jimreed2160
Well-known member
There was an earlier post of a vintage Disston handsaw which had a missing horn. This is a common problem with old saws because the handle tips are a weak spot that is prone to breakage. But no problem--it is not a complicated repair. Here are three vintage Disston rip saws. The top saw has its horn intact. The two saws below show my replacement horn tips.
Here is a close up of a repaired horn.
The first chore is to find suitable replacement material. Most of these saws were made from apple wood. Use Mr. Google to help you find some apple. Back in the day, most homesteads had an apple tree or two. The wood was common and makes a good utility wood. Large boards are hard to find, so most apple projects were small. It is easy to work and finishes well. Over time, apple turns a deep reddish brown and is very attractive.
Back to the repair. Once you find your replacement wood, you are ready to begin. Things are much easier if you remove the handle from the saw. Trim the broken stump flat by using a chisel. Make a pattern and cut your replacement piece a bit oversized. I use a bandsaw and a coping saw to get me close to the template. Glue this piece to the saw handle and let it dry. I use an oscillating spindle sander to remove stock. It makes quick work of the curves required. Then I finish up using regular sandpaper.
Since aged apple looks like cherry, I use a thinned version of Minwax cherry stain to match the handle. I stain some of the scrap apple wood to see how much stain is needed to make the new horn match. The final step is clear coat. I mask off the original handle and spray satin poly on the horn. After a few coats, I use sandpaper to blend the finishes. The last step is to wax with Johnsons paste wax.
The horn really makes a difference in how you hold the saw. Be sure to replace yours. Don't be shy about making modifications. I repaired a stair saw which had lost its horn to fire damage. I made the repair oversized and used my hand to match finger grooves. The modified saw fits my hand exactly and is much easier to use than an original would be. Pictured below is my modified saw on the top and a regular stair saw on the bottom.
So now you can go out and find one of these old jewels to work on. Broken tools are usually sold at a discount! Find yourself some orphans and get them back to work in your shop. As usual, these old saws are much better than most new products. They just need a little love to get them in shape.
Here is a close up of a repaired horn.
The first chore is to find suitable replacement material. Most of these saws were made from apple wood. Use Mr. Google to help you find some apple. Back in the day, most homesteads had an apple tree or two. The wood was common and makes a good utility wood. Large boards are hard to find, so most apple projects were small. It is easy to work and finishes well. Over time, apple turns a deep reddish brown and is very attractive.
Back to the repair. Once you find your replacement wood, you are ready to begin. Things are much easier if you remove the handle from the saw. Trim the broken stump flat by using a chisel. Make a pattern and cut your replacement piece a bit oversized. I use a bandsaw and a coping saw to get me close to the template. Glue this piece to the saw handle and let it dry. I use an oscillating spindle sander to remove stock. It makes quick work of the curves required. Then I finish up using regular sandpaper.
Since aged apple looks like cherry, I use a thinned version of Minwax cherry stain to match the handle. I stain some of the scrap apple wood to see how much stain is needed to make the new horn match. The final step is clear coat. I mask off the original handle and spray satin poly on the horn. After a few coats, I use sandpaper to blend the finishes. The last step is to wax with Johnsons paste wax.
The horn really makes a difference in how you hold the saw. Be sure to replace yours. Don't be shy about making modifications. I repaired a stair saw which had lost its horn to fire damage. I made the repair oversized and used my hand to match finger grooves. The modified saw fits my hand exactly and is much easier to use than an original would be. Pictured below is my modified saw on the top and a regular stair saw on the bottom.
So now you can go out and find one of these old jewels to work on. Broken tools are usually sold at a discount! Find yourself some orphans and get them back to work in your shop. As usual, these old saws are much better than most new products. They just need a little love to get them in shape.