Disston "D8" rip saw

[Rileysan]

There's plenty of info on these via Google search, but not much on GJ, so I thought I'd share my find with you.

I picked this up at a local thrift store for $3.95. What caught my eye were two things 1) the shape of the handle, and 2) the etched insignia on the blade.

Here's an excerpt on this saw from the "Distonian Institute".

"The D-8 was the first Disston saw to use the letter "D" in its designation. The D-8's handle (and that of the No. 120 ACME) had the unique "cover-top" feature for decades before any other saw. It was not open at the top like other handles, providing an additional surface on which the blade would bear, making the fit of the handle tighter and preventing rocking of the blade within the handle. Other Disston saws adopted the feature in 1928, but the D-8 and No. 120 had it first, beginning in 1875.

The most obvious feature of some D-8's is the extra hole in the handle. Offered on 26" and longer ripsaws from the about 1880 until about 1950, the Dual-Grip or thumbhole-handled saw was designed for those laborious rip cuts. The handle is gripped normally with the lead hand and the thumb of the second hand is put through the thumbhole. The fingers of the hand are then wrapped across the top of the saw handle."

http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/d8page.html

I haven't had the chance to try my saw just yet, but I don't intend to bury it and forget about it.

edit: I should add - the "hammer" is missing from the top of the saw handle, so it's not really worthy of restoration - thus the reason I intend to use it.
Brian

 

[Stuart in MN]

Nice saw, I have a similar rip saw with the same type handle that was my dad's (it's a Disston, I don't know the exact model number.) It's hard to find them with the writing on the side of the blade still visible; since the bottom half of the Disston logo is missing I wonder if the saw has been sharpened many times.

I have probably a dozen old hand saws, some Disston, some Keen Kutter, and a few Simonds. For some reason it seems like I can always find one or two at the automotive swap meets around here for a couple dollars each.

 

[woody 73]

Very nice good story..

Just in case you need any more information see #3

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288009

 

[Rileysan]

Very nice good story..

Just in case you need any more information see #3

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288009

Any chance you might know how to date my saw?

Stuart asked a good question. The etched logo appears off-centered. Is that because the production process was inconsistent, or because it's been sharpened so many times that it's not as tall as issued?

Brian

 

[woody 73]

Old timers would all tell me the very same story saws were expensive and hard to come by (many years ago) so it was not uncommon for a man to sharpen the teeth till nothing would be left. As far as age I would need to do more research because I do not collect saws at this time; funds are just not there Wish I could win that big state game of chance!

 

[paulm12]

great looking saw, love those handles. It certainly looks like it has been sharpened a few times. I really doubt the logo is off center.

Also, some logo reference for Disston here: http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/medv2.html

 

[bczygan]

I've been picking up Disston saws when I find them cheap. Have one like that.

Beautiful saws.

Bill

 

[jimreed2160]

Nice looking saw. It was well loved and has seen its share of sharpenings. It is hard to tell from the pictures, but I think it was made between 1917 and 1928. The handle is apple wood. The missing horn part on the handle is pretty easy to fix. Finding apple wood for the repair is the hard part. Cut it to close to shape with a coping saw and then cut and sand away the waste. The web between your thumb and finger ride against the horn and the saw is much more comfortable to use with a horn in place. Nice find and good luck using your new saw.

 

[gben]

The medallion on your saw dates it to between 1890 and 1917, this is very well explained on the Disstonian Institute website.

Your etch is "off center" because your saw has been sharpened a number of times and the bottom 1" or so of the blade is gone.

At the time your saw was manufactured Disston was making 75% of all the saws in the world, they had plants in the USA, Canada and Australia. They put most other saw manufacturers out of business. Also the most saws were made and sold in this era, things were booming and electric portable saws were not being sold yet.

Disston's are the most commonly found brand-name old saw found, and many of them are from the 1890-1917 era. This large number of them laying around makes them popular because many people can collect them and swap stories about them. Disston saws from the 1880s and earlier pop up much less frequently, and later saws are found less often because production was down due to the Great Depression, and then after WWII portable electric saws essentially finished off all the old USA saw companies, their original founders sold them and corporations took their names to other factories and put them on tools of lesser quality.

