What can you tell me about Spruce Mills saws?

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

Hi all,
I've owned a Spruce Mills dovetail saw for quite a while, but don't know much about the maker. I recently came across 2 more saws by him, and now I'm really curious.

Any info?

[Mark A Smith]

Looks like the toolworks is out of business. The last blog entry is from 2008.

[Steve N]

You might send an e-mail to The Schwarz He generally at least knows makers through e-mail when he buys/gets a tool. He might be able to fill in blanks. Looks like Spruce Mill is no more. However on the posted link to his blog, he mentions Schwarz, so looks like there was some info passing. Schwarz is essentially unemployed, so he ought to be able to return a query

[Aram]

I have a couple of Spruce Mill saws! They were made by a (former?) Woodnetter named Tim Hoffman, who went by the Woodnet handle "TimHoff." Nice guy. They were very good saws, not as meticulously detailed as some of the marquee indie saw makers (the backs of mine, for example, are a brass-blade-brass sandwich, rather than a folded or slotted brass jewel). They cut very well. Again, maybe they were never the effortless starters of Wenzloff, but they cut true and reliably, and were (at least, when I bought mine) considerably less expensive than most of the competition.

I'm not positive, but I think saw making was a hobby business for Tim. I think he got preoccupied with life, and wandered on.

[Mike Brady]

Read Lost Art Press blog today. C. Schwarz no longer has an public email address and does not respond to emails. He does write two blogs so you might get an answer to a question or comment about one of his blog entries. There also is a Lost Art Press blog that you can post to.

His reasons for all of this are well explained in today's entry.

[Nordic]

I exchanged a few emails with Tim several years back. He made saws as a hobby for quite a while, I think most all of them were sandwich style backs.

It hasn't been updated since 2008, but his blogspot account is still up:

http://sprucemill.blogspot.com

Leif

[Timberwolf]

Nordic is correct...There was another fellow who posted here rarely that made and sold some "far out" saws using the "brass sandwich" method...I became interested in that as I had fairly extensive experience with epoxy resin, so I made one..Tim liked the idea and he started making them and sold a few in the S&S that I know of...I didn't rivet mine, just trusting epoxy for the bond...Tim drilled and threaded the holes and used brass screws along with epoxy for extra security...That has been quite a few years ago and the epoxy is still holding strong without rivets...

[Jonathan S]

I have one of Tim's dovetail saws, bought back in the day when we could sell hand tools in the hand tool forum! Sandwiched back and thin plate that is not quite straight but it cuts true and I used it on many projects.

Jonathan

[Timberwolf]

Jonathan, do you remember the fellow that made DT saws with the weird handles?? The horns were extremely long and he apparently made them in several styles....I don't recall whether or not he ever sold any on the forum..

[Martin S.]

I have one of the long handled saws.

I bought it in swap and sell.

It is packed away and I don't remember the name on the back.