Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    807

    Default Disston #43, what happened to it?

    Hi, I got this Disston saw. I believe it is a #43 combination saw. It is not in good shape and a few things are a bit off to me. There is not much information out there on these.

    20200728_185816 (2).jpg

    For a saw with this type of proportions I only found one other on Worthpoint.

    20200728_185820 (2).jpg20200728_185914.jpg

    I went to take it apart and inspect it more carefully, which included to clean the blade and see what I find underneath.

    20200728_222345.jpg

    Here is what I found:


    • The medallions are both the same and would date the saw to 1878 – 88 according to Disstonian website. The medallions are pretty worn.



    20200728_185857.jpg20200728_185901.jpg


    • The vials are missing and need to be replaced. I assume the original ones were clear and not green like current day ones are.




    • The handle also has an incredible amount of screws. Two of them are of this conical shape. I assume they designed it that way so when tightened they will secure the blade to the handle precisely and without wiggle room, so it stays square.


    20200728_222253.jpg


    • The Handle is in bad shape and beside lower part missing also only held together by the brass plates at the front. For now, I still think of repairing it by the use of epoxy and adding some suitable wood and reshape the missing part. Originally, they were made with apple wood. Not sure where I would find apple wood here. If that fails I will have to make a new one.


    20200728_222110 (2).jpg20200728_222051.jpg20200728_222105.jpg


    • According to Disstonian this saw came with a 24” blade, but this one is only around 22”.



    • I could not find an etching. The saw probably gone through a lot.




    • But the ruler marks on the top edge are still quite readable. On the front they run from 0 at the heel to 21.5” at the toe, whereas on the back side they run backwards heel to toe from 24” to approx. 2.5”. Can it be that the blade at some time received a reshape? Which would have been a massive reshape. If you extend the current proportions to 24” it would be quite pointy. So maybe it was also reduced in height? I am not sure. Maybe someone has more knowledge what craftsmen did to modify saws and for what reason.


    20200728_221309 (2).jpg20200728_221333 (2).jpg


    • Also the toe of the blade is rounded. Never seen a saw with that shape. So now I am thinking to shorten it to exact 20” with a straight toe to give it a more appealing shape.




    • Oh yes and I think it filed to 6 TPI rip cut. I am thinking to maybe change it to a cross cut. Seems more logical to have such saw with inbuilt square as a cross cut saw. You would square a line across a board and cut it off.




    • Some small screws are missing. Will need to source new ones but slotted heads.


    However, not sure on all of this. So for now I am just cleaning the parts and wait for some comments and insights from the experts here.

    In any case will be another fun restoration. Hopefully I can do it justice.

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    950

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Cklett View Post
    But the ruler marks on the top edge are still quite readable. On the front they run from 0 at the heel to 21.5” at the toe, whereas on the back side they run backwards heel to toe from 24” to approx. 2.5”. Can it be that the blade at some time received a reshape? Which would have been a massive reshape. If you extend the current proportions to 24” it would be quite pointy. So maybe it was also reduced in height? I am not sure. Maybe someone has more knowledge what craftsmen did to modify saws and for what reason.
    I’m no expert, but the height would have been reduced by repeated sharpening over many years and the toe probably got removed because it got bent, or possibly because a shorter saw was needed.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

    Default

    Cklett

    Disston made several combination saws and the No.43 was top of the line by far. Having said that, they were a utility model and the blade from memory was the equivalent of a No.7. Today one of those saws in top condition will rake in $500 (large US$ at that).

    Unfortunately your saw has seen better days. The saw was originally 26" and in fact all combination saws from all manufacturers were 26". They incorporated a 24" ruler. The backline of the saw had to be a straight version and they came to a point on the toe. Yours has been both shortened and rounded which detracts from the appearance and drastically reduces the tools usefulness.

    There is a special section on the Disstonian website which you might find useful and most of the parts you have seem correct:

    Online Reference of Disston Saws -- No. 43 and Other Combination Saw Tools

    Disston No.43 Combination.png

    The thing about your saw I find amazing is that the the awl, which is most often missing, is still there even with the saw in poor condition! (I have just noticed the information above confirms my earlier assertion that the blade quality is a No.7)

    I am not sure what I would do with your saw. Where do you get apple wood in Oz? It is a problem. In my case I have access to some handles that are damaged and I can sometimes plunder these for timber, but they don't give up large sizes, which is what you need. Usually I can find enough material to replace a horn at most. Recently I found some apple "chunks" at Bunnings in the BBQ section. They are intended to be burnt to give off some aroma I think. I thought I may be able to salvage them for handsaw parts, but that remains to be seen as I have not used them yet and they still will only be large enough to replace the likes of horns so no real help there either.

    If it was me I think I would look at replacing the whole handle in a nice Aussie timber. There is nothing you can do about the saw plate unfortunately. It is also well worn, as in sharpened, as you can see from the original depth in the drawing above. Surprisingly it does not say what ppi it is available in, but in those days you could have whatever you wanted. Just ask. However, I agree with you that a crosscut configuration would have been more normal. So at some point in the many sharpenings this saw would have seen perhaps it was re-toothed.

