Don’t Bodder Me

This article previously appeared in The Gristmill, No. 80 September 1995

Don’t Bodder Me

William Rigler
3/24/97

Dick Opshal said after he sold me the pictured saw, “He probably will write another article for the Gristmill.”

Mystery Saw image Saw Nut Medallian

This is really a nondescript saw, 3 split screws holding a cheap handle to the blade, button is a “Warranted Superior” type, blade is cast steel, no nib, 26 inches long with 6 teeth to the inch cross cut.

 

Then you look where a logo might be:

Etching Picture Etching Tracing

Behold a man doing a handstand on a ribbon containing the words “DONT BODDER ME.” Bare feet in the air, face looking you square in the eye, a shoe on the left side and a bee flying on the right side of the figure. What does this all mean?

A quick check with several saw gurus that I know turned up one more saw and with one other inquiry. So we are not dealing with a one of a kind. Surprisingly it is a general conclusion that it is a Pennsylvania product.

Miss Norma thought the manufacture’s name could be Bodder, a play on words. Irv Schaffer’s suggestion was that the Shoe and the Bee are the key — Shoebee – Shubee — etc. good Dutch, German names.

While I am not a SAW collector (only have 12 handsaws), I became extremely fascinated with this unusual saw. We know there are two for sure and maybe one other known. No one that I have talked to seems to know who made them or the story that goes with the saw. If anyone can shed any light on this mystery saw please let me, Bill Rigler Rt.2 Box 153, Wartrace, TN 37183 phone or fax 615 455 1935, know. Will share information received in a future gristmill.

 

Report on the “Don’t Bodder Me” Handsaw

From The Gristmill No. 83, June 1996

In the September 1995 Gristmill, I had an article about this unique saw and some theories were advanced. We now know the following:

  1. There are at least three 26 inch saws, 6 teeth to the inch, with this logo, with no nib.
  2. There is one 14 3/4 inch overall (11 1/2 inch blade), 10 teeth to the inch, with this logo, with nib.
  3. It is now concluded that the insect is a fly, not a bee. The etching probably represents the Pennsylvania Dutch song “Shoo Fly Don’t Bother (Bodder) Me” which was sung in the military as “Shoo fly don’t bother me, I belong to company B.”