This came to me courtesy of eBay the other day, but it looks a bit different than most others I've seen on the web, which tend to have a sort of rounded hump to the frontend. The blade is just shy of 13", and the catalogs show 14" as the smallest size made. If it was modified at sometime, they did a pretty good job, as the front edge of the blade is as smooth as the rest, and shows a similar patina.
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Don't know how well it will cut yet, the set has apparently been completely removed, and it binds almost immediately. There is a slight bend to the blade in front that will have to be flattened out.
Does anyone know if in later years these were made with a squared blade in front? Other pics I have seen also show a brass spine, but this one is steel. Also this handle is more plain than earlier ones, so I'm assuming it's a later model, but before all of the handles went blocky. The medallion, however, appears to be from the 1880's near as I can tell. It doesn't really completely match any on the Disstonian institute site, there being no appostrophy before the last A in PHILDA .
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The last pic is of the sawnut heads, which were in this condition before I got it. Any ideas as to how to make these functional again? The handle is slightly loose, but two of the nuts won't go anywhere without further mangling them. Is there a way to deepen the slots without damaging the handle in the effort?
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Thanks to anyone who can shine a little light on this saw.
Dan