Skull saw, London, England, 1831-1870

Skull saw, with crank handle to move blade, by Ernst, English, mid 19th century

The chainsaw like blade of this unusual skull saw is moved by turning the handle in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction and is designed to saw through sections of the skull. Skull saws were used to remove fragments of bone in order to provide access for other instruments. They were commonly used in the 1800s, although some surgeons preferred to use chisels or gouging forceps.