Thread: Diston Back Saw

Hiya ...

We all know that the Australian deity of saws ... Mr RayG ... is the man to ask, but I can put down some stepping stones pebbles

Here are two Disston Keystone saws. The longer is a 'K1' ... the other I don't know ... and here is one clear Keystone etch, and the ghost of another.

Your photo #6 is the "Key" part I think.

BUT ... the stamped (Henry) Disston and the additional script would say to me that yours is earlier than these two.
Much earlier I would have thought except the short one also has the Disston-Disston medallion.
(The K1 medallion is 'Warranted Superior')

So ... I'll sit on the bench next to you, waiting for the schoolbus of knowledge to show up

Cheers,
Paul.

Thanks Paul
I gotta admit that when I saw the etching I got excited
The top one looks like a match.

TT

TT, I'm not even remotely in RayG's league when it comes to identifying & dating saws, so take the first suggestion with a large grain of salt:
From the look of that handle (simple outline, crude shaping), your saw isn't all that ancient, possibly from the 1950s but could be much later.

Second, the teeth are a bit weird. They are very even, but have huge, rounded gullets. Someone seems to have sharpened it on an inappropriate machine, or has used a file several sizes too large.....

Third, it could either be a tenon or a dovetail saw, whichever job you chose to use it on -these names are meaningless. What matters is blade length, tooth size (pitch) & tooth pattern (i.e. crosscut or rip). In fact, there isn't as much difference between rip or CC with finer pitches as you might think. You choose a saw for a job that has enough blade to clear the work on each stroke (to empty the gullets) and has enough teeth that at least 6 or more are riding in the cut. Rip pattern works best if the cut is mainly with the grain, while CC is better if cutting across fibres (but much depends on the wood itself, and the differences diminish with finer teeth, as noted). The best saw for any job fills these criteria, and is of a size & weight that you find comfortable to use. This little saw looks to me to be about 200mm, which I find quite useful for small jobs & thin stock (with ~15-18 tpi), but some folks don't get on at all with short blades. It's a matter of personal choices.....

Cheers,

Thanks Ian
The handle was what I thought was an indicator to the 50's too. It is crude. As I said earlier, it was the etching which got me excited. The butchering job on the teeth may have been why it was left for dead. It's a 10" saw by the way.

TT

curious, whats the depth of the plate under the back? wheres the etch located on the blade, centre, toward the front?


cheers
chippy

Originally Posted by Twisted Tenon

... The butchering job on the teeth may have been why it was left for dead....

Well, that can be fixed soon enough TT.

Originally Posted by Twisted Tenon

... It's a 10" saw by the way.

Poor guess on my part - it looks shorter in the pic. Anyways, it could make a very good little user if you like & have a need for a small saw. A properly sized file will fix those teeth in jig time, and you have a bargain...

Cheers,

Originally Posted by ch!ppy

curious, whats the depth of the plate under the back? wheres the etch located on the blade, centre, toward the front?


cheers
chippy

Hi chippy
The logo is centred and the etch is on the right. Not sure what you mean by under the back..but the blade measures 87 mm from under the spine.

TT

Originally Posted by IanW

Well, that can be fixed soon enough TT.



Poor guess on my part - it looks shorter in the pic. Anyways, it could make a very good little user if you like & have a need for a small saw. A properly sized file will fix those teeth in jig time, and you have a bargain...

Cheers,

Thanks Ian
I don't have the patience to do it my self. Does it look like the blade will take a sharpening? I will probably get a pro to do it

TT

As others have said it is a good user and can be resharpened. I am no expert but as to age I would say 50tes to 70tes. I have a brass backed Tyzac that looks just like it and is a great little saw to use. At first the handle looked ugly bit it is growing on me and it does the job just fine.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by orraloon

As others have said it is a good user and can be resharpened. I am no expert but as to age I would say 50tes to 70tes. I have a brass backed Tyzac that looks just like it and is a great little saw to use. At first the handle looked ugly bit it is growing on me and it does the job just fine.
Regards
John

Yep
It's not how it looks, but how it works
I will get it re sharpened.

TT

Hi TT.

Can we see a pic of the whole saw, or sawblade, after the cleanup please?

I'd very much like to see where the stamped parts are.
They were on the blade rather than the back/spine?

Ta.
Paul.

Hi Paul
I have re assembled it and as you can see I haven't quite finished with the handle yet. I have decided to varnish it, and I will do a small bit of reshaping to suit my old carpel tunnel affected hands

Nothing on the spine that I could see and I have circled the stamping / etching with a felt marker to show where they are on the blade.

This looks like the type of saw I used at high school during the mid 60's

TT

I think you are right on the script.

http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/...U3DcqQ60_3.jpg

Paul.

Thanks for the advice on this gents. I'll post a pic when the handle is done

TT