Thread: Disston backsaw

try pretensioning first. Hold the top blade, at the at the handle end and then tap the back above the hot point. Then repeat at the front.

There are other methods that could apply but simplest first...

Nice saw- the feature in the handle are called nibs- I carved some in the handle for the saw I made.

Thanks Martin. I have been trying similar things. The last saw I had with the same problem was worse because even when the blade was removed from the back, the woof was there. This blade is fine when it is out of the back, the woof now comes and goes.

MA

That is a nice find and an uncommon model. The Americans tended to prefer steel backs and it is possible the brass backed saws were primarily for export. It would be a No.5 with the brass back. Martin called those double points "nibs," but I call them "Hounds teeth" and an American friend refers to them as "Hen's teeth." So who knows? I will check what Simon Barley's book says tonight. That double feature is not found often, but does appear in an 1876 catalogue, which I don't have to hand at the moment. Most Disston back saws do not have this feature at all.

As far as the woof is concerned, I would check the gap in the back where a previous owner stamped his name as it has probably closed up at that point. (It is one reason saw plates are not always parallel to the back as they pivot where the maker's stamp was applied). Pry it apart, if this is the case with whatever you have. The end of a largish, flat blade screwdriver may be sufficient driven gently in until the gap appears uniform along the length. When you re-apply the back, try driving it on to the saw plate using a mallet from the toe towards the handle as this is the method to apply tension to the blade with a back that is folded in the traditional way.

Regards
Paul

Thanks Paul. I will give that a go. I bought the saw mostly because of the medallion and the brass back and didn't even check the straightness of the blade until I got to the counter. I also picked up a very worn Sorby handsaw for the sawnuts - I now have enough to fix a Sorby I bought a while ago that had a riveted handle.

MA

This saw is similar to your saw, but a No.4 with the blued steel back and was sold recently in the US, which is how I was familiar with the handle style off the top of my head. I should have mentioned that the double "Whatever they are" are ahead of both the top and bottom horns:

Disston back saw 1876ish (2).jpg

Disston back saw 1876 handle (2).jpg

Regards
Paul

Paul's name has more bite...

Originally Posted by MartinCH

Paul name has more bite...

Martin

And neither let you off lightly!

Regards
Paul

Nice looking saw Paul. Medallions look very similar and handle shape identical (except for the repair on mine). It also occurred to me that if I was to use this handle as a template but added a lambs tongue I might have the shape I have been looking for.

MA

I think it is the same saw. This is from the 1876 catalogue:

Disston backsaw 4,5,7. 1876 cat (2).jpg

Even in the catalogue itself you could be forgiven for thinking that it is devoid of those "double thingys" (Nibs, Hen's teeth or Hound's teeth. Barley's book doesn't really identify that feature in the same position, but a similar feature he calls a "bead")

It is only when the pic is enlarged that it is plain to see.

Disston backsaw 4,5,7. 1876 cat (3).jpg

Regards
Paul

MA,

The little triangles your referenced may also be referred to as Top nib base nib,

Because we need another Nib on a saw [emoji849].

But these names like a lot of this stuff gets a bit muggly sometimes.

Nomenclature

Scroll down a bit.

Cheers Matt.

Great resource Paul. Still boggles my mind that this tool is basically 150 years old, still works and will see me out.

Matt, nibs certainly don't sound as aggressive as hounds teeth or as rare as hens. Maybe nibs are rounder and teeth are sharp?

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

MA

That is a nice find and an uncommon model. The Americans tended to prefer steel backs and it is possible the brass backed saws were primarily for export. It would be a No.5 with the brass back. Martin called those double points "nibs," but I call them "Hounds teeth" and an American friend refers to them as "Hen's teeth." So who knows? I will check what Simon Barley's book says tonight. That double feature is not found often, but does appear in an 1876 catalogue, which I don't have to hand at the moment. Most Disston back saws do not have this feature at all.

As far as the woof is concerned, I would check the gap in the back where a previous owner stamped his name as it has probably closed up at that point. (It is one reason saw plates are not always parallel to the back as they pivot where the maker's stamp was applied). Pry it apart, if this is the case with whatever you have. The end of a largish, flat blade screwdriver may be sufficient driven gently in until the gap appears uniform along the length. When you re-apply the back, try driving it on to the saw plate using a mallet from the toe towards the handle as this is the method to apply tension to the blade with a back that is folded in the traditional way.

Regards
Paul

There's probably a gaggle of names for those little handle teeth. George Wilson referred to them as "pips" when he was talking to me about the style of "pips" back around 2010. I looked up usage of the word "pip" in the dictionary here - both our English and the England English, and could find nothing really supporting that, though. Pips seem to be seeds or any small amount, or markings on a domino.

The lack of brass backs in the US has always been puzzling. Disston probably made (for the price) the best carpenter saws ever, but their backsaws had a sort of vibe of "OK for both the shop and construction site" and the steel backs and fatter plates didn't really do much to counter that. English saws didn't bring much in England, but before the internet brought stuff over here easily, they sold for a premium at flea markets.

George mention paying something like $70 for a good English backsaw way back in the 80s, which is more than they generally bring now if a customer is educated enough to get away from the flipper/refurbisher type sellers.