Thread: Hand Saw Roadside selection

OK
1 Stanley
2 Unknown
3 Unknown
4 Spear and Jackson
5 Unknown (but says warranted superior)
6 E.C.Atkins
7 Unknown
8 Sandvik

And the third from left in the top row is the Disston (missed taking that ones picture)

The Spear and Jackson is an excellent saw, with excellent steel. The company dates back to 1760, and is still in business today (sort of). Your medallion says 'over 180 years' which means it was made around 1940, or a little after (yes they did change the medallion from time to time to keep up with the date). Please clean this one carefully, this is a 'premium' saw. Try to find and preserve the etch.

The E.C.Atkins is another premium saw, with a 'silver steel' saw blade which most people say is better than Disston steel. It's harder and more consistently tempered, which is a little tougher to file, but stays sharp longer. Again, clean carefully and preserve the etch.

The warranted superior is interesting, that's not the same medallion that Disston used, I believe it's English, with a Lion-and-Unicorn crest. Try to save the etch for identification purposes.

Get some pics of the Disston and medallion!

That's all I have for now, wish I could find those on the trash!

Toby

I'll second that.

Also the third one - without medallion is also interesting to me.
Do the nuts look undisturbed/original?

I don't think I have seen an Atkins saw with wheat carving before ... only the floral style ... that I can remember.

This is (most of ) a #51 ... I'll try to get the etch ...

ooh - worked

Cheers,
Paul

I knew I'd seen this somewhere ...

maybe it was done by the user to strengthen the handle???

This one is let into both sides.

Paul

Paul, I have an Atkins crosscut with wheat motif, not as old as the one displayed though. It also has the warranted superior medallion not the Atkins one. (replacement? who knows?)
Cheers,
Jim

What do I clean with?
I'm happy doing hand sanding but do I go 500/1000/2000 wet and dry?
Do I leave the handles on (not confident taking them off).

Here is the disston one with the medalion, Its very narrow at the end.
There was also 2 tenons there whicj I have included (they don't look so old and I have been using them.
The last picture is the end of No 3 the unknowns. with some type of little spike there. Maybe it helps with ID.

Peter

Originally Posted by pmcgee

Also the third one - without medallion is also interesting to me.
Do the nuts look undisturbed/original?

They do look undisturbed but 2 of the 5 screwheads are missing. 3 still there and still solid.
The warranted superior one is english and does have the lion and unicorn.
Here's a better picture of the medallion.

Peter

_fly_, look here

I don't think the Disston is a Disston, I think someone replaced the medallion, and they 'replaced' two of the other screws as well.

The little spike is a nib, and most quality old saws have, or at least had them.

Toby

I Gave one of my fathers old S&Js a bit of a clean up, im making a bit of a cabinet collection of his old tools to display in the workshop as a bit of a tribute to him most i use and they all have flashbacks to when i was a little kid helping him make stuff

Originally Posted by TobyC

_fly_, look here

I don't think the Disston is a Disston, I think someone replaced the medallion, and they 'replaced' two of the other screws as well.

The little spike is a nib, and most quality old saws have, or at least had them.

Toby

Thanks for that info toby, I'm going to start with the plastic handle job till I know what I'm doing.
There are 2 other plastic ones I got from the roadside. Should put them up sometime.
I know my father bought this one 40 years ago and remember using it to make billy carts as a kid.
Then I'll look at the nice ones.
Peter

This one



is obviously is a Spear & Jackson, from the '60s, I think.

And this one



I think is an Australian Disston, probably from the '70s. I've never seen Disston Disston on a medallion anywhere else.

Toby

Originally Posted by Da bunny lover

I Gave one of my fathers old S&Js a bit of a clean up, im making a bit of a cabinet collection of his old tools to display in the workshop as a bit of a tribute to him most i use and they all have flashbacks to when i was a little kid helping him make stuff

Looks like a nice solid saw, good job on the cleanup. I have some of my old man's tools too, and even though they're mine now, I still think of them as his.

Toby

The blade on the faux Disston has been sharpened beyond usefulness, I wouldn't invest too much time in the blade, maybe use the handle on something else.



Toby

Also look here.
And here.
And here.
And here.

Toby