The orphan tenon saw

[lurker]

On Saturday at the event at Richard Arnold's, we have a “bring and buy” table ; you bring tools you no longer want, others help themselves and put into the donation box whatever they chose for their “purchases”.

I had promised myself I did not need any more tools! But there was a rusty steel backed tenon saw that I took pity on. It balanced well in my hand and had a rather nicely shaped handle.

At home that evening, I spent less than two hours sorting it. Off came the handle (biggest job was removing the manky brass nuts)and the metal got a session with a wire cup brush on my angle grinder. I then did a bare minimum restoration on the handle (which I think might be boxwood). Fitted better brass nuts from my stash of parts. And then resharpened as a rip, I have not even set the teeth as it cuts fine without wander. Quick dollop of wax and the jobs a good un.
I now seem to have a “collection” of tenon saws, at least one for every day of the week. :roll:

Anyway……….. Questions:
The saw is marked Josh. Haywood &Co. Sheffield and has a copper kettle symbol stamp. Can anyone put a date to it?
What I found strange was a further stamp saying “German Steel”.
I thought this was a bit odd for a product coming from Sheffield and also Britain has, how shall we put this, not been on excellent terms with Germany during the 20th century.
So, does anyone know; was it steel from Germany or some steel making process called “german steel”.

 

[DonMc]

Joseph Haywood shows up, in 1847, as a merchant and manufacturer at 25 Victoria Street, Sheffield. In 1849, at the same address, he's listed as a "merchant, and steel, file, edge tool, saw and cutlery mfr.", and by 1852 he has moved to 31 Holly Street. Then, by 1856, the name of the firm is Joseph Haywood & Co., in business at Glamorgan Works, 16 Garden Street, where they continue through 1879. Finally, the company completes its tenure at Glamorgan Works, Pond Street, from 1881 through 1901. It doesn't appear in the 1905 directory. During much of its working dates, it seems that the focus of their manufacturing is on cutlery, knives of various sorts, and razors. So there is a good possibility their saws were made by other firms and stamped with the Joseph Haywood & Co. name.

Though the term German Steel seems to have meant something different in the 17th and 18th centuries, by mid-19th century, I believe the term referred to a type, or grade, of shear steel. Shear steel being the result of cutting selected lengths of blister, or cementation, steel, bundling them together with stout wire and hot forging them into an ingot. In line with this understanding, the 4th edition of the Illustrated Sheffield List includes "best quality" and "second" German Steel under the general heading of Shear Steel. The cementation process was developed in Germany about 1600, and shear steel was introduced into England by German, Wilhelm Bertram toward the end of the 17th century.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR

 

[Cheshirechappie]

BSSM gives Joseph Haywood (& Co after 1868) as a maker of cutlery between the years 1841 and 1900, when the works was sold to Needham, Veall and Tyzack, with the trade marks going to Thomas Turner. The works was a fairly large one with 165 workers in 1881, but there is no record of there being a saw department, which suggests that saws marked with Haywood's stamp were made by others. Saws marked both 'cast steel' and 'German steel' have been recorded, but are not common.

I agree about the comfort of 19th century saw handles. Every example I've ever handled has been, without exception, more comfortable to hold than 20th century examples. I think it's because they tend to be a little smaller; for some reason, 20th century makers seemed to assume that everyone has hands like shovels - Lord knows why!

 

[memzey]

This thread needs some pictures Jim...

 

[nabs]

"German steel" had two meanings in the 19C - commonly (particularly for saws) indicating 2nd quality steel compared to Cast, but it could also refer to steel made in German steelmaking areas like Westphalia.

The same steel was sometimes called raw or natural steel because it was derived from pig iron. like blister steel it could be improved by folding and welding and was then often referred to as Refined German steel