Any old Disston from the mid-50s and earlier that was made in Philadelphia in good shape is worth getting because they were as good a saw as was ever made. Collectors look for examples that are not sharpened down like your saw, those with intact handles and free of rust pitting. So your saw is definitely a "user".

The really rare collectors hand-saws are the high-quality offerings from other smaller companies that had much smaller production such as Simonds, Atkins and even smaller shops like Harvey Peace etc..

 

[Rileysan]

The medallion on your saw dates it to between 1890 and 1917, this is very well explained on the Disstonian Institute website.

Your etch is "off center" because your saw has been sharpened a number of times and the bottom 1" or so of the blade is gone.

At the time your saw was manufactured Disston was making 75% of all the saws in the world, they had plants in the USA, Canada and Australia. They put most other saw manufacturers out of business. Also the most saws were made and sold in this era, things were booming and electric portable saws were not being sold yet.

Disston's are the most commonly found brand-name old saw found, and many of them are from the 1890-1917 era. This large number of them laying around makes them popular because many people can collect them and swap stories about them. Disston saws from the 1880s and earlier pop up much less frequently, and later saws are found less often because production was down due to the Great Depression, and then after WWII portable electric saws essentially finished off all the old USA saw companies, their original founders sold them and corporations took their names to other factories and put them on tools of lesser quality.

Any old Disston from the mid-50s and earlier that was made in Philadelphia in good shape is worth getting because they were as good a saw as was ever made. Collectors look for examples that are not sharpened down like your saw, those with intact handles and free of rust pitting. So your saw is definitely a "user".

The really rare collectors hand-saws are the high-quality offerings from other smaller companies that had much smaller production such as Simonds, Atkins and even smaller shops like Harvey Peace etc..

Excellent post, gben! I appreciate your input - both for myself, and for others who might casually read this thread.

Brian

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you're ever in or even near Philly, go to Tacony. The whole area was a Disston factory town. My wife is from there. Local artist combine has done some neat installations in the abandoned factories that honor Disston and steel and tools that made that whole area what it was. And there are historic pubs everywhere. Very much worth the visit.

 

[furbis]

awesome find, I love tools but I really love old tools that we can still use.

 

[Bdgjr215]

Believe it or not there is still one little building that still has a shop still in operation.I think its called Disston precision .As far as tacony goes , im very familiar as im from philly and my Mom grew up in tacony.Disston basically built all the rowhomes and victorians for his workers and supervisors.He built churches and scchools an opera house,banks etc.Its the next area in philly to trend up i believe.Lots of beautiful architecture still standing.

 

[Bill Ramsey]

Here's my D8. Great saws. Mine is 2 3/4 inch tall at the toe, and extends 2 5/8 inch below the handle at the heel. If you ever want to repair your handle, I'd be happy to send you a trace of that upper horn. Just PM me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[Rileysan]

I am kind of a newb in D8 rip saw, so I browsed and find this site of introdction of it:
http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/d8page.html

So, can now someone explain the main purpose and history of it for me, plz?

Welcome to GJ, Nargacuga!

I'm not a student of Disston, but I know enough to be dangerous

A "rip saw", as this model is, has a more aggressive tooth profile for faster sawing. Typically, you use a rip saw to cut lumber lengthwise (with the grain of the wood). A rip saw will not cut as clean as a "cross cut" saw - which has more, and finer teeth than a rip saw.

That is a short and simple explanation of the purpose of a Disston D8 saw. The history of rip saws is beyond my knowledge. I'm certain someone here can chime in ...

Brian

 

[Rileysan]

Here's my D8. Great saws. Mine is 2 3/4 inch tall at the toe, and extends 2 5/8 inch below the handle at the heel. If you ever want to repair your handle, I'd be happy to send you a trace of that upper horn. Just PM me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

Interesting numbers you mention here. Are those two spots typical measuring points for wear on hand saws? If so, is there a point when a saw is considered junk - that is, not worth sharpening?

Brian

 

[Bill Ramsey]

Interesting numbers you mention here. Are those two spots typical measuring points for wear on hand saws? If so, is there a point when a saw is considered junk - that is, not worth sharpening?

I don't know of any standard, as long as it works, and you still have some height at the toe. As they wear down from sharpening, their behavior in the cut may change - I don't have enough experience with such saws to offer an opinion on that. I only included those measurements so you would have some idea of how much yours had been reduced by it's past sharpening.