On Jul 13, 2008, at 7:28 AM, Ray Gardiner wrote:
> This shows a hole at the toe end, also it's a straight blade, and  
> rivetted handle
> http://www.backsaw.net/pics/1600sSwedishSawLarger.jpg
>
> This one, a thing of beauty. Later than the first.
> http://www.backsaw.net/pics/1700sSwedishNibLarger.jpg
>
> Nice bit of Dutch craftsmanship.
> http://www.backsaw.net/pics/1698DutchNibLarger.jpg

	Thanks for the links, Ray.  On the "visual aid" hypothesis, it would  
seem that in use, by the time the sawyer could see these versions of  
the saw tip decorative element (dating from the time some folks  
suggest nibs had a functional purpose), the blade would already be  
out of the kerf.
	And apologies to all for the run-on URLs in the posting I sent in  
the middle of the night.  What a missing caret will get ya, I guess.   
This should go straight to the large and clear image of "Melancholia"  
surrounded by text in Russian:

<http://varvar.ru/arhiv/gallery/nord/durer/durer_master3.html>

And this is the Dutch timmerman with the nibbed saw with pistol-grip  
handle on the ground beside him:

<http://www.geneaknowhow.net/in/beroepen/luyken/timmerman.html>

	Speaking of which, I was hoping our Netherlands Correspondent, or  
maybe someone else who reads Dutch, might be able to provide an  
English translation of the text on this image.  Maybe it reveals the  
mystery of the nib!
		Tom Holloway

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