Thread: A little saw

Even without the 'etch' on the blade telling us it's a mitre box saw, that would've been what I'd call it. I've not seen a mitre box saw without a spine before, and by the crude end on that stump, I'd say some sawgeon has done an amputation. I guess they had a good reason to do this, but I have no idea what it may have been!

It's not all that old judging by the crude handle, & the "etch" which looks like a screen-print rather than a true etch. Did you say you have two more like it? Someone around your workplace must know what they were used for...

Cheers,

Reasons to cut off the spine would be to get depth of cut. A home made miter box where the spine would not fit. Cutting up sheet goods. Or someone just had a bright idea. Are the other pair cut off too?
Regards
John

According to the “etch” it’s a Disston Model 4M mitre box saw; punch that into Google Images and a few will come up (I’m using an I-thing and pics aren’t easy to pull from off of the ‘net otherwise I would have stuck one here).

It definitely had a full length spine once; Orraloon’s hypothesis makes sense.

I do not believe it was used for sheet goods.

I will need to have a look at the other saws to see if they still have their spine.

If there was a box for it to be used with, I believe it has gone.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

I do not believe it was used for sheet goods.

I will need to have a look at the other saws to see if they still have their spine.

If there was a box for it to be used with, I believe it has gone.

Handyjack

I agree with the Chief, John and Ian. I think most of the spine was removed so it could be used as a conventional handsaw. Being a mitre saw the blade is quite thick so it would not tend to buckle the same way the little brother back saws would if the spine was removed on them. The little nub was left so it would not wobble too much in the kerf cut out for the spine.

The outline lettering was used after HK Porter bought Disston in 1955. The last catalogue I could find was 1972. While the saws looked similar, yours has lost the keystone etch, which featured until this time. Also the model number was only ever a No.4: Not a 4M. Lastly the cutaway heel was a feature of early mitre saws, but between 1955 and 1972 the heel had a gentle curve to it: Not the sharp removal of the whole corner.

I believe your saw is 1972 - 1977, which is when HK Porter sold the saw division to Sandvik

1926

Disston No.4 mitre saw 1926.jpg

1955

Disston No.4 1957.jpg

Regards
Paul

It appears that neither of the other two saws have spines either. Note the teeth are protected.

The age of the saw is not known, but more than 17 years that my contact has been on the site.

I did come across a closed eBay listing for a Disston model 4M which showed the same saw but with a full spine. The saw sold for US $99 about A $140.