Thread: Aussie made hand saws

great question kenny.

i would be keen to pick up some home grown hand saws also.

justin.

Ray G would be the one to answer that.
Post WW2 there was a lot of tool manufacturing done in Australia.
I haven't heard of any saw manufacturers but that means nothing.
Of course we manufacture circular saw blades here these days but again I don't know about handsaws.
Cheers
SG

Hi Kenny,

Henry Disston set up a saw making business in Sydney prior to WW2, they were subsequently bought out by HK Porter, and continued up until 1978 when they were bought out by Sandvik, which closed the Sydney factory.

One of the reasons for setting up in Australia was the favourable import duties that applied to trade between commonwealth countries, that meant that Disston in Canada could ship saw blades into Australia at reduced import duties, and then ship out to other Commonwealth countries like New Zealand etc..

A lot of Disston Saws with Canadian medallions were actually made in Sydney. The saw plates and other hardware from Canada and handles made in Australia, and assembled in Australia.

Peter Evans (HeavensAbove on this forum) has a HK Porter Disston Catalogue which is downloadable on-line from Library - Sharpening & Care of Tools

I'm not aware of any other saw makers, Spear & Jackson is an interesting possibility, but I suspect that despite the Sydney label it would be more than likely made in Sheffield.

There are other branded saws, that would have been distributed by Hardware retailers, and quite possibly other retailers/distributors brands that were bought in with customer badging.

Interesting question... worth a bit more research.

Regards
Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

Hi Kenny,

Henry Disston set up a saw making business in Sydney prior to WW2, they were subsequently bought out by HK Porter, and continued up until 1978 when they were bought out by Sandvik, which closed the Sydney factory.

One of the reasons for setting up in Australia was the favourable import duties that applied to trade between commonwealth countries, that meant that Disston in Canada could ship saw blades into Australia at reduced import duties, and then ship out to other Commonwealth countries like New Zealand etc..

A lot of Disston Saws with Canadian medallions were actually made in Sydney. The saw plates and other hardware from Canada and handles made in Australia, and assembled in Australia.

Peter Evans (HeavensAbove on this forum) has a HK Porter Disston Catalogue which is downloadable on-line from Library - Sharpening & Care of Tools

I'm not aware of any other saw makers, Spear & Jackson is an interesting possibility, but I suspect that despite the Sydney label it would be more than likely made in Sheffield.

There are other branded saws, that would have been distributed by Hardware retailers, and quite possibly other retailers/distributors brands that were bought in with customer badging.

Interesting question... worth a bit more research.

Regards
Ray

Back around 1951 I won 1st prise at Tech for 2nd
year Appretice at the training establishment I attended, the prise was an Australian made Hand Saw about a 6 pointer.
Initially it appeared to be a great saw, it stood up to the hardest of Aust timbers around in WA back then.The problem was when it came time to sharpen, the grade of steel used was so hard that when you tried to set the teeth they would break off one at a time. The only way to set the teeth was to leave the saw out in the sun to heat up the blade and only then could you be able to set the saw. In the end it became such a problem it was used as a general knock about saw for cutting anything not even related to timber . The brand name I can not recall , what happened to it? it disappeared, no one knows it is so long ago.
Regards,
Mac

What about River Lett saws?

Cheers,
Virg.

who's that? I'd love to buy a good aussie made saw

A friend of mine has a rusty one (won't let me clean it for him). Still has a decal on it with Aust map on it.

Cheers,
Virg.

Originally Posted by Virgil

What about River Lett saws?

Cheers,
Virg.

Yes, that's a good one.

They are listed in the HTPAA database aparently made by the Aus Government Lithgow Small Arms Factory.

Must be others.

Here is a quick trawl through the HTPAA database, ignoring hacksaws, hole saws, circular saws etc.. etc. Just Handsaws

Australian Hand Saw Makers.

BLAKELEY ( WH Blakeley Knife and Saw Co.)
DISSTON ( Henry Disston )
DANARM ( Danarm Pty Ltd )
KING SAW (King Saw Manfrs Pty Ltd)
MARSDEN (Lysaght Works)
PORTER (see Disston)
RIVER LETT ( Aus Govt Lithgow Small Arms)
SKIPPER SAW (Skipper Saw Co)
SAWMASTER (Nelson & Co.)
T-CUT SUPER SAW ( E&F Stanley Pty Ltd)
WELLAND VALE ( unknown)

Regards
Ray

i sold a riverlett to a forum member a few months ago in a saw clean out i had, i rekon the blade was made from melted 303,s it was a solid bugger

RJW did hacksaws and coping saws etc in the 60s but I don't know about handsaws. Don't know much about them.

Thank's Guys.
I knew of the River Lett.. it's on my wish list..
Ray's input may explain why there seems to be Disston saws out here that don't conform to those shown on US websites.. especially in the regard to medallions.
Most Disstons that come my way simply have the medallion marked with the word "Disston" at 12 and 6 o'clock separated by the usual 2 stars..
My D4 Tenon has one of these, but unfortunately retains little etch on the blade to confirm where it was made...assuming that they identified them as being produced here !
Have also seen numerous Disstons that have that "Porter look",and they also have the same medallion, and not the added HKP..

I also have a Disston that has an identical shaped handle to the D111 but in red plastic with three phillips head bolts and no medallion !!


Ken

I remember reading that now - thanks Toby.

Inspired by you:

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/r...ndsaws-125909/

and

Australian Backsaw - Saw Discussion Forums

Paul.

Originally Posted by RayG

Yes, that's a good one.

They are listed in the HTPAA database aparently made by the Aus Government Lithgow Small Arms Factory.

Must be others.

Here is a quick trawl through the HTPAA database, ignoring hacksaws, hole saws, circular saws etc.. etc. Just Handsaws

Australian Hand Saw Makers.

BLAKELEY ( WH Blakeley Knife and Saw Co.)
DISSTON ( Henry Disston )
DANARM ( Danarm Pty Ltd )
KING SAW (King Saw Manfrs Pty Ltd)
MARSDEN (Lysaght Works)
PORTER (see Disston)
RIVER LETT ( Aus Govt Lithgow Small Arms)
SKIPPER SAW (Skipper Saw Co)
SAWMASTER (Nelson & Co.)
T-CUT SUPER SAW ( E&F Stanley Pty Ltd)
WELLAND VALE ( unknown)

Regards
Ray

Welland Vale was a Canadian company ... maybe had a branch in Oz?
and I have read that the Disston company in Sydney from 1926 wasn't involved in saw manufacture.

See here ... https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/w...2/#post1531141

and here: Melbourne sawmaker (W.H.Blakeley) - Saw Discussion Forums