Sorby & Disston

[Mike.C]

A few months ago SWMBO bought me a couple of saws off ebay, and I need some advice on the best way to clean them up, especially the black muck on the open handle Sorby below:

By the way are the spilt type washers correct?

As you can see there is rust in a few places, what is the best way to treat this?

The handles are also a bit tatty, is it worth cleaning these up? If so what can I use, or should I just leave them be?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Mike

 

[DomValente]

Cleaning the rust, worked a treat using Alf's method

Dom

 

[Philly]

Nice saws, Mike!
I'd give the handles a clean with paste wax and wire wool - should bring them up nicely. A little sanding with fine wet and dry sandpaper and some WD40 will clean the metal up, too.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[Mike.C]

Thanks for the link Dom (and thanks for showing us the process Alf), I have a few old tools that the citric acid may work on.

Thanks Philly, just a bit of paste wax on the handles, I thought that I would have to do a lot more work on them then that :lol:

How about those split washers (i don't know the proper name for them) are they original, because they just do not look right to me?

Thanks again guys

Mike.

 

[Philly]

Mike
With saws of this age I'd leave the patina and just clean off the muck - you don't really want the handles to look brand new on a pair of beautiful old saws like these
Split washers? Mike Wenzloff is the man - I'm sure he'll be along soon.
Cheers
Philly

 

[Mike.C]

Hi Philly, you are right of course, and its a good job you stopped me before I went to far. :lol:

Cheers

Mike

 

[Mike.C]

As well as the above questions, I forgot to ask if anyone knew of a good sharpening service in Aberdeenshire, if not what about a mail order service?

TIA

Cheers

Mike

 

[bugbear]

A few months ago SWMBO bought me a couple of saws off ebay, and I need some advice on the best way to clean them up, especially the black muck on the open handle Sorby below:

That muck looks likes varnish or resin. After masking off the handle (probably french polished or shellac) I'd try meths (or similar alcohol) on 0000 wire wool to remove the black muck. Have a rag in your "off" hand to remove meths and/or crud so it doesn't run everywhere.

BugBear

 

[Mike.C]

Bugbear,

That muck looks likes varnish or resin

Looking at it again I think you are right.

Many thanks for the advice.

Cheers

Mike

 

[IanW]

Split washers? Mike Wenzloff is the man - I'm sure he'll be along soon.

Them's not split washers - they are the 'split' nuts that were used in that era. You need to take a file to an old screwdriver to fashion a suitable tool for undoing (or tightening, which a lot of old handles need).

Amazing how they get worn down more at the toe of the blade - it's happening to a couple of my well-loved saws, even though I swear I joint them evenly! :?
Cheers,
IanW

 

[lurker]

For cleaning muck off tool handles etc, I use nail varnish remover (mix of acetone & water and perfume) as its really cheap. I have a 500ml bottle from wilkinsons 40p

Be aware there is some water in this stuff so don't soak the item, as it can lift the grain. I find wire wool too abrasive and removes the patina, a rough rag does the trick for me.
Wrap the rag round your thumb, dip into the remover and then plenty of elbow grease.
Then finish with a light dressing of danish oil.

 

[bugbear]

For cleaning muck off tool handles etc, I use nail varnish remover (mix of acetone & water and perfume) as its really cheap. I have a 500ml bottle from wilkinsons 40p

I'd be nervous of that - some handles are varnished or shellac'd.

BugBear

 

[Mike.C]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for taking the time to leave a post.

Ian, after Philly mentioned him I contacted MikeW and he said the same as you about them being split nuts, and apparently we stopped using them around 1887. He also told me how to make the tool to tighten them up.

lurker thanks for the tip.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Alf]

Late to the party and possibly too late for Mike, but for the benefit of the archive this is what I do fwiw.

Interesting date on the split nuts - I bow to MikeW on all things saw but I'm not sure they had such a tidy cut off point here in the UK.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Mike.C]

Hi Alf, nice to see you back.

What with one thing or another I have not been able to work on the saws , so your link is not to late and is most welcome thank you.

Cheers

Mike