Nice Little Sorby Backsaw - Bootfair today

[jimi43]

I just thought I would round off this thread with the important part...how does little "Roberta" work and is it worth going down this route of getting a bargain saw at a bootfair, having it professionally sharpened and then using it?

Well, today I can say...hand on heart (slightly damaged one but restored! :mrgreen: ) that it is without doubt worth it...beyond my wildest dreams.

Since "her indoors" has allowed me to venture out into the sun...(she put the Workmate up!) and actually do some sawing...I tried little "Roberta" out on some gorgeous yew...kindly provided for me by a fellow UKW member....and it cuts like a hot knife through butter!

I have used Japanese saws, bandsaws, table saws and even bow saws (!!!) but this was wonderful...a pleasure to use.

So...before you go out and spend all your hard earned dosh on a posh little Veritas or maybe even posher...(insert your favourite top class saw name here)....saw....consider this route....but of course...you need to get someone like Pedder to fettle the biting bits... :mrgreen:

Jim

 

[Richard T]

That's a great shot of some great file work there Jim and Pedder.

It's also very educational for those who might have never seen a file sharpened saw. And that should be quite a few, as you can't even buy such off the shelf.
That is exactly what a saw's teeth should look like - a shiny indomitable row of knives; or chisels on a rip saw.
I'm glad to say that most of my saws now look and cut (almost ) as good as that. It takes a lot of practice and swatting up but it pays off tons.

 

[Henry Disston]

That is a beautiful sharpening job. Kudos to pedder for his passion for saws old and new.

 

[bugbear]

So...before you go out and spend all your hard earned dosh on a posh little Veritas or maybe even posher...(insert your favourite top class saw name here)....saw....consider this route....but of course...you need to get someone like Pedder to fettle the biting bits... :mrgreen:

Jim

Hmm. We know the "capital" cost was a quid. What was the total cost of the saw by the time it was cutting yew so sweetly . . . perhaps the Veritas is cheap after all?

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

So...before you go out and spend all your hard earned dosh on a posh little Veritas or maybe even posher...(insert your favourite top class saw name here)....saw....consider this route....but of course...you need to get someone like Pedder to fettle the biting bits... :mrgreen:

Jim

Hmm. We know the "capital" cost was a quid. What was the total cost of the saw by the time it was cutting yew so sweetly . . . perhaps the Veritas is cheap after all?

BugBear

Your call...I know what I would do....um...did! :mrgreen: :wink:

I would say a lot less than a Veritas though...yup...just checked with Axminster and it is a lot less...and mine has a brass back...not a cheap "injection moulded" one.

Marketing people are wonderful aren't they...how they can turn "crappy plastic" into something which is a bonus bullet point! "Injection moulded back creates a solid one-piece blade/spine/mount assembly" :roll:

At the top...I suggested this was one avenue to choose....it wasn't a mandate BB! :wink:

Jim

 

[Alf]

Jim, really? I mean - really? Stainless steel and glass fibre in a polymer resin equals "crappy plastic"? What on earth d'you call the material used in the average yoghurt pot? :-s

 

[jimi43]

Jim, really? I mean - really? Stainless steel and glass fibre in a polymer resin equals "crappy plastic"? What on earth d'you call the material used in the average yoghurt pot? :-s

Yup...ALF...that's my view of the use of polymers. I mean...come on..."injection moulded"...every plastic is injection moulded...what's the alternative..."whittled by fairies!!"

It's marketing speak to make a bullet point to get away from the fact that it's got plastic bits...pure and simple.

I'm all for modern materials...don't get me wrong...and I am sure that an "Injection moulded back creates a solid one-piece blade/spine/mount assembly" does a good job....I just don't like it.

It's like the injection moulded palm retaining integrated thrust/guidance devices found on modern Stanley Handymen....yuck!

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :wink:

Jim

 

[Richard T]

I'm sure they work fine but we'll never see one starting a new life as a Bill Carter mini mitre.

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Pedder....thanks for confirming that this is a bit of a gem. I can easily see how the screw nuts would not want to come out and this one has a beautiful Kangaroo which has not been polished at all with wire wool...indeed the whole saw has that beautiful patina of untouched...just used for 100 years - look.

Just ONE tooth is broken...I am going to leave this. And I don't think I will be removing the handle. I will check around to see if someone can just touch it up a bit without removing the handle...or I might just leave it...you never know. The set seems fine.

I will post some more pictures once the annoying horn repair is complete.

Cheers for your comments guys!

Jim

Nice-splice Jim. Proper job. I wouldn't disturb any more of the patina than absolutely necessary. I have a couple of planes like that and there's something I can't explain about holding and using them. Using old gems like these is like shaking hands with a long gone craftsman.

John

 

[pedder]

I'm sure they work fine but we'll never see one starting a new life as a Bill Carter mini mitre.

I've mixed emotions about Bill all the time. On the one hand he makes beautiful art. On the other hand he abuses the bones of "old ladies". :lol:

Cheers
Pedder