Thread: 2 Disston Backsaws - ID Help Please

Both look to be from the period 1928 to sometime in the 40's. If the handles are Apple wood, 1928 to sometime in the 30's, beech handles 30's to 40's.

From what I have learnt, you can't get much finer then that, but I have been wrong many times in the past.

Here is where I go to look for Disston information.

Cheers

1896-1917

From here. Online Reference of Disston Saws -- The Medallions

No 'sons' after 1917 on the label screw, but they continued to use it on the etch.

Toby

The back you have looks like it was blued, read this.

Disston backsaw handles changed shape about 1918. That's when the so-called v-joint in the handle (the area of the hand hole just below mid-point, in front of the user's fingers) changed from a deep notch to a more subtle dip in the road. This was a style change, but it certainly did not have any impact on function. There were three model numbers for the basic Disston backsaw. The common No. 4, with a blue back (darkened and given a bit of rust resistance by coating heated steel with linseed oil), the No. 5, featuring a brass back, and the No. 7, which had a bright steel back. These three were offered from the early days of the company until 1928, when the whole line of Disston saws was redesigned. After 1928, the No. 4 featured a bright steel back. The No. 5 was also available until the 1940's. It may have disappeared permanently when brass became unavailable for consumer goods during WWII.

From here. Online Reference of Disston Saws -- Backsaws

Your saw with no back has a handle with the 'dip in the road' v-joint, which began around 1918, and a label screw that they stopped using around 1917. These are approximate dates based on known examples. I think this pretty much dates your saw at 1918.
The one with the spine still in place could be anywhere from 1896-1917.

I think the one with it's spine is a #4, I can't say on the other one.

Toby