The Vintage Hand Saw Thread

[doublearon98]

So i didnt see a thread for this so i made one. Any way I restored a couple of disston saws today. Refinished the handles and sharpened them. I wish I had took before picture but I forgot. I'm not sure what model the first one is but the second is a D-23.

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[cutt]

Came out really nice.

 

[doublearon98]

Thanks. My dad gave me 2 of his earlier to redo so I should be pretty busy tomorrow.

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[Packard V8]

Using a sharp, correctly set premium hand saw for the first time is a revelation to those who've not had the pleasure.

The good old Disston, Atkins, and even the better Craftsman saws are still out there. Some still swear the Disston London Spring Steel were the best ever.

jack vines

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I admire your forethought by presenting them clamped in a saw sharpening vise.

I'm not into saws. I have a few, inherited from my old man. But I am a big fan of Disston files and file & tool handles, vis-à-vis my WWII collecting, and the fact that I was born and raised in the Poconos.

I won't bore everyone, and I don't want to sound like a broken record (I've said this before), but if you're into history you should read up on Henry Disston. Beyond the patents and the industry leadership, etc, he was a very progressive person. The history of the company is inextricable from the Tacony historic district and all of northeast Philly, really, which was developed by Henry as a company town, completely populated by employees, that was eventually absorbed by the city. All the houses, schools, churches, and many other businesses - to include pubs! - wer built and thrived because of his ideals, philosophy, and planning. He was an amazing man.

 

[Farmer J.]

Nice saws you have there doubleaeron89, I bet they're a pleasure to have and use.

I won't bore everyone, and I don't want to sound like a broken record (I've said this before), but if you're into history you should read up on Henry Disston. Beyond the patents and the industry leadership, etc, he was a very progressive person. The history of the company is inextricable from the Tacony historic district and all of northeast Philly, really, which was developed by Henry as a company town, completely populated by employees, that was eventually absorbed by the city. All the houses, schools, churches, and many other businesses - to include pubs! - wer built and thrived because of his ideals, philosophy, and planning. He was an amazing man.

Fascinating, not boring at all! Thanks for sharing this, something to read up on. I don't collect saws either (except for one Spear and Jackson with a military arrow and 1944 stamped on to it) but occasionally I see a man who does collect them and he will be interested in this.

 

[doublearon98]

Thanks. I'm going to start on another one now. This time I will be sure to have before and after pictures to post. Should have it finished by the end of the week.

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[Stuart in MN]

No pictures, but I have probably a dozen or so hand saws - crosscuts, rips, even a couple back saws. A couple came from my dad but most have been picked up at swap meets; for some reason, at the car part swap meets in my area I can almost always find a saw or two selling for a few dollars. Half of them are Disstons, but I also have some Simmons Keen Kutters, a couple Simonds (my brother used to work for them so I'm always on the lookout for them) and a couple Craftsman.

I haven't tried it yet, but a while back I stumbled across this website that has a method for enhancing the brand etch on the blade: http://trestore.wkfinetools.com/saw/etch-Sturgeon/etch-Sturgeon.asp It looks promising.

 

[doublearon98]

Thanks for the link I will have to check that out. My grandad has about 12 hand saw hanging in his shop (mostly disston I think), where the vast majority were his dad's.

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[doublearon98]

Another Disston restoration. As far as can find this is a pre-1928 no. 16.

Pictures 1-3 are before and 4-7 are after.

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[Private Lugnutz]

As first reported on the 2021 Garage Sale thread, I found this keyhole saw at the flea market this morning. The steel frame handle and the raised lettering patent date (Aug. 28, 1877) caught my eye, as did the etched marking on the blade inside (HENRY DISSTON PHILADELPHIA). When I think of antique Disston hand saws, I think of wooden handles, so maybe the blade was displaced from a wooden-handled keyhole saw, I thought. But sure enough, the date corresponds to Disston patent 194,659, apparently one of the few designs assigned not to Henry but his brothers.

(I thought about putting this at the end of LesserSon's excellent hand saw restoration thread, but decided that bumping this was more appropriate. Maybe it will revive it and start consolidating the various hand saw posts we get from time to time...)

 

[RivennHewn]

Here’s a bit of an oddball.

Disston no. 186 Docking saw.

Apparently used for quick but rough cuts for dunnage.

