Help with weird Disston Philada hack saw frame
- Thread starter tontotheindian9
- Start date
RTM
Well-known member
Hmm, I’ve poked thru all the older Disston catalogs here, and don’t see it. There is one that says square stock to prevent blade from rotating, but doesn’t saw it takes a pinless blade.
The image doesn’t show your bulky ends
The image doesn’t show your bulky ends
Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Price List of January 1918 [Excerpt] : Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
135 p., illus., 15.2 cm, trade catalog
archive.org
four.cycle
Well-known member
https://archive.org/details/internationaltoolcataloglibrary
Home
Information relating to woodworking saws and specifically the history of British Saws and Sawmaking firms
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/
The Davistown Museum | Regional history museum
The Davistown Museum is a tool, art, and regional history museum with two physical locations in Maine and a website, rich with resources.
www.davistownmuseum.org
https://www.jimbodetools.com/
Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community
Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community - Online since 2003
sawmillcreek.org
start there....
GIYF
four.cycle
Well-known member
@tontotheindian9 -
HERE is a list of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools - down at the bottom of the list are reference sources - the URLs I posted above are just the "wood" tool sites I can pull from memory. Check backsaw.net first, then davistown, and if you are still hitting a dead end, then move on to the others.
There is always the possibility you may have stumbled across something for which you will not be able to find any sort of documentation - I run into that all the time.
The frame of that saw appears to be cast, not forged?
HERE is a list of Manufacturers and Brands of Mechanics Hand Tools - down at the bottom of the list are reference sources - the URLs I posted above are just the "wood" tool sites I can pull from memory. Check backsaw.net first, then davistown, and if you are still hitting a dead end, then move on to the others.
There is always the possibility you may have stumbled across something for which you will not be able to find any sort of documentation - I run into that all the time.
The frame of that saw appears to be cast, not forged?
OP
tontotheindian9
Well-known member
Thank you for that list. I've added to favorites. Yes, it is cast. It's faint, but I believe it mentions as much on the reverse. Many times I've come across items of which cannot pin down. Very annoying...very annoying!
Thanks for your help
Thanks for your help
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ You just have to be patient and wait for the evidence to present itself. In most cases it does. I have folders full of *.jpg images of "unidentified" items. Every now and then somebody will list something on ebay or post something here that offers a clue. Some stuff just isn't easily identifiable.
Care to take a stab at this one?
patent date February 19, 1901
patent date February 19, 1901
Care to take a stab at this one?
patent date February 19, 1901
patent date February 19, 1901
four.cycle
Well-known member
You might want to try:
Take some good, clear, well-lit photos of that widget.
Sign up and post them at backsaw.net
I kind of got the impression that Ray (site administrator) is focused more on wood saws and the like, but he may be able to point you to a reference source that might offer some better clues.
And check International Tool Catalog Library and see what they have in the way of "Disston" - the site administrator there is a saw collector - I'd imagine he's got a good sampling of "saw" stuff on there.
Take some good, clear, well-lit photos of that widget.
Sign up and post them at backsaw.net
I kind of got the impression that Ray (site administrator) is focused more on wood saws and the like, but he may be able to point you to a reference source that might offer some better clues.
And check International Tool Catalog Library and see what they have in the way of "Disston" - the site administrator there is a saw collector - I'd imagine he's got a good sampling of "saw" stuff on there.
RTM
Well-known member
That thing above ("Care to take a stab at this one?") is a shoe stretcher, missing the wooden pieces, I believe.
harleybear66
Well-known member
coping saw? looks like a heavy version of one. i just measured the blade in my saw-6 1/4 pin to pin-but maybe way when blades came in that length
Farmer J.
Well-known member
I assumed it takes those replaceable blades which have a short pin through them at either end, and the pins slide through the slots in the mountings and engage in the cut outs, then the handle is turned to tension the blade. But then I realised that the pins would just slide out strait through the slots in your saw..
I have a couple of packs of old blades like these, in case it inspires anyone with an answer:
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OP
tontotheindian9
Well-known member
I did check ITCL...nothing. Backsaw, I will do as well. Thank you sir.
OP
tontotheindian9
Well-known member
Yes I agree, that's probably all it is. I've got roughly 7.5" C to C.I assumed it takes those replaceable blades which have a short pin through them at either end, and the pins slide through the slots in the mountings and engage in the cut outs, then the handle is turned to tension the blade. But then I realised that the pins would just slide out strait through the slots in your saw..
