Thread: Canadian Disston

Hi MA, if a sample size of one is anything to go by, the Canuck Disstons are as good as any of the standard fare out of Philadelphia. I've got a D8 that is the same size as yours and it's a beauty, not only is it in spanking condition, it was barely used when I got it. Mine came directly from its birth country, a good friend bought 3 in a group at a flea market (also for a pittance). She found the 26" a bit large for her small frame & passed it on to me. It's as good in every way as my two US-made D8s, both of which are nice saws but had a much tougher life before I got them.
Dad Karen Johnny saws.jpg

The gift saw is the one in the middle, the photo doesn't show it clearly, but the etch is almost perfect and the tooth-line is still 15mm below the pitch stamp at the heel.

The one at the top was my dad's and the one at the bottom (the post-WW2 model) was FIL's. Since that pic was taken I've done a top horn transplant on dad's and taken a rasp to Johnny's handle & made it look a bit more saw-handle-like. They all get regular use, the two oldies are crosscut & slightly different pitches, while the newer one is a 7tpi rip. A few years ago, I acquired a 5-3 progressive-pitch 28" "thumb-hole" rip so between the 4 of them, there are few jobs one or another can't manage...

Cheers,

MA

I am led to believe there is no difference between American and Canadian made Disstons. The reason many "Canada" Disstons are seen in Australia is probably down to a preferential import arrangement being a "colony." In any event I don't see it as commercially beneficial for Disston to have allowed their name on an inferior product as it would have diminished their name. The Disston name was all important, that is, until HK Porter took over.

Regards
Paul

Thanks Ian and Paul. Well sometimes you get a win!! This is the rustiest saw blade I have yet tried to restore. Not holding out too much hope for the etch. Just measured the teeth, 5TPI and there is about 10mm under the stamp. 4 nuts and 1 medallion and I think handle is apple. Looking forward to bringing it back.

Probably the only question is whether the saw is a D8 or a D-8. Unlike the US product, the medallion is not much help to distinguish between the earlier and later versions. The Toronto saw works was opened around 1910 so your saw could be from either period.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

Thanks Ian and Paul. Well sometimes you get a win!! This is the rustiest saw blade I have yet tried to restore. Not holding out too much hope for the etch. Just measured the teeth, 5TPI and there is about 10mm under the stamp. 4 nuts and 1 medallion and I think handle is apple. Looking forward to bringing it back.

We don’t believe ya ,un less we get Pics, you know the rules [emoji6][emoji6].

Cheers Matt.

Canadian-made Disstons can be distinguished from the American-made saws by the sound they make as they cut: Canadian Disstons will make the sound "eh? eh? eh?"

Sorry: we Yanks can never resist teasing our northern neighbors about their linguistic quirks; and vice versa.

Sounds like a good cleanup project.

Originally Posted by Bill Houghton

Canadian-made Disstons can be distinguished from the American-made saws by the sound they make as they cut: Canadian Disstons will make the sound "eh? eh? eh?"

Sorry: we Yanks can never resist teasing our northern neighbors about their linguistic quirks; and vice versa.

Sounds like a good cleanup project.

I suspect you need to be more closely acquainted with the Canadian inflections than I to appreciate the subtlety there, but I can, in the same vein, imagine a Canadian saying the American Disstons exhibit a slightly louder note.

I will have to give this a try.

Regards
Paul

PS: What sound is attributed to pommy (limey) saws? A fruity squelching?

I have not long abo restored this Canadian D-8 and currently it is my favorite saw of that size. Works really well.





Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

.......I suspect you need to be more closely acquainted with the Canadian inflections than I to appreciate the subtlety there.......

I guess Bill's joke was a bit subtle if you haven't lived over there, so I'll explain it for you Paul. Particularly in Ontario (& especially in the Ottowa valley, I found), Canucks like to add "eh?" on the end of each sentence or statement.

A similar joke to Bill's goes: "How did Canada get its name? -Welll, you start with a "C" eh?, then an "n" eh?", then a "d" eh? " or variations on that theme.....

Originally Posted by IanW

"How did Canada get its name? -Welll, you start with a "C" eh?, then an "n" eh?", then a "d" eh?"

I work with a couple; that one is coming out in tomorrow’s morning prestart meeting!

I will post some photos today for you Matt. Looks lovely CK.

20210703_101739.jpg

20210703_101759.jpg

20210703_101854.jpg

These are definitely the before photos

MA

I doubt whether we can add much more information unless there is an etch hiding under the rust. If this was an E.C. Atkins saw I would give you zero chance of finding anything, but Disston etches were strong and often endured under the most adverse conditions, so you never know. Unfortunately that great store of information, The Disstonian Institute, only briefly touches on Disstons made outside the US. I did look at the medallions to see if the shape reflected the five stles that featured between 1910 and 1955, but I think you would need the medallion in front of you to compare and it would not be conclusive anyway. See here for the medallion description, not only the lettering, but also the rim shape and inclusion of other objects such as "stars" etc..

I did find this reference in the Disstonian site:

Disston Canada.png

It is probably where I got my information before regarding importation to Australia, but I was going from memory.

Regards
Paul

A later (not early) saw, based on the handle; but still likely from the period when they were great saws.