What Is It?

[maltby]

 Found this at a 100yr old sawmill site with my metal detector.  4 1/2 in. long  Any ideas?

 

 

 

[Jeff]

Yup. Half of one of these. ;D

[maltby]

Are these some sort of link used in a log conveyor?

Bill

[Jeff]

It's a crosscut saw jointer

[maltby]

Can you explain a little on how, when, and why it was used.  Did the saws use, or just general overuse, cause them to break?

[Jeff]

The one you found is probably broke because it was old and rusted.  Here is everything you will ever want to know about them.
CROSSCUT SAW MANUAL

[WLC]

Funny this comes up today.  Last night I watched an episode of The Woodwrights Shop on PBS.  He was demonstrating how to use one of those.

[lls256]

I watched that same episode of the Woodwrights Shop and thought the same thing. Roy Underhill did an excellent job explaining how the cross cut saw and the jointer works. 

[moodnacreek]

They are on E bay all the time. I tried for years to find a side file and finally made one. That did it , My tool collector friend brought me one and I won one on E bay, now I have 3. Somewhere I have seen a kit advertised for sharpening [log] cross cut saws that included this gage, probably Lehman's non electric.

[Jeff]

Great episode. Here is a link.  The folding sawing machine he demonstrates is something I have on my mantle. I also have the catalog/manual he talks about with mine.

[samandothers]

Thanks for the video. I enjoyed the education.