in the south, maybe the Portsmouth Dockyards.
I already have enough dovetail saws, so should anyone like this one for the postage costs, it's available.
The rust is surface only, and it will need sharpening. The handle is firm.

Bod

 

[pitch pine]

That's a generous offer and looks like it could make someone a good user dovetail saw.

 

[Bm101]

Since no one has answered, I reckon I could give that saw a bit of love Bod if that's ok?
Might take me 6 months ( :| ) to get round to it like everything else but I'll get there in the end and it will find a loving home in the Shed of Strays.
Regards as always and many thanks. Drop us a PM when you get time.
Chris

 

[Cheshirechappie]

'British Saws and Saw Makers' by Simon Barley lists Dunford Brothers of Newcastle upon Tyne, at 37 Mosley Street from before 1890 to 1898, and at 133 Pilgrim Street around 1916. The business is described as, "Wholesale ironmongers, contractors for colliery, engineers' and steamship stores, iron merchants etc".

That gives us a rough age for the saw, and confirms Bod's suspicion that Dunford's were the suppliers but not the makers.

 

[Bod]

Since no one has answered, I reckon I could give that saw a bit of love Bod if that's ok?
Might take me 6 months ( :| ) to get round to it like everything else but I'll get there in the end and it will find a loving home in the Shed of Strays.
Regards as always and many thanks. Drop us a PM when you get time.
Chris

PM on way
Bod

 

[Bm101]

Thank you Bod!

 

[Bm101]

Arrived yesterday. It's a nice little saw, well balanced, definitely a three fingered hold, I can't fit any more in the handle.
Looking at it I realised I didn't have a split nut screwdriver. So after I had (finally) finished grinding the last of the redlead paint off the parts of an ancient hand morticing machine I couldn't dip, I went up the house and had a shower.
Then I went back down there and spent a much more relaxed and enjoyable hour, cider to hand making one.
Some scrap brass bar, a spare file handle, a bit of dye and finish. Epoxied in and a tiny oak wedge. (Really. Just to see if I could (hammer) ).
The polar opposite of grinding ancient lead paint from cast ironwork and all the more pleasant because of it.
The ends (lands? Or is that just chisels) are ground at 20 degrees. I had no suitable scrap steel but hopefully it will be man enough on brass screws... Hopefully. I'll find out today. Possibly. If I get bored of blacking all the cast iron on the morticer. :|
Thanks again Bod.
Much appreciated.
Regards,
Chris

Edit; It works perfectly on both saws I have with split nuts! Wooop! (hammer)

 

[Bod]

Well done!
It's a small saw, in all respects, but it feels right.

Bod

 

[Bm101]

Well I finished it in all respects except a lick with the file which I'll do today. First time saw sharpening so will go very steady. It actually cuts ok already.

Wasn't at all sure about adding any colour to the beech, but there was a crack running through the bottom of the handle and figured a hidden repair would be easier if dyed. Cascamite mixed with 70/30 mahogany/darkoak sorted the crack and gave quite a nice colour.

I struggled to get one of the split nuts out as the groove was barely there on one side so I re cut the grooves on both. First with my Eclipse 4S , then with a small file and then some fine wet and dry to clean up.

A second or two on the belt sander polished them up to the horror of tool restoration purists everywhere no doubt.

Thanks again Bod. Its a lovely little saw.
Cheers
Chris

 

[AndyT]

That's a very good job you've made of that, Chris.
And it's nice to see someone else who appreciates how useful those little Eclipse 4S saw kits are.

 

[Bm101]

Thanks Andy, coming from you that's praise indeed. As you know, I got the 4S after seeing your recommendation on here. It's indeed a fantastic tool. I actually bought another because I worried about not being able to get spares in the future.
Always a fundamental but simple pleasure to bring an old tool back to life and use. I couldn't afford to buy the modern equivalent in production standards that's for sure. Since there is no modern equivalent you'd have to take a huge leap in price to buy new. Handmade saws? Crikey. Not likely.
So to get one for free for a small amount of invested time is mind blowing really isn't it?
Cheers
Chris

 

[MikeG.]

Nice one Chris. Your split nut screwdriver is a lot posher than mine.......a scrap of steel (from an old hardpoint saw), held in a pair of pliers.

 

[custard]

Well done Chris, that's a first rate restoration!

=D>

 

[Bm101]

Thanks guys. Glad you like it.
Should have included in the post above that the handle is finished in two stages, tru oil sealer and filler and then 3 or four coats of the finish. I tend to apply it in several very light coats fairly quickly just letting it get touch dry and rubbing it well in. The last coat I wait a bit longer then I give it a rub with a fairly low number micro mesh. Maybe 1500/1800. Not sure how the numbers correlate to normal sanding grits. There doesn't seem to be a logical comparison. I tend to then go to mid range like 3200. (Micromesh goes up to summat like 8000. It's just no use in this scenario unless maybe you want to apply 30 layers of finish. I can't see why you would. Ok, maybe. https://www.thefield.co.uk/shooting/mos ... guns-26087 :shock: ). The 3200 dulls the finish without producing a (discernible by eye ) scratch pattern.
Add one more coat to finish and it's done. Burn the rag for peace of mind and it's securely fire free done.
I don't give advice on here. I don't have a clue what I'm doing obviously. But I do love Tru Oil. It's fool proof. Must be. :wink:
Sure there will be someone along soon telling me I'm doing it wrong because I'm standing on both feet while rubbing it in lol. Also. No Full Moon.
Thanks for looking.
Chris

 

[Bod]

Well done Chris.
That's come up much better than I thought it would.
Good luck with the sharpening, take it slow with not much, if any set, then let us know how it cuts.

Bod

 

[Bm101]

Cheers Bod, appreciated, got caught up with tidying the shed and didn't get round to any filing. Since then I've pulled the back a wee bit alas, not badly but enough to know I don't want to be bending over the vise for an hour. Been here before and all must bend the knee (very gingerly trying to avoid spasms) before the Phantom of the Prolapsed Disc.
Grrr.
Will be on it as soon as I can manage it as I want to complete the saw and do my first sharpeninks.