Thread: Disston from Garage Sale

Originally Posted by IanW

S&J, Paul? You're losing it, me lad - 'twas definitely a Disston when I last looked....
The good news is, the replaced horn has darkened quite a bit since it was first done. It's still obvious, but not quite as sore-thumb-like as it was, so I'm hoping it will blend in even more in another year or three.

Ooop ... missed this one ... my mistake, I was thinking of that S&J you already had Ian.
(BTW ... a few detailed photos of that one for posterity wouldn't go amiss )
Cheers,
Paul

Originally Posted by pmcgee

...(BTW ... a few detailed photos of that one for posterity wouldn't go amiss )

Do you mean this one, Paul? Spearior progressive pitch rip.jpg

This saw is about as close to 'mint' as a tool could be after 60 plus years since it was bought. If you can believe the bloke who sold it to me, it was bought in the very early 50's by a chippies who never got to use it in anger. His daughter flogged it to the antique dealer, from whom I bought it, about 1995 or 6. It must've been stored carefully, the blade was almost unmarked. There was a single fingerprint etched on the 'off' side, and a few flecks of superficial discolouration on the blade. The etch is almost perfect:

Spearior etch.jpg

It's still sitting around waiting for me to decide what to do with it. It's in such amazingly good nick, it really belongs in a collection, not a toolbox, so I really should pass it on. I paid what seemed like a fair bit of money at the time, but in hindsight, it was a bargain!

Cheers,

Ian

That's a really nice saw. I would not be passing it on .

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

....That's a really nice saw. I would not be passing it on ...

Paul, I have the old Disston Paul alluded to above, same size, same progressive pitch. It had a harder life before I got my hands on it, but it's still a lovely saw. The blade is a teeny, teeny bit thinner than the Spearior's, and I find it just a bit sweeter to use (which may be all in my mind, of course!). I really don't need two virtually identical saws, and the Spearior has languished ever since I refurbished the Disston, so I think finding it a home where it's truly appreciated is the proper thing to do..

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

Paul, I have the old Disston Paul alluded to above, same size, same progressive pitch. It had a harder life before I got my hands on it, but it's still a lovely saw. The blade is a teeny, teeny bit thinner than the Spearior's, and I find it just a bit sweeter to use (which may be all in my mind, of course!). I really don't need two virtually identical saws, and the Spearior has languished ever since I refurbished the Disston, so I think finding it a home where it's truly appreciated is the proper thing to do..

Cheers,

I understand, although you have now thrown into doubt my justifications for having eight user saws (well none really as they all need some degree of attention even if it is only sharpening) plus a few backups in case I can't find the favourites in a hurry .

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

I understand, although you have now thrown into doubt my justifications for having eight user saws (well none really as they all need some degree of attention even if it is only sharpening) plus a few backups in case I can't find the favourites in a hurry .

Regards
Paul

Relax, Paul, we each have our own modus operandi.

I went through a phase where I grabbed just about any old tool I stumbled across, if the price wasn't outrageous, & it looked like it could be given another life. Sometime in the mid 90s, I ended up with more planes, saws and chisels than you could poke a stick at! After a while, I realised there were certain tools that I'd go for every time, and others that I would only select when the favourite was blunt. When #2 was also dull, out would come #3, and so on (does this sound familiar? )...

Eventually, I realised that a) I spent more time working with a tool that wasn't my 'best', but 2nd or3rd choice, & b) I'd end up with a whole lot of dull tools and a monumental sharpening exercise. So one day I decided that I was going to have a major cull, & I got rid of most of the doubles, triples (& even a few quadruples!) & created a much leaner inventory. I still have a couple of duplicates, and a very full tool chest (as you know), but at least each tool in there is one I know I enjoy using. And when that tool is dull, I usually have no option but to stop & sharpen it. It took me a good 35 years or more to come to this, but it seems to work well (for me)...

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

Relax, Paul, we each have our own modus operandi.

I went through a phase where I grabbed just about any old tool I stumbled across, if the price wasn't outrageous, & it looked like it could be given another life. Sometime in the mid 90s, I ended up with more planes, saws and chisels than you could poke a stick at! After a while, I realised there were certain tools that I'd go for every time, and others that I would only select when the favourite was blunt. When #2 was also dull, out would come #3, and so on (does this sound familiar? )...

Eventually, I realised that a) I spent more time working with a tool that wasn't my 'best', but 2nd or3rd choice, & b) I'd end up with a whole lot of dull tools and a monumental sharpening exercise. So one day I decided that I was going to have a major cull, & I got rid of most of the doubles, triples (& even a few quadruples!) & created a much leaner inventory. I still have a couple of duplicates, and a very full tool chest (as you know), but at least each tool in there is one I know I enjoy using. And when that tool is dull, I usually have no option but to stop & sharpen it. It took me a good 35 years or more to come to this, but it seems to work well (for me)...

Cheers,

Noted .

Regards
Paul

Of course the easiest way to keep a blade clean is by using it which messes me up with multiple saws. I'm trying to clear some out but it is hard.