Traditional Woodworking Tools Internet Magazine

On removing the handle from a (my only) Thomas Turner & Co. Encore saw I discovered that two of the dumps from the punched-out fixing holes (concave on one face and convex on the other) on the blade emerged from the handle's screw holes and I could see where they had been pressed into the handle's wood by the screws' (nuts'?) sides.

I am inclined to consider it unlikely that the dumps would have found their way into the screw-nut holes of the handle had the blade been first punched and the pre-drilled handle then fitted as the location of the dumps seemed to suggest that the pre-drilled handle was slid over the saw blade and the blade was then punched through the holes in the handle. Is there any evidence out there pro or con such an hypothesis?

Another saw for rehabilitation was a large old monster ripper (lots of steel from top to edge) with nib, sway backed, taper ground with a convoluted handle (no thumb hole, though) and looking mighty like a Disston but with an indecipherable etch and the medallion missing. The teeth looked a bit strange and the tape measure told me that they were, at the heel, 4 1/2 points and, at the toe, 6 points. The transition in the number of points from the heel to the toe was not all that perceptible but I could measure 5 and 5 1/2 points at particular intervals.

The saw had been "touched up" by a previous owner as it required quite a bit of jointing and I am left wondering whether its sliding-scale point design is the product of the saw manufacturer's intention or the hopelessly best sharpening endeavors of an earlier owner. After sharpening (I did not re-set it notwithstanding the heavy jointing required) it cut very well and very straight but the 4 1/2 point section required a fair bit of energy expenditure as it raced along the line. I intend to keep it in its present configuration in any event for beer and conversation purposes and, of course, ripping.

A Shelton jack plane. There, I've said it! Judging from the bad press the poor old Shelton have received in this forum in earlier times I believe I should be hieing myself to the stocks there to serve an indefinite sentence.

A Shelton No 14 (14 inches long) made in USA and transported, it would seem, to a life's term of penal servitude in H.M's Penal Colony at Botany Bay along with numerous British scallywags. Britain transports it convicts, USA transports its Shelton to the land of Oz.

It was acquired in a very grunged-up state, the least of its diseases being some form of plane-leprosy, but it is strictly Bailey in pattern, having none of this lateral-adjuster-depth-adjuster combination thing I've read about concerning other Shelton models. It cleaned up rather well, very flat sole in length and breadth and with sides nicely square to the sole according to my squares and straight-edge. Everything there, including screw-adjustable frog, but with a replacement blade or a blade, without a brand name, hardly ever used.

The mouth looked a bit too wide. Tote and knob in plain wood fitted with one-part screw shafts. The wood waxed up nicely, not too ostentatious and with previous owner's sweat supplying patina. The frog was -very- adjustable to the extent that I was able to close up the too-wide mouth with the blade to the gap of a nit's arse. It performed quite well and I won't have a word said against Shelton from here on in. Could not find much about Shelton in my brief look in the archives and would be pleased to hear a little of the history of the company.

John Manners, In Brisbane
(suffering vacation withdrawal symptoms)