Ice saw
An ice saw is designed to cut ice, including natural ice harvested from ponds and lakes. Ice was divided into manageable blocks for cooling and transporting food. Such tools belong to the history of the natural-ice trade, an important Norwegian industry during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Designs were not uniform. Dalane Folk Museum's account of ice cutting in Egersund describes double handles at one end and a sinking weight at the other. Royal Museums Greenwich preserves a specialised steel saw supported by tripods from the Nares expedition of 1875. Its dimensions are not standard dimensions for Norwegian ice saws.
Distinguish a saw from tongs and hooks used to handle cut blocks. Examine the blade, handle fittings, possible weight attachments and documented use. A large undocumented saw is not automatically an ice saw.
