Old Brass Saw

[old workshop]

Hi, Old Work Shop here, thanks for letting me join the Wood work forum.

I have an old saw and the Plate is made of Brass?
The handle has been replaced at some time,
I am looking for any info on this saw?
I live in Jersey CI and the only thing I can
think that this saw was for is that a lot of
Jersey people built ships in the Island.
In the early 19th century some of the people
went cod fishing in Canada to the Gaspe.

Martin.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I rather doubt that the teeth of a brass saw (or possibly bronze?), even when well work-hardened, would stand up to much work in the timbers used in boatbuilding. More likely to be an ice saw - such items were commercially available from at least one American maker (Simmonds), but were not listed in any UK maker's catalogue, according to Simon Barley's excellent 'British Saws and Saw Makers'. Whether or not they had brass blades I don't know.

 

[dannyr]

could be -- the ice saws I have seen had much bigger teeth (maybe 2 or 3 tpi?) and were really big and some were made of zinc but brass would be fine, those were for cutting commercial blocks of ice from ponds before refrigerators became common, but maybe an ice saw for ice hole fishing?

how about just a saw to use on a fishing boat where salt water might play hell with iron/steel tools?

the other quoted use for brass/bronze tools is for non-sparking in an explosion-risk place like coal mine, flour mill or gunpowder works

interesting find, anyhow

 

[old workshop]

I am posting a picture of the handle not original but
you can see the out line of the older handle. It had a third
hole where there would have been another screw or possibly
a Medallion.

Martin.

 

[Orraloon]

This saw is also being discussed over on the Australian forum and the mystery may have just been solved. At least the best suggestion so far. I wont spoil the secret so you will have to take a look.
Regards
John