 

[WisJim]

Handsaws, another rabbit hole I'm attempting to climb out of. I got started when my dad gave me a couple that were my grandfather's and maybe his dad's too, and they just keep accumulating. I no longer am sure how many I have, many dozens. I keep finding a nail with a couple hanging on it, or a stack of saws behind other tools under a bench. I have a soft spot for quality saws with hardware store etchings, especially if it's local.

 

[RTM]

Shh Jim, let’s not stir up the saw monkey. I passed dozens a while ago. I buy anything straight with a comfy handle. I just need to get the Burr retoother and Foley filer going. I will add a few nicer ones in the heap soon.

 

[wrenchguy]

A odd one for me, custom made?

 

[RTM]

I forget if tree pruners or plumbers, but a standard catalog saw. Need to look at details to see the differences

Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Price List : 1923 [January 1918 Third Revised Edition] : Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

254 p., illus., 15.9 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Price List : 1923 [January 1918 Third Revised Edition] : Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

254 p., illus., 15.9 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[tombell572]

Wrenchguy, I believe that's a limbing saw used for fine tree pruning. I have a couple that were my father's, slightly different but same overall shape, coarse teeth on one side, finer teeth on the other.

Tom B.

 

[wrenchguy]

Looks close to a No.4 or Avery No. 40 by looks of fastener location.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I am not a hand saw collector, but I brought this short E.C. Atkins No. 2 back saw home yesterday.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I posted one of these cast malleable iron keyhole saw handles upthread back in 2021, linked here, found with a Disston marked blade. I found this one at the same flea market yesterday. As I mentioned earlier, the 1877 patent is one of the unusual Disston patents that was not assigned to ol' Henry, but to his bros.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found a slightly different version of the Disston keyhole saw handle at the flea this morning. It is made of brass, marked DISSTON instead of the patent date, and the blade slot is full sleeved.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found this vintage mitre-box with the saw in it this morning at the flea.



The saw is a Disston. The handle is cracked and has been poorly repaired.



If I am interpreting the Disstonian Institute guide material correctly, the deep notch v-joint in the handle and the medallion...



..date the saw to Disston's most prolific period, 1896 to 1917. The branding on the saw frame...



...narrows the production down to 1900-1917.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's the mitre-box I cannot identify. I triple-checked the uprights, the saw guides, the bosses, the quadrant, the swivel, and the back and the frame, and there are no markings anywhere on it. Unless they're hiding somewhere you need a mirror to find, I don't think it's branded. I compared it to examples and illustrations of Millers Falls, Langdon, and Stanley, and it doesn't appear to be any of those. I am no sawdust maker or sawdust making tools collector, so if anyone recognizes it by its characteristics, please pipe up.

 

[RTM]

I compared it to examples and illustrations of Millers Falls, Langdon, and Stanley, and it doesn't appear to be any of those.

It sorta looks like a Langdon All Steel, at a glance. I have one, and it also has no markings, except for two holes in the front upright where a badge may have been.

A Langdon Mitre Box Reference

A reference for users and collectors of the Millers Falls Langdon, All Steel and related mitre/miter boxes.

langdonmitreboxes.wordpress.com

I see further speculation of GP predecessors to the All Steel, on the GS thread, will look harder when I return.

 

[four.cycle]

this appears to be the only thing I have for "Langdon"
(probably not a lot of help)

Langdon Mitre Box Company in Northampton, 1865-1875

(see link to later production at top of page)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It sorta looks like a Langdon All Steel, at a glance...[ ]...I see further speculation of GP predecessors to the All Steel, on the GS thread, will look harder when I return.

That was @pfaustus, but the example in the GP catalog he linked does not do the speculation justice. However, I now wholeheartedly agree with both of you. That Langdon reference guide is amazing! I am convinced that it's a Model 1104 / 1306 or something very close to it. The only feature mine does not have are whatever those end caps are on the sides.

The reference does not provide a date range for the model. I've love to know that.

 

[RTM]

I am convinced that it's a Model 1104 / 1306 or something very close to it. The only feature mine does not have are whatever those end caps are on the sides.

The reference does not provide a date range for the model. I've love to know that

Present in GP catalog 1922, 26.
Not in 1907 or 13


I don’t see those numbers carrying over into the Millers Falls catalogs after 1922, the New Langdon came out with two digit numbers.

 

[Jgaz]

I used the smaller of these saws today and after checking was surprised I never posted these here.
Both of these were my grandpa’s, then my father‘s and now mine for the last 20 years.

I‘m sure many here will educate me but from what I was told both of these saws are a “Keystone” series which I think was a cheaper line of Diston saws.

