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Most people think scrolling started back in 1974 when Helmut Abel of West Germany was granted an International patent for a “new” scroll saw. Some people think scrolling began when Advanced Machinery Imports, Ltd. of New Castle, Delaware, introduced the Hegner scroll saw to America. Others trace scroll sawing’s origins back to 1986 when Patrick Spielman published his wonderful book, Scroll Saw Handbook.

In fact, scrolling didn’t start with any of these—it all really started way back in the 1500s or so. The very first thin scroll saw blades were made by an early German clockmaker.

I read some time ago that the first person actually associated with scrolling was Andre Boulle of Paris, France, in or around 1775. Today there is a famous wood-working school in Paris that is still using Boulle’s name.

From 1850 to 1920 scroll sawing in America was as popular as it is today. Many women and children did scrolling back then to supplement the household income, much as we do today.

During those years, there were many companies supplying patterns for the scroll saw, just as today. H.L. Wild of New York City was one of the biggest scroll saw pattern suppliers of the day (from 1880 to 1920). Many of these wonderful, original patterns are being sold today by myself and other scroll saw pattern suppliers.

Many of the patterns in some of my scroll saw books are re-designs of these original project patterns. I have tried to record these wonderful original patterns for all times. Large clock patterns we love today, such as the Chimes of Normandy, were sold back then, too.

In 1935 Delta came out with a heavy cast iron, rigid-arm “jig saw.” Those of you who grew up in the forties and fifties, as I did, must remember the big green or gray jig saw in every “manual arts” (woodworking) class. These saws had a true, up-and-down blade motion, but as I remember, left a very rough edge. We spent more time sanding the edges of what we cut than we did cutting out the piece itself.

It was this wonderful new “improved” jig saw that brought scrolling back to America in the forties and early fifties.

As a kid, I remember everyone was making wooden things with this saw. I can remember all kinds of lawn ornaments (before the plastic pink flamingos), puzzles, tie racks, signs and more. These projects were as proudly made as projects are made today.

It is my thought that in the late thirties and early forties people made jig saw projects to sell to help supplement their income due to the Depression, just as they did in the 1880s.

By the early fifties, scrolling pretty much died out. Except for school woodshops, the jig saw was forgotten.

In 1974 Helmut Abel of Germany obtained a patent on a constant-tension scroll saw. It was a well-designed and well-made saw. It is interesting to compare the 1880 “New Rogers” saw with the new Hegner saw.

In 1978, Advanced Machinery brought the Hegner scroll saw to America. I can remember thinking the first time I saw one of these scroll saws with the skinny blade, “Who in the world would want a dumb-looking machine like this? What in the world can you do with a blade that thin?” Boy, was I wrong in my thinking!

In those days, no one demonstrated scroll saws at woodworking shows. The saws just sat on the show floor with a piece of pine on the saw table. The saws were plugged in, ready to go, so all those walking by could try cutting a piece of wood. At the time, I really could not see any use for a saw like this. Lucky for all of us, Patrick Spielman did see a use for it and came up with a series of great books touting the scroll saw and what great things a woodworker could really do with it. I consider Pat the “father” of scroll sawing today.

In 1982 R. B. Industries (R. B. I.) developed a line of constant-tension scroll saws. They were the first scroll saws made in America. The “R” and the “B” in the company name are from the company’s original owner, R. B. Rice.

In 1986, Tom Sommerville came up with a unique mechanical way to move a scroll saw blade up and down. He developed and introduced a scroll saw under the trade name of Excalibur.

Since the introduction of the first Hegner in 1978, many other less-expensive scroll saw brands have been introduced to the woodworking industry. Many have come and gone but the better ones still remain today.