Thread: An unusual Disston No. 7 backsaw

Rob

I was going to comment that I had never seen the etch that way round. I think you have scored an oddity there.

Regards
Paul

When talking Disston saws, the unusual and implausible begin to look less so. I've got about half a dozen weirdo's now. Beautifully done marking on this saw though no?

In all of your ancient literature perusing have you ever seen any reference to taper ground blades on No. 7 backsaws?

Originally Posted by rob streeper

In all of your ancient literature perusing have you ever seen any reference to taper ground blades on No. 7 backsaws?

Rob

I am away from home at the moment and probably not back until Monday, but I will have a search through then.

Regards
Paul

Rob

As you know, with a couple of exceptions, my primary focus (aw'right obsession) has been with Simonds so I don't have a great stock of information on Disston other than the stuff ordinarily available from the web. I have seen several references to the No.77 and possibly it's predecessor, which did not appear to have warranted a number, but in those there was no mention of taper grinding: Only mention of the no set requirement. This is from the 1918 catalogue, which is not long before the saw was dropped from the line up:

1918 Disston Catalog No.77.png

This is from an 1891 hardware catalogue:

2017-05-15 18_44_17-Henry Disston in Graham Hardware 1891.pdf - Google Drive.jpg

I included the No.9 as well for no other reason than it is interesting (looks like something out of Star trek) and the No.77 handsaw, which in fact was only a little cheaper than the ACME 120 ($28 vs $33 per dozen for a 26" saw).

2017-05-15 18_45_23-Henry Disston in Graham Hardware 1891.pdf - Google Drive.jpg

Still no mention of taper grinding. We know that often a big thing was made of taper grinding so it seems a little surprising that it was not highlighted with the back saws.

Regards
Paul

Rob

On re-reading your thread I see I have gone slightly off track in that I looked up the No.77 rather than the No.7 . However it does not seem to refer to taper grinding for either. In Disston's 1914 catalogue there is mention of specialised grinding for both the 120 and the 77.

1914 Disston Catalog ACME 120.jpg1914 Disston Catalog No.77 hand saw.jpg

But again nothing for the back saw.

1914 Disston Catalog No.77 back saw.png

Regards
Paul

Thanks for looking up, composing and posting everything Paul.

I haven't found any mention of the No. 7 backsaws being taper ground. All of the post-1860 No.7's I have are tapered and neither of the pre-1860 saws is.

But for the etch and bimodal toothing the No. 7 is indistinguishable from the No. 77's that came along in the mid-1870's. In addition the 7's tend to be a little harder than other saws from their respective production periods. Given that the No. 77's that I have are not harder than average I suspect that the No 7 line became the No. 77 line with the institution of the bimodal toothing, and the big fancy etch of course.

Regards,
Rob