Thread: The Best Disston I've Seen, in Person or Otherwise

Thanks for sharing Luke.

Ross

Thanks Luke


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Luke

That saw is in very good nick to put it mildly. Medallion places it around 1871 - 1875, but The Glover patent did not arrive until 1887 (applied for in 1886). Saw screws prior to that time had split nuts. Consequently I feel there is a question mark over the combination of the saw screws which don't look like they have split nuts and the medallions.

If you could find a spare two grand this saw might be of interest in post #2005

Ebay Droppings Thread.

The No.43 Combination saw was produced for quite a long time. A quick glance showed it to be in the 1914 catalogue and was introduced in 1858. The quality was mentioned as being the same as the No.7. This example has the split nuts. Also it has an 1871 -1875 medallion at the top and an eagle style warranted superior medallion for the lower medal.

I suppose what I am alluding to is that once we are talking such sums of cash you have to be very sure of the provenance. I am not suggesting that Jim Bode was pulling a swifty, but I would expect caveat emptor to reach paranoid proportions at this level.

Still, a very nicely presented saw and not that common.

Regards
Paul

Interesting pickup Paul.

There also seem to be a number of subtle question marks regarding the handle. The finish is odd, neither aged nor refurbished. Some of the curves, particularly on the upper side seem a tiny bit out, and the brass level / patent plate seems to sit a little uncomfortably on the wood - with two of the recessed screws "standing up" a little.

And most of all. The top edge of the plate is protruding well beyond the handle top line.

Goodvibes

The more I looked at the two saws, the more I saw differences. At first I thought they may have been more indications that the saw had been pieced together from separate parts. However I then went to the Disstonian Institute and although there is only apparently one saw pictured there, there in fact two saws and they depict the same differences I am listing below. The saw according to the site was made from 1858 through to around 1918 ( I missed that time frame before) so there is sixty years for minor changes to be made.

Differences between "Luke's" saw and the Ebay saw:

The brass square on the handle is straight, but follows the curve of the handle around the lower guard on the Ebay saw.
The level partially covers the middle saw screws, but sits well clear on the Ebay saw.
There are a pair of steel saw screws on the Ebay saw that do not feature on the other at all.
The top of the awl is steel on Luke's saw, but brass on the Ebay saw.
Luke's saw has two Disston medallions while the Ebay saw has one Disston and one WS Eagle medallion (which is the same as the saws on the Institute site)

Neither of the saw have convex saw screws. They are clearly flat possibly because of the intended addition purpose other than sawing. The split nuts were flat anyway, but the glover saw screws would have been a special modification.

I think the saw plate protruding above the handle is as intended, because it is a ruler, although not calibrated past the handle. If you look at the patent drawing for Luke's saw you can see that it was the intention. It would be a big no no on any other style of handsaw and a dead giveaway that it had a replacement handle.

Having said that (Ian says "here we go"), while both the saws here show the plate protruding above the handle, none of the saws pictured on the Disstonian site show that and neither do any of the catalogues!

Really to make definitive observations on correctness, we would need more catalogues and pictorial examples and we don't have that. Just looking at the two saws, the Ebay saw looks older and the handle seems to impart that subtle refinement that was characteristic of Disston's earlier saws. In some way I might have to slightly step back from my earlier skepticism of the Ebay saw, although I don't see the seller realising that asking price.

Regards
Paul

Hmmm, interesting. I didn't really bother to think about that potential...

I admit, there is something about a little patina. The ebay saw isn't in anywhere near the kind of shape as the one at JBT, but it has... mystique.

You have to wonder what would keep a saw in that kind of shape. Definitely not use. My guess would be that this saw was hung on a hook. It's virtually untouched. The shellac on the end grain of the handle has cracked and chipped out, and there's that anomalous spot on the blade, but otherwise it looks like it was packed away in climate control for 100+ years. I feel like this saw represents the equivalent of those people who buy all of the Star Wars action figures and then never open the packages. It seems like someone must have bought it as a collectible or a wall piece.

I also have a theory that the wear of the finish on the handle could be from taking it onto and off of a hook...

Hey, it is still a beautiful thing.

Researching on the run all I've found out is that there is not enough information to pay nearly 4k for.

On balance though, I would go the Ebay option if I went in at all.

The patent / level brass being the reason (along with the beauty of the older looking handle).

The patent branding of Disston Morss, rather than just Disston, I think places that one in a narrow band of time. From what I have read, the Morss patent applies to the plumb level device owned by Morss.

I think we can assume that Disston either purchased that patent later, or just froze the owner out. An iconic name Disston may be, but there is plenty of evidence that 'ol Henry was decades ahead of his time as a ruthless businessman.

A couple more pix from catalogues The first is from an 1875 Disston publication entitled the Handsaw:

2017-04-12 19_33_46-8-1875-TheHandSaw.pdf ‎- Microsoft Edge.jpg

The second is from Grimshaw's book On Saws about 1876 I think.

Grinshaw Disston D43.jpg

Both show the saw plate protruding though the top of the handle.

Regards
Paul

It's a superb looking saw. It's evident that it's been cleaned, though. I wonder if the handle has also been refinished, and the level bubbles (whatever you call them) replaced.

Certainly the blade has been cleaned thoroughly to remove whatever rust bloom there was, as well as other small dots.

So, who's buying it?