VICTORIAN SCROLL SAW

(October 1998)

"NEW ROGERS" SCROLL SAW. (48K) Wood and iron. 1890s.

DESCRIPTION

This 1890s "New Rogers" scroll saw was used for furniture parts, cabinetwork, and house decoration. During the Victorian Period it was used to produce the popular, ornate fretwork or scrollwork generally known as "gingerbread." This particular scroll saw was capable of quite intricate designs.

SAWS ARE VERY OLD

From the saw-toothed stone tools of Paleolithic humans to the great variety of saws today, these devices have proved indispensable. Pull-saws of copper, bronze, and iron have been found by archaeologists in ancient Egyptian tombs and are illustrated on tomb walls. In early Roman times the metal pull-saw was common. It was a type of saw that cut wood on the up stroke. In the 13th century the push-saw, a tool that cut on the down stroke and was more easily controlled, was customary. At some point it replaced the pull-saw to a large extent.

In the early 19th century a bow, or turning, saw was used to cut curves in wood. The framed saw had a blade that was tensioned by twisting the top cord with the toggle stick. The handles were turned to alter the angle of the blade for sawing curves. By modern times numerous saws had been devised that were designed for a variety of special purposes. One of these is this scroll saw, or jigsaw.

THE JIGSAW OR SCROLL SAW

A "jig" is a device made especially for holding work and guiding the cutting tool. The choice of wood for cutting is important for the desired effect. To cut the wood to the preferred shape, the short thin blade on the machine moves up and down through the table as the foot works the treadle below (modern scroll saws are motor driven and streamlined). The blade cuts on the downward movement. The wood is placed on the table and carefully guided by both hands and fed into the scroll saw blade at the right speed to maintain the proper cutting.

The scroll saw was designed for shaping fine curves and openings in wood no more than an inch thick. Its function was mainly to produce curves, often complicated, not straight lines. It was intended for delicate work and not for heavy cutting, which was achieved on the band saw.

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