This saw is 6tpi Edit: or possibly 9tpi.


Not a good photo but the saw is called a Pacemaker


Handle medallion


The second saw is 10tpi (at least the saw has a “10” stamped on the blade near the teeth)


This one is an “Air Master”


Any info on these saws will be much appreciated.

 

[RTM]

Any info on these saws will be much appreciated

This page will help guide you thru, several links at the bottom

Online Reference of Disston Saws -- Keystone 107 Saw

identifying and dating disston saws

www.disstonianinstitute.com

 

[four.cycle]

is that a DC3 on that saw?

Disston / Henry Disston & Sons, Inc., P.O. Box T-1537, Philadelphia, PA / saws / patent 194659 Aug 28 1877 Henry Disston and John Vandegrift / http://americanmadefiles.blogspot.com/search/label/Disston (Henry Disston and Sons) / http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=255 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/early-disston-hand-saws.500584/ / http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/ /

 

[Jgaz]

is that a DC3 on that saw?

Disston / Henry Disston & Sons, Inc., P.O. Box T-1537, Philadelphia, PA / saws / patent 194659 Aug 28 1877 Henry Disston and John Vandegrift / http://americanmadefiles.blogspot.com/search/label/Disston (Henry Disston and Sons) / http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgIndex/detail.aspx?id=255 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/early-disston-hand-saws.500584/ / http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/ /

I don’t believe so. A DC3 was only a twin engine plane.
The aircraft pictured on the saw is a four engined plane.
The cockpit and nose look to me to be similar to a B17??

 

[four.cycle]

^ I think that's the wrong nose for a B17, which is what I was going by.... I didn't even count the engines!

 

[Old Radar]

Looks pretty close to me.

There were six models of the Flying Fortress--not counting the prototypes and several sub-variants--and let's face it, it's an etching on a hand saw...

 

[four.cycle]

aha! you found the right photo! it IS a B17!

shows what I know about aircraft

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

I have to take the time to thanks Lugzs and RTM for their time as History Detectives. Mr. Disston and family make me proud to be from Pa as the way they handled their company and employees. I still use a Disston hand saw for exercise. But the other day I found these two at a buddies farm laying in a bunch of junk. Cleaned them up and now find a home for them. Thanks men.

They are for a Triumph Saw also called a Whip. 1930s

 

[RTM]

Found a slightly different version of the Disston keyhole saw handle at the flea this morning. It is made of brass, marked DISSTON instead of the patent date, and the blade slot is full sleeved.

Did you ever find a similar shaped handle, and compare overall dimensions? Brass tools were often those reproduced by pattern makers, and come up a bit smaller due to the shrink factor for brass.

 

[Beerhippie]

Here's another oddball saw for your viewing pleasure:









I assumed that it was a combination cross-cut/rip saw, but it clearly says "made for use by mechanics". And what's up with the short section of fine teeth on the end of the blade?

Here's some history of the Simmons Hrdwre Co. I was able to drum up:

http://www.thckk.org/history/simmons-hdwe.pdf

Another forgotten cool tool from my own garage!

 

[RTM]

I assumed that it was a combination cross-cut/rip saw, but it clearly says "made for use by mechanics". And what's up with the short section of fine teeth on the end of the blade?

This is Disston's version, I can't read it's use on my phone

Henry Disston & Sons Inc. 1918 Price-List : Revised Edition : 1920 : Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

140 p., illus, 15.8 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Mechanic was a term applied to anyone who worked with tools on things, not just car fixing.

Fine teeth were supposed to be easier to start the cut. Not sure if that is vintage or not.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Did you ever find a similar shaped handle, and compare overall dimensions?

Yes, as reported, I have three. Malleable cast iron with the 1877 patent marking, malleable cast iron with the DISSTON U.S.A. marking, and brass with the DISSTON U.S.A. marking. I didn't mic them, and don't plan to, but they're nearly identical.

 

[Beerhippie]

Never heard of a wood mechanic before.... Wonders never cease!

I think I'll start calling myself a "metal carpenter".

I wonder.... The Disston version has an almost identical handle--the carving is different, but that's all. The "back" on the Disston uses a wingnut on the distal end in addition to the lever on the handle while mine has the two straps welded with a spacer in between.

But it does look like my first guess was correct: the fine teeth are set for cross-cut while the coarse teeth have no set for ripping. Still gotta wonder about the teeth on the end....