Crosscut Saw Thread

trailtime said:
...If someone can educate me on how I post pictures on this forum, I'll add a few saw pics. I can't seem to locate the "picture and albums" link in my user control panel. Until then, I'll just have to insert one from the outside:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oqRrC3HzwM
Click to expand...


With the same url for that video you linked, I entered it using the "Insert Video" icon (small picture looks like a couple frames of a movie) at the top of the box where I am writing this reply, and this is the result:
[video=youtube;7oqRrC3HzwM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oqRrC3HzwM[/video]

Photos can be entered a similar way using the "Insert Image" icon (looks like a picture of a tree), also at the top of the reply box.
 
2012-02-06 23.56.41.jpg

This saw hangs above my bed now. It's a little over 60 inches. It was in our barn when I was growin up. I never seen it used. I went back to see my brother when I retired and there it was, so I secured it. It's in great shape. It got to that thin rust layer stage and preserved itself. I took our old grim reaper scythe also. My daughter carried it for Halloween. (I'll get a pic of the scythe up soon)
 
Last edited:
Here's the Grim Reapers walking staff and my cat (Monkey). Last time I used it was about 30 years ago. Man, what a smooth, sweeping cutter. It got a bad rap if you ask me.

Scythe.jpg
 
HAH--I actually recognize the mounting collar on that one from my time spent looking through Google Patents. The underside is shaped rather like a ramp or wedge, am I right?
 
Dang FTB, Ruby P. Stine is proud as heck! You recognized his face plate, that was tilted with respect to the snath-butt so the tang of the blade is also in a tilted position in relation to the snath, so when in use the snath could be held in a relatively upright position while still maintaining a nearly perpendicular relation between the scythe blade and the material which is being cut.
This one has a weld bead on the top left side of the wedge. It musta cracked a long time ago. Other than that, everything else is still intact and the parts all move freely.

You are the man!

snath.jpg
 
I told ya' I had seen it! :D

I had remembered that one 'cause I thought the wedge was a great idea and the large ring was very visually distinct. I've been studying up on American scythes lately, as I'm quite a fan.
 
Yea, thats pretty wild. The tang of the blade has a little hook in the end that's down in one of the holes of the wedge. It's only held in place with the ring. It does a great job. Sure is a funny feeling lookin at it, and the drawing of it that was done in 1931.
 
Yup! That's standard tang formation for American scythes. You can sit it in the other holes to adjust the hafting angle, which is useful depending on the blade style you're using and the targets you're cutting. Some (like mine) have more elaborate mechanisms to allow for a wider range of adjustment.

On the topic of crosscut saws, though, I'm gonna' have to keep my eyes peeled at the local antique shops. I plan on hitting up the ones down around Waterville since a lot of Maine edged tool companies used to exist in that region. I'm hoping to find some scythes, axes, and saws in decent shape around there. Maybe even a hay knife in better shape than the one I've got.
 
leebrewer said:
Yea, thats pretty wild.
.....Sure is a funny feeling lookin at it, and the drawing of it that was done in 1931.
Click to expand...

I have a similar scythe with a 1926 patent date on it.

Scythe3.jpg
 
Interesting! I see that it says patents pending...I wonder if they simply put that on there to discourage anyone else from applying for a patent while they raised the money to file. Patents cost quite a lot of money!
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I see that it says patents pending...I wonder if they simply put that on there to discourage anyone else from applying for a patent while they raised the money to file.
Click to expand...

There is more patent and manufacturing information buried in the assembly. If you take it apart you see the whole patent stamp.

It reads:
Patented June 12 1926
Other Patents Pending

Patent_date.jpg
 
And on the tang of the blade there is manufacturing info. It reads:

Craftsman
Made in Sweden

The small stamp in the hexagon by the tip reads '23'.

Manufacture.jpg
 
Cool stuff! Thanks for the pics! Makes me wonder about the patent then. That one is strikingly similar.
 
It's not too costly to get a patent, the problem is it's a very slow process. There is a long wait between the patent application and the actual granting of a patent. Patent pending was to discourage others from trying to patent the same idea before the patent protection was granted. Which means this was made after June 12, and after some other patents had been applied for but they had not yet been granted. So if you can figure out when the next subsequent patent was granted, you can pretty accurately date this piece since the patent will also show the date the patent was applied for.
 
Wow. Loving all the saw info. Finally dug out the freebie I got for helping a friend move a while back. No idea what it is. All I know is that it's rusty, it's missing a few teeth, and the handles obviously aren't original. The vertical handle is just a piece of pipe welded to the saw. Now I just have to find the time to begin another restoration project!

photo-10.jpg

photo-9.jpg

photo-8.jpg
 
That metal handle is off a regular hand saw. Around here they are called mine saws since they were commonly used in mines where the would often be wet. Less apt to deteriorate like a wood handle. I doubt they are still being made, but they are still fairly available in this area.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top