Early American Pit Saw-Late 18 Century or early 19th Century hand made from mortised quarter-sawn oak, hand cut steel saw blade and made-do repair on one of the mortised connections-rat tail wrought iron screw nut to tighten the blade. Maker branded "CD" on all four corners. This saw was used to end cut boards out of a log, using a pit below the log to allow the sawing motion. Often, the saw only started the cut for rough lumber which was then finished with wedges and sledge hammer. Similar saws with much thinner blades were used to cut veneer.