Thread: Disston Hand Saws and Contemporaries

Scribbly - have you read this? http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/

What is said on that site pretty well lines up with my experience with Disston 4 and 12.

Gday SG
Although I'm saw lore ignorent I've had great luck with early disstons.. but other Saws of a similar era which have been good to me are Tyzack, Sorby and some of the older Spear and Jackson saws

Tyzacks are especially good I reckon. They are often only marked "Nonpareil" with a little elephant on the badge. if you see one snaffle it!

Originally Posted by BobL

Scribbly - have you read this? http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/

What is said on that site pretty well lines up with my experience with Disston 4 and 12.

Thanks for the link Bob.
What a mine of information this site presents.
According to the site, all Disstons had and have basically the same steel in the blades. Pretty good effort considering that Old Henry started manufacuring before the American civil War.
So are some more desirable because of their ergonomics, or the beauty of the handle?
I have heard that other manufacturers did produce much sought after saws as well. White, I think was another American brand that seems highly valued.
Thanks for your input RB, I have heard others say good things about some of these brands as well.
Of the British manufacturers, I have several, but would really like some informed opinion on their quality. I think it is easy for us to think that if it's old, then it must be good. This is the grey area for me.
Which of the "old" makes were superior to their contemporaries?
Regards
SG

The person who knows a lot about British saws is Alison Frampton (UKAlf is her member name here)- there is not much on her website on this, she has made a number of contributions concerning saws on the two UK fora:
UK Workshop and
Woodwork UK

I would send her a PM with your questions.

BTW There were several Tyzack family companies and partnerships that produced saws and other cutting tools. My experience is that they are all pretty goo 9as is the drawknifwe that I have), but I have a slight preference for Wm Tyzack, Sons and Turner.

Thanks Jeremy,
I have taken your advice and have shot off a PM to Alice.
I'm guessing she is probably asleep at the moment, but I'm looking forward to her reply.
Do some of our American friends have any insght into the Disstons and their US contemporaries?
I was thinking that maybe Mike W might have an opinion, and I'm guessing that plenty of us downunderites have knowledge of the UK saws.
Anyways, I'll patiently await replies with precipitation.
Regards
SG

The only thing I heard about this when I was younger was the relative merits of the Philadelphia Disstons vs the Canadian Disstons. They should have the origin stamped on the little bolt head plaque. I'm sure there is more about over the border rivalry than the real quality!

Cheers,

Hi Scribbly G.,

I don't have a lot of time--waiting a call back--so this is brief and probably heretical.

Disston had variability in the quality of their saws among even the same model line. It's an inevitable fact. Early (and really throughout) on it was related mostly to steel. More so after the first 7-10 years than before when he was buying English-made blade blanks from established makers. The first period when he began making his own steel is where I see the most variablility (brittle or soft) in Disston Steel. As Disston got steel making down, the shift in variability really has less to do with steel as it did in processing the steel.

The other makers such as Atkins, Simonds, George Bishop made as good, and in some cases, better saws. The English makers also excelled at saw making as would be expected. Spear & Jackson, Sorby and a multitude of others made excellent saws.

I think the biggest changes in saw making came about as the shift in the target user became carpenters more than cabinet makers, less skilled labor and such (Henry laments this fact in a letter I read once). Disston felt the saws had to be dumbed down (too much set, etc).

It is at this time that handles began loosing their earlier apealing shape. After 1928 bigger changes were made (models dropped, prduct changes). Following WWII yet more changes and especially once HK Porter bought out Disston.

The economy, methods of building houses, cabinet shops, they all played into the changes that were happening. These changes happened to all saw makers around the world. Many left the business altogether by the 1920s. Some continued at far less capacity and or further diversified into other holdings, not just hand or edge tools.

Well, I need to run.

Take care, Mike

mike w has given a good run down.

Disston Saw styles and models were really cut back after 1928 and the depression probably helped the need for a rationalisation. with handle styles getting less comfortable by the year. Handle style were still comfortable but not as good as the early ones and had less time spent in shaping them.

The best disstons in my opinion and based on my accumulations (of saws) were made 1920's or prior. we dont really get many pre 1900 carpenters saws here in Australia unfortunately. although they do turn up and usually they are english made but i see the odd 1880's disston at swap meets everynow and then. I tend to see more english made carpenters type saws that are pre 1900 than US made thats for sure.

Back saws seem to come in lots more makers and a greater range of ages. Sorby, Tyzack, Spear & Jackson, Atkins, Simonds are good and there's lot more makers than that which are just as good.

Regards
steve

Almost on topic, I found a pair of garden / hedge shears marked Porter Disston. Anyone heard of Disston doing garden tools?

Thanks for the feedback fellas.
It is great to know that there are quality saws out there from the good old days.
From my limited observations so many quality named saws are available very cheaply in the marketplace.
These days quality manufacturers like Mike Wenzloff, Adria and Lie Nielsen are easily identified as to be sought after.
The thrust of my question was to see if some of the saws from the good old days were considered the Mike Wenzloff, Adria and Lie Nielsen of their times.
Thanks for the help so far.
Regards
SG

Originally Posted by Scribbly Gum

Thanks for the feedback fellas.
It is great to know that there are quality saws out there from the good old days.
From my limited observations so many quality named saws are available very cheaply in the marketplace.
These days quality manufacturers like Mike Wenzloff, Adria and Lie Nielsen are easily identified as to be sought after.
The thrust of my question was to see if some of the saws from the good old days were considered the Mike Wenzloff, Adria and Lie Nielsen of their times.
Thanks for the help so far.
Regards
SG

I guess someone thought that these two were top drawer saws:
http://cgi.ebay.com/DISSTON-D7-SAW-7...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/BISHOP-B7-CROSSC...QQcmdZViewItem

US$380 each!
Photos attached
SG

I just happened to notice a Disston saw in our workshop today. It belongs to my FIL, and he has said that if I want to restore it and sharpen it I'm welcome to do so. It is a tenon/dovetail saw type, with the brass back down the length of the blade. I'll do a bit of research on the Distonnian website to find out what it is. Don't know anything about them myself, so it will be interesting to discover. Thanks for this thread SG.

Originally Posted by Poppa

I just happened to notice a Disston saw in our workshop today. It belongs to my FIL, and he has said that if I want to restore it and sharpen it I'm welcome to do so. It is a tenon/dovetail saw type, with the brass back down the length of the blade. I'll do a bit of research on the Distonnian website to find out what it is. Don't know anything about them myself, so it will be interesting to discover. Thanks for this thread SG.

Thanks Bob.
Lucky you with the Disston.
It might be worth checking the set and sharpening of the teeth to see if it has been a tenon or a dovetail saw.
LN and Mike W (I think) sharpen their dovetail saws with a rip pattern since dovetails are cut with the grain. Tenon saws cut across the grain and are set and sharpened for crosscutting.
Mike will have plenty of good advice here.
Those brass backed Disstons are a rare find these days.
Well done.
Regards
SG

Those brass backed Disstons are a rare find these days.

They are rare in the USA because, I gather, they were never produced there. On the other hand, they were available in the UK (from where I bought a superb 1920s 12" #5) and, lucky us, these filtered through to Oz.

Regards from Perth

Derek