Hand saw Spear & Jackson Mermaid No.23

[Awac]

Merry Christmas all.

I have been going through all my saw literature and can not find any catalogue with this one in. Any one have anything? I estimate 1900-1915ish, (from nib, handle style and nuts) if you have anything which positively dates it, that would be great.

 

[Jacob]

Not much help but reminds me of this thread. Same marketing guru on the job? Spear & Jackson saw, is it a Record?

 

[Awac]

Hi Jacob, Seen that one, it is a "88". S&J generally states 1760 as start date, so any time i.e. 100 years, 200 years gives rough date. S&J should have PTO on their saws (Please Turn Over) to get more writing on!

 

[Jameshow]

Nice a world away from thier new saws!

Cheers James

 

[Awac]

Paul Sellers rates the ones you can sharpen like yours in this blog.
https://paulsellers.com/2016/07/update-new-spear-jackson-saws/
But looks and feel, ah I love the old saws. A well sharpened saw is an unbelievable experience. The problems with most new saws is "set" is usually too much, and hard point makes them disposable (I hate that word!).

 

[kwigly]

Looks like this saw from the 1915 catalogue. Note that the catalogue states that this No.173 "Double Mermaid" "is a much improved edition of our original No.23", so your No.23 dates before 1915.
I have a note that the "Mermaid" brand was introduced in 1910 (but don't have a hard reference for this), which would indicate your saw dates 1910-1915

 

[Awac]

Looks like this saw from the 1915 catalogue. Note that the catalogue states that this No.173 "Double Mermaid" "is a much improved edition of our original No.23", so your No.23 dates before 1915.
I have a note that the "Mermaid" brand was introduced in 1910 (but don't have a hard reference for this), which would indicate your saw dates 1910-1915View attachment 99271

This is what makes this forum!Thank you for this, spot on, can I ask which catalogue this is from?

 

[Awac]

Is it from "THE HANDSAW CATALOGUE COLLECTION published by THE ASTRAGAL PRESS"?

 

[kwigly]

Is it from "THE HANDSAW CATALOGUE COLLECTION published by THE ASTRAGAL PRESS"?

Yes. That's the one, p113

 

[Awac]

Yes. That's the one, p113

I keep meaning to get that one! Thanks once again.

 

[mhn]

I have what looks like exactly the same saw in my tool box. I inherited the saw and the other hand tools in the box from my dad. He started his joiners apprenticeship in 1933 in the joiners shop at a colliery in south Yorkshire and I am guessing he would have been buying his tools from then to the start of WW2.

I've always claimed to have had the longest joiners apprenticeship on record, from being about 5 to probably 15 years old. He was for ever taking hammers out of my hand and giving it back to me to hold at the end of the handle and telling me to saw "as long as you can for as long as you can". I must have spent hours holding on the the end of long lengths of timber while he sawed them up by hand. When he got fed up of me in his small shed he would send me to ask my mum "for a long wait"
(Nostalgia is fine but its not as good as it used to be)

It costs me more to have what I still think of as his saws sharpened than to buy new disposable ones but I wouldn't do without his Henry Distan tenon saw of a similar vintage.

 

[Awac]

I have what looks like exactly the same saw in my tool box. I inherited the saw and the other hand tools in the box from my dad. He started his joiners apprenticeship in 1933 in the joiners shop at a colliery in south Yorkshire and I am guessing he would have been buying his tools from then to the start of WW2.

I've always claimed to have had the longest joiners apprenticeship on record, from being about 5 to probably 15 years old. He was for ever taking hammers out of my hand and giving it back to me to hold at the end of the handle and telling me to saw "as long as you can for as long as you can". I must have spent hours holding on the the end of long lengths of timber while he sawed them up by hand. When he got fed up of me in his small shed he would send me to ask my mum "for a long wait"
(Nostalgia is fine but its not as good as it used to be)

It costs me more to have what I still think of as his saws sharpened than to buy new disposable ones but I wouldn't do without his Henry Distan tenon saw of a similar vintage.

Well, would be interested in a picture of it to see if it had any differences! That's what is wrong with youngsters today, they don't get a real hammer until they are at least 30 years old......

 

[Awac]

Well, would be interested in a picture of it to see if it had any differences! That's what is wrong with youngsters today, they don't get a real hammer until they are at least 30 years old......

Your post gave me an idea, would be great if you could write about your Dad here!

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/tools-from-our-family-or-toolbox-genealogy.127405/