Any hand saw horders here?

[Tynyyn]

I've taken up the (habit) sport of collecting hand saws.  My first on was a Disston #115 with the globe near the handle.  My wife picked it up at a Restore shop for five bucks.  What a deal, huh?  Since then my collection has grown to about twenty saws and the bug has bit me hard.  I've gotta stop or I'll have to build a second saw till.  Right now I'm into pre-civil war saws with split nuts.  Any recommendations on how to manufacture a split nut removal tool?  I've seen one with a hunk of metal with the obligatory gap between two tangs, but was wondering if anybody has a better idea which would be inexpensive.

Any saws which would be good collectibles?  Opinions, stories, or pics would be welcome.

Thanks.

[hbmcc]

I do my best to avoid them, but the thrift store Under-$5 bargains are too hard to resist. 

[Admiral]

I made a split nut driver out of an old spade drill but. Grinder, file, easy and cheap.

[Z28Doug]

Guilty as charged..... only about 30 saws, try to limit myself.  Use a small square of thin saw plate mounted on a dowel. (cut slit in end of the dowel and epoxy) use a small file and make a U cut in the end.  It's real hard to beat a good Victory saw, the steel files very smooth and the plates polish brighter than any another saws I own.  The victory's made during the WW2 era are lacking in steel quality than the others, beware. My favorite saw I own is an Atkins #52 no-set cabinetmakers saw. It easily runs with no set vs my acme 120 that does not....

[DaveParkis]

I don't know if it qualifies me as a "hoarder" or not, but I have around 100 saws. I have a couple of bits for split nut. I believe one can from Tools For Working Wood and the other came from Lee Valley. Both work very, very well.

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

Hording? Dunno. What is a horde of saws?
1000? Well I certainly don't have that many.
500? Gosh, no.
100? Uh, did we decide on a number yet?

[enjuneer]

At last count (and more have shown up at my door since), I had accumulated about 220 saws. Some are users. Some are awaiting restoration. Some are merely good as parts donors.

Blackburn Tools has a really nice split nut wrench for under $20. He uses scraps of saw plates that are cut to shape and inserted in a nice brass handle. I borrowed his idea and made one from a small card scraper. The notch is formed with a fine file. The neat thing about using saw plates or shim stock is that it comes in a whole range of thicknesses, so it is easy to match the width of the screw slot.

Saw Nut Spanner Wrench

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

I have around 100 or so. About 30 are still in waiting for a good restoration. Most are Disston's from pre 1918, but there are lots of English saws also. My personal favorites are my collection of English brass back saws. I have over a dozen.

I also have a fleet of Foley saw sharpeners, retoothers and setters. Wonderful machines.

The Blackburn tools split nut driver is wonderful. Love it. I just wish he'd get more of his other tools made.

[Chuck Nickerson]

If 'hand saw' includes backed saws, bow saws, and logging saws I've got 73.

Now if my wife would just let me dig a pit so I can use the pit saw...

[Downwindtracker2]

That slope is so slippery. When I was an apprentice I bought a Disston D-9, their best and Sandvik #280, also their best for over $40  each. That was a lot of money for an apprentice.  When I see a #280 for $5 at the fleamarket I can't help myself. Some saws are just bought for harvesting the nuts.