    Although the majority of vials seem to be green you can get clear vials too. You would just have to check that they will fit. Try searching "replacement level vial" on ebay.

    One other thing I found strange is the ruler marks on the reverse side. I have not seen one of these saws in flesh, but I have never heard mention of it being etched both sides. It looks reasonably original, although not quite as detailed as the face side.

    A very interesting, and challenging, restoration project.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  5. #4
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    807

    Default

    Thanks for your response.

    Wow, I wasn't sure if it is possible that a saw could have seen that much use that it would loose half it's blade through sharpening. I wonder now how many kilometers of wood it cut in it's lifetime.
    It would have been great to find an etch. Because then the teethline would now run straight through the etching. I guess the etching wasn't as deep as the ruler marks. They seem to have been stamped in rather then etched.

    This saw has definately been through a lot and that's what I also like about it. I will give it a new life one way or another.

    With the blade shortened I feel it might also be like the Stanley #8 I have. It had a part of its heel missing and now it lives in my workshop as a very usefull "7 1/2" ;-)

    In terms of the handle I started to clean it up and noticed the wood is sort of spongy at areas and does not feel right. Somehow it does not feel solid enough to me. So now I am also thinking down the line to make a complete new one again. Either way will be fun.

    I found vials online. Thank you. And will place order later.

    As for the ruler marks, I do believe I have read somewhere from someone that they did have them also on the back and in reverse. But I can't find it anymore.

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  6. #5
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    807

    Default

    By the way I found it again. Jim Bode Tools has one currently for an absolute bargain price of $3500. Off course in 1000 times better condition than mine. And restoring mine would still not change that. However I think I will have then a nice show off piece in my shed

    However there you can see that that one also has the ruler on both sides in the same way as mine has.

    Also I forgot to ask, what you meant with "utility model"? I am not familiar with that term in regard to saws.

    Cheers

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

    Default

    "Utility" model is my terminology and it means that it is a no-frills, honest tool. It was still a saw that bore the Disston name but was at the lowest end of saw plate technolgy. What I had intended to point out was that the saw plate was not at the same level as, say, a No.12 or a Victory saw. That does not mean it is not a worthwhile saw: It is, as you would have seen from the Jim Bode offering, although he generally has inflated, or vastly inflated prices.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  8. #7
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    807

    Default

    Thanks Paul. I really appreciate your insights.

    On this saw model I think it is a unique style of saw, but I can also understand why they were only made for a limited time. I think they tried to squeeze more functionality into a saw than necessary. A bit like, what we Germans call a "eierlegende Wollmilchsau". You can google that

    The only idea which seemed to have survived is that some new saws with plastic handles have also a square built in. That is probably the only feature helpful on a construction site. Quickly square a line and cut it off.

    But ruler and level and a tiny scratch awl, which would be constantly lost is probably not really needed. Making measurement with something which has sharp teeth or a level, which you cannot just lay on a beam or board to see if it's square? I would prefer to have these things separate and purposefully designed. But maybe at that time they did not have tape measures yet.

    But anyway it's these quirky tools, which also make the world interesting.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    807

    Default

    And there she is.

    I ended up using the old handle. After sanding I decided to give it a chance. I used parts of another broken handle I had, which I thought was also apple wood. The final shape is not exactly like the original. This was the best I could get out of the old handle. And yes, you can see where I added wood. I don't mind, because now it's also clear what was all the original old parts.

    I polished and sharpened the scribe and put it all together.

    Still waiting for the vials to arrive though. Also for now the square us not square. I will fix that when I install the vials.

    And she still needs to be sharpened. I want to give it a cross cut pattern, but have never done that. So I will first practise on one of my other saws.

    It's nice to have something broken and rusty looking good again.

    Cheers






    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Jervis Bay South Coast NSW
    Posts
    354

    Default

    I think that saw is awesome, really unique I'd love it in my collection. You did a great job of saving it. Next time I am down in the Goulburn Valley I should see if I can get some apple wood from the orchards.

    Sent from my SM-A505YN using Tapatalk

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

    Default

    Cklett

    I think you have a done a remarkable job on what I would have said was close to a throwaway job. It just goes to show that if there is enough incentive, almost anything can be retrieved. The No.43 is sufficiently distinctive and uncommon to fulfill that requirement.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong Ranges
    Posts
    1,865

    Default

    Hi CK. I agree with Paul. Great job. I also think it was the right choice to repair original handle

Similar Threads

  1. VICTORIA What Happened?????????
    By savman in forum WOODWORK - Tools & Machinery
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 27th October 2017, 01:51 PM
  2. Not sure what happened ???
    By Nai84 in forum WOODTURNING - PEN TURNING
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 30th December 2011, 11:34 PM
  3. What happened ?
    By craigb in forum FORUMS INFO, HELP, DISCUSSION & FEEDBACK
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 7th December 2005, 03:21 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •