Joshua Clark got some very nice pictures of a couple of saws
> S.H. Co. Fast Mail
> St. Louis, U.S.A.
> Cast Steel Warranted
> Patent Temper Patent Ground

Actually S.H.Co is one of the names for E. C. Simmons Hardware. These is an 
old reference to this on the old tools archive.

> Norvell's Fast Mail
> St. Louis, U.S.A.
> Cast Steel Warranted
> Patent Temper - Patent Ground.

Some time ago there was a discussion of the steel composition of various 
Disston saws, with an assay showing the same composition in a number of 
different "quality" Disston saws (IIRC). Somewhere else (not oldtools, I 
don't think), quality differences between manufacturers with the same input 
steel was reported (ball bearings in that case?)

Since the composition is the same and the quality very different, the 
tempering steps must be what accounts for the difference.

I have seen the term "patent tempered" before, but have never seen a Temper 
Patent. Disston advertising make quite a big deal of their tempering process.

Does anyone know of any patents for tempering steel for saws in particular? 
Or for Patent Ground for that matter. They might reveal a little more about 
he making of saws, way back when.

Brent