Thread: Handsaw from Rubbish Dump Shop $10

Excellent score. Now you'll need to read up about saw chops, sharpening etc. Try at all costs to preserve that lovely Henry Disston Canada etching. Maybe nothing more than a light oil (Inox, WD40 etc.) and a bit of use are all that's required to bring the saw plate up to a less corroded state.

There's others on these fora infinitely more qualified than I that will be a wellspring of information on how best to preserve or conserve quality handtools.

Much of my household effects are recycled from the local tip shop. I actually have a preference for much that is old &/or used. People tended to make thing well in times gone by, plus much home decor (even the little, trivial stuff) had a sense of style that is often missing these days.

That's a good saw for certain. It's probably from somewhere around the 1920s or 1930s. Many people, myself included, still use saws exactly like it in their workshops on a daily basis.

It's not going to put the kids through college or anything, but at $10 it's a great find. If I were you I would clean it up, get it sharpened, and put it back to work.

Great find.

Cheers,
Luke

Nice one.

If you want to put a date on it you can find the detail on medallion changes over time here:
Online Reference of Disston Saws -- The Medallions

But I suspect the guess of 1920s ish above is probably on the money.

It is in nice condition too. Couple of ideas on cleanup for you (some of them a bit controversial in this company). I really would not put this near an electrolysis bath. You're just going to grey it up, probably obscure the etch and as a bonus encourage new flash rust

With that little rust you will probably get a decent result running a razor scraper along the plate at a low angle, with a little WD40 as lubricant. This will not harm your nice clear etch.

From there, there are many opinions on how to proceed to a better finish by hand. It horrifies some, but I proceed from there with a randomly orbital sander and 240 grit. You'll need about 10 sanding discs, because they wear out quickly, but they are relatively cheap. Don't throw them away though.

Just work over the plate with the ROS, but avoiding the etch (and the teeth - they'll rip your sandpaper up). When you're done, go back and do it all again with your "spent" discs. These are safe to go over the etch.

Lastly, a quick buff with the cloth polishing wheel and the white stick polish and it's going to look rather flash.

Final thought. Unless you don't mind the possibility of ending up with a much darker handle, don't use Linseed Oil - it darkens wood when exposed to light. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Tung oil gives a much more neutral wood finish

Do a search and you will find lots of info on here on cleaning up saws. Actually, saw is in good nick - minimal action required.

Take off handle and use w&d sandpaper with a block, starting at 150 on rusty areas, and move up to 400 (avoiding the etch). Finish with 600 w&d over the whole plate - little pressure. Then polish with Autosol, using aluminium foil. I never use acid, electrolysis, or machinery on a saw - even those in very rusty condition.

Note: always rub the length of the saw, never rub across the width.

Cheers
Peter

It's prepare to taste. How much prep would you like to do on it?

For me, it's about good to go, for now. I'd wipe the handle with some rags and WD40 ... and a minimal touch with WD40 and 120 or 200 for about an inch above the toothline .

The toothline looks like it is ok(?) I think it is slightly breasted(?)
I count 6 tpi = 7 ppi
Suggest jointing and rip-filing maintaining the current tooth shape, and trying it out.

I'd be curious to know how much set it has now (as-is).

Cheers,
Paul

Teeth are in pretty rough shape! The odd thing about them to me is the wild variation in the bottoms of the gullets, it's as if someone used three or four files with different corner radii and applied them randomly. They will need a bit of work to get them cleaned up and looking all the same, but this saw definitely deserves a new chance at life, it's from the 'golden era' & in terrific condition - an absolute bargain at $10! 'Arf yer luck.....

Cheers,

Heavansabove,

"....Then polish with Autosol, using aluminium foil...."

I am intrigued, what does the aluminium foil achieve in the process? Is it more gentle that say 0000 steel wool & Autosol?

Cheers Yvan

Originally Posted by yvan

Heavansabove,

"....Then polish with Autosol, using aluminium foil...."

I am intrigued, what does the aluminium foil achieve in the process? Is it more gentle that say 0000 steel wool & Autosol?

Cheers Yvan

I'll bite.

Theoretically it creates a liquid layer of aluminium oxide. Kind of 5,000 grit sandpaper.

Personally? Can't see how there would be any discernible result. For it to do any good there has to be a massively high polish there already.

"...I'll Bite..."

T'was an innocent Q. I should have tried then ask ....which I will do....the trying that is !!!

Originally Posted by yvan

"...I'll Bite..."

T'was an innocent Q. I should have tried then ask ....which I will do....the trying that is !!!

I was not being dismissive of the question. If it came across that way, sorry.

Originally Posted by yvan

"...I'll Bite..."
T'was an innocent Q. I should have tried then ask ....which I will do....the trying that is !!!

There was some sustained discussion online previously about the method, on several�� �forums.

Thanks, will search for it

Well, I use it (Autosol + Al foil), and there's no magic. As far as I can tell, the fine abrasive in the Autosol does the work, the scrunched-up foil is just a hard-wearing applicator. Bare aluminium oxidises in air immediately, & forms a surface film of Al oxide, which is indeed a hard compound, but the 'particles' would make 5,000 grit look like large rocks, I think, so I rather doubt this contributes much to the polishing process. The wax in the autosol certainly seems to help protect your nice shiny saw, but don't rely on it for too long if it has to live in a moist-ish environment.

The autosol does a very nice job on brand-new saw-plate, after I remove any minor scratches and sand up to 1500 W+D: 12tpi 45 fl.jpg

I have convinced myself that a well-polished saw plate slips through the cut more easily, but whether it's the smooth surface or the residual wax, I wouldn't know! And if your saw is for daily use, don't expect it to retain a super high polish for long - just setting the teeth marks it up a bit......

Cheers,

Bill

A very good buy. The D-8 was the Disston workhorse and I would hazzard a guess that the majority of chippies would have had one if Disston was their preferred brand.

Without a closer, clear look at the medallion I can only say that your saw was made after 1928. If the medallion has the abbreviated word "Philla" on it it will be up to 1940. If it has "USA" then it will be between 1940 and 1955. If it does not have the keystone, then it belongs to the subsequent era under HK Porter. As others have mentioned the Disstonian Institute is an invaluable resource and you can become an instant expert .

Online Reference of Disston Saws -- The Medallions

Everybody has their own ideas about how to restore the sawplate and the truth of the matter is whatever works for you. Personally I have not seen much benefit with the autosol and foil and prefer to use W & D. On the saws that were more highly polished from the store I go right up to 2000grit, but with a D-8 I don't think there would be much benefit above 800grit.

You can in fact sand across the etch, but you absolutely must use a small block of hardwood with the paper wrapped around and keep watching for the first sign of the etch disappearing. The etch is recessed so it is protected to some extent.

However, I repeat, don't take your eyes off it.

Regards
Paul