I have a couple of packs of old blades like these, in case it inspires anyone with an answer:
RTM
Well-known member
Most coping saw blades are 6-1/2” ctr to ctr
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ exactly. sorry for the crappy image
coping saw blades 6-1/2" length / jewelers saw blades
coping saw blades 6-1/2" length / jewelers saw bladesFarmer J.
Well-known member
Yes, the modern coping saw blades wouldn't work at all. About an inch too short, and how would the fixed blade pins work in those mountings? I reckon the correct blade must have had holes in the blade, and little removable pins were inserted through the blocks when the blade was fitted before it was tensioned.^ exactly. sorry for the crappy image
I can't find any reference to blades of that design and the correct length being sold though.
RTM
Well-known member
I've gone back to 1889 catalogs, and found nothing close. The Philada first shows up around 1850, and I can't find data going back that far.
Online Reference of Disston Saws -- The Medallions
identifying and dating disston saws
www.disstonianinstitute.com
I was looking for things in the Butcher saw category, as they use the punch the saw from bulk. But this seems way too small for any butcher saw.
Henry Disston & Sons Inc. 1918 Price-List : Revised Edition : Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
140 p., illus, 15.8 cm, trade catalog
archive.org
If I had to guess, I'd say it was some type of boring tool. I checked the Free Patents Online web site and searched for all patents filed on Feb 19th, 1901 and didn't see anything that looked remotely like you device. See:^ You just have to be patient and wait for the evidence to present itself. In most cases it does. I have folders full of *.jpg images of "unidentified" items. Every now and then somebody will list something on ebay or post something here that offers a clue. Some stuff just isn't easily identifiable.
Care to take a stab at this one?
patent date February 19, 1901
patent date February 19, 1901
FPO IP Research & Communities
Complete Patent Searching Database and Patent Data Analytics Services.
www.freepatentsonline.com
RTM
Well-known member
Some examples to give a clue. You can see the bones of the "take a stab" image in this one. I imagine his was for boots, thus the tall appendage.
US748239A - Boot or shoe stretcher. - Google Patents
patents.google.com
US2104839A - Shoe stretcher - Google Patents
patents.google.com
And here is your patent
US668505A - Shoe-stretcher. - Google Patents
patents.google.com
Nice quick hit website, do a Ctl F and flip through each page
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four.cycle
Well-known member
ahhh you are going to be a perfect fit at datamp, sir. 
Ben.Marn1999
New member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2025
- Messages
- 2
Hate to necromance a thread from 2022, but I have a Disston cast iron framed saw just like yours. In fact, I made an account on this website just to tell you that I've identified it. Like you I couldn't for the life of me find out what it was, what its value is, etc. Until I found this thread, went to the Internet Archive, and looked at the 1876 Henry Disston & Sons' catalog. You'll find this saw on page 58 of the catalog. It's a reversible hack saw, and it came in three sizes, 8 inch, 10 inch, and 12 inch. Mine is a 12 inch saw. You're the only other person online that has a saw that resembles mine, I'm starting to think that these are rather rare.
https://archive.org/details/henry-disston-price-list-1876/page/58/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/henry-disston-price-list-1876/page/58/mode/2up
RTM
Well-known member
Nice first post. Necromancing is great when you answer questions like that. With research and everything. Well done.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
1876 hacksaws are rare? Well, I'll be....
Ben.Marn1999
New member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2025
- Messages
- 2
Okay so I've done a little bit more digging, and I've found a (sadly partial) scan of a Disston & Sons catalog from 1879. In the 3 years between the 1876 catalog, Disston added a 9 inch, 11 inch, 14 inch, and 16 inch version to the lineup for these cast iron framed hacksaws, and by 1891, they added an 18 inch version. They're also present in the 1899 catalog. They are still present in the 1904 catalog, however, they no longer have the concave arched spine in the cast iron frame, though they are still sold as "Disston's Improved Reversible Hack-Saw".
https://archive.org/details/HenryDisstonAndSonsAbt1879/page/n1/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/HenryDisstonAndSons1891Catalog/page/n21/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/HenryDisstonAndSonsSawsAndTools1899/page/n17/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/henry-disston-and-sons-1904-price-list/page/52/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/HenryDisstonAndSonsAbt1879/page/n1/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/HenryDisstonAndSons1891Catalog/page/n21/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/HenryDisstonAndSonsSawsAndTools1899/page/n17/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/henry-disston-and-sons-1904-price-list/page/52/mode/2up