Disston D100 Thumbhole Rip

**goodvibes** · 12th March 2017, 05:16 PM

Sometimes you get lucky. This little beauty was delivered today by a mate who lived near the seller.

I purchased it for pocket change on the antichrist Ebay, described only as "Old Hand Saw". Photographs were about as informative as the description but I could see a Disston medallion and I thought, just maybe, one of the sides of a Keystone etch.

I also thought the pattern of the wheatsheaf carving was wrong for a Disston saw, but since then have found that the pattern is correct for D100.

This kind of speculation usually comes unstuck, but it is a ripper of a saw. Pardon the pun. Plate is all there, handle in excellent condition and straight as an arrow.

Quite rare, too I would guess. There seem to be a fair amount of D100 panel saws out there, but not very many big manly rip saws. Perhaps the buyers of the day were sometimes inclined to pay the extra money for a pretty saw for fine work, but less so for a 4 point rip.

QUESTION: Some sources say the D100 is a D8 with a fancy handle. Others put the two in the same family, but not just "etch engineered" differences.

DSCN3475.jpg DSCN3476.jpg DSCN3480.jpg

**Simplicity** · 12th March 2017, 08:42 PM

So the big question.
What are we going to do with it ?
Leave it as is!
Give it a sharpen and put to use or go the whole hog and restore it.
Great buy by the way.

Cheers Matt

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**goodvibes** · 12th March 2017, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Simplicity

So the big question.
What are we going to do with it ?
Leave it as is!
Give it a sharpen and put to use or go the whole hog and restore it.
Great buy by the way.

Cheers Matt

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

A large question.

I have no use for a hand powered chainsaw.

I also have a strong dislike of premium tools being used as an ornament on somebody's wall. Even my wall.

And.... It is going to be very pretty.

Literally two or three strokes with a razor to clean the crud off and I had a full etch.

Another few strokes with 400 grit wet and I am seeing the potential for a shining showpiece.

But you do not need a showpiece to cut wood.

Confusing.

**Simplicity** · 12th March 2017, 09:16 PM

Will we be seeing more pics
Please

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**IanW** · 13th March 2017, 09:49 AM

No need to decide in a hurry, gv. At least the saw is in respectful hands and shouldn't deteriorate any further while you figure out what's best to do with it. If it were in my hands, I'd want to put it to the work it was intended to do, but it would seem you do have a saw that might be attractive to a collector.

You may be able to on-sell it for the cost of a good, but more common user, and pocket a healthy commission, to boot....

Cheers,

**goodvibes** · 13th March 2017, 01:37 PM

Found the etch yesterday. Just a few passes with a razor scraper and a few light strokes with 400 grit:

DSCN3482.jpg

Had a little time today to move this job along.

Teeth in decent shape, but with a few minor irregularities to be dealt with when sharpened.
DSCN3485.jpg

One small issue on the handle for repair, so I'll sand and refinish the whole thing while I'm at it.
DSCN3486.jpg

First clean of the whole plate with scraper and 400G
DSCN3487.jpg

And half an hour more gentle stroking with wet and dry, in one direction only.
DSCN3504.jpg

In honesty I probably lack the patience and drive to take the plate any further than this, though it certainly appears to be one which could be taken all the way. Massive amount of work with steeply diminishing results versus time spent though.

**goodvibes** · 13th March 2017, 01:45 PM

One more thing. There is an answer to the question "Is a D100 actually a D8 in fancy dress".

I would say yes. The patent date in this etch is the D8 patent date - nearly 30 years before the first D100 came on the market.

**rob streeper** · 13th March 2017, 01:59 PM

From my hardness measurements I can tell you that there's nothing special about the D100 blades, they're very similar to all of the others from their production period, no harder or softer nor more or less consistent.

**Simplicity** · 13th March 2017, 03:08 PM

The saw is looking great GV.
And you are right with at what period do you stop.
Please post some more pics when it's all done and dusted.

Cheers Matt

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**goodvibes** · 13th March 2017, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by rob streeper

From my hardness measurements I can tell you that there's nothing special about the D100 blades, they're very similar to all of the others from their production period, no harder or softer nor more or less consistent.

Almost certainly no more than a slightly prettied up D8. Patent date on the D100 etch is the D8 patent date, nearly 30 years before the D100 came on the market.

**Bushmiller** · 14th March 2017, 05:44 PM

The only difference between a D8 and a D100 is the wheat carving on the handle. your saw looks like a really nice example.

Regards
Paul

**goodvibes** · 19th March 2017, 05:30 PM

Here's the finished article.

DSCN3535.jpg DSCN3539.jpg DSCN3540.jpg DSCN3543.jpg DSCN3544.jpg

**IanW** · 19th March 2017, 06:38 PM

Bewdiful!

Good for several more generations worth of work....

Cheers,

**Simplicity** · 19th March 2017, 06:39 PM

That has come up very nicely it's a credit GV to you.
I keep having a nagging feeling but also happy to see it done.
But I'm sure I passed this one up on eBay.

Cheers Matt

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**Bushmiller** · 19th March 2017, 07:15 PM

Goodvibes

That's a bloody bewdy! You have captured a really good colour in the handle

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