Thread: Disston Joiners Saw

Good find, I haven't come across one of those in my travels.

Sweet. Those are funny little saws. There was a thread about them a while back in the wake of one being listed on eBay for like AU$800.

This is it now:

Premium Quality Vintage Rare Disston Joiners SAW Antique OLD Handsaw 11 | eBay

I think it's important to point out that that is the second or third listing of that item, each including a reduced price, over the course of a year or so and it hasn't sold.

I'm not sure who told him, but apparently the seller thinks it's quite rare. I managed to do a bit of research and find out with some degree of certainty that it isn't anywhere near as uncommon as this listing would have you believe.

Nonetheless, it's certainly uncommon and unique, so to find one in good shape is a score. Well done.

But hey, my source may have been wrong. Maybe it IS worth $800 and is one of only five known. In that case, I hope that drill hole in the handle was there before you got it!

Cheers,
Luke

Great find. We've discussed these things before. The abiding question seems to be: What was it used for? Something concerning joinery of course but how specifically was this saw used?

Plate thickness .050inch
These were also unusual in having the plate lacquered before leaving the factory.
15 ppi Xcut
I hate holes drilled in handles.
T

Nice find Tony.

I hadn't appreciated the saw plate was thick. I think it's intended use was exactly the same as a back saw, but clearly without the back. In this regard they went down the same path as the compass saw, which was also very thick. It had to be to resist the sawing action.

I think I have seen some statement by Disston on the use of these Joiner's saws. I will have to go digging.

Reasonably uncommon and quite unusual to find any figure in the apple.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by rob streeper

Great find. We've discussed these things before. The abiding question seems to be: What was it used for? Something concerning joinery of course but how specifically was this saw used?

I've know (seen) them and heard of them being used to cut curves, used by ship writes (tight spaces)and wheel writes, and quite common to cut kerfs. sometimes the same type of saw has a back on it (nearly always 'cant'ed) and it was used to cut multiple kerfs across a wide board to facilitate bending the board . one common use was to build coffins, instead of a join or sharp edge like you see in vampire movies and old westerns (trapezoid) diamond shape coffins, the side had a smooth curve to it.


cheers
chippy

Here is a little something on coffin making.
T

This first extract is from the 1924 Disston publication "The Saw In History."

Disston Joiners saw extract from 1924.jpg

This is from the 1914 catalogue

Disston Joiners saw 1914 Catalogue.png

The first article refers to fine joinery work, but the catalogue confirms Tony's comment that the blade is thick, which tends to refute the "fine" aspect. It was 18 gauge, which equates to .049" The difference is probably the thickness of the patina (grime). This thickness of plate is the same as used for the 30" docking saws.

Regards
Paul