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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
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    Melbourne
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    Lightbulb Vintage H.Disston and Sons 26" saw 1878-1888

    Hello woodworkers. I had no idea there was such a lively community out there. I have inherited a vintage saw, the badge on which places it as a Disston from 1878-1888 (which fits with my family history). Since I have no use for it, and aren't keen to keep it as a decor piece, can anyone tell me how I can authenticate it and possibly sell it?
    Thanks, Heather

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    blue mountains
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    4,882

    Default

    Welcome to the forum.
    Try this.

    Disstonian Institute.com -- Online Reference of Disston Saws
    Regards
    John

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Melbourne
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    2

    Default

    Saw 1.jpgSaw 2.jpgsaw 3.JPGSaw 4.jpg

    Thank you woodworkers, for your help. Bushmiller, and Simplicity, I am adding photos.
    John, the reference you gave me was brilliant, thank you very much. These are the details that I have managed to elicit from this source:
    26 inch Henry Disston No 7 crosscut saw with 4 bolts in the handle and 5 points per inch on the blade.
    The medallion is most similar to the one used between 1878-1888. The photo is reasonably good, but briefly, there are no punctuation marks used, nor patent date; there is a star at the beginning and end of the phrase H Disston and Sons. The medallion sits just slightly above the surface of the handle.
    There is a small number 5 stamped on the blade near the handle, but I can't find any other stamps on the blade.
    Any advice or information you could give me would be welcome.
    It has been an interesting morning - I seem to have Disston and Spear and Jackson saws representative of several decades!
    Heather.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

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    Heather

    For somebody who professes to have little understanding of vintage, boy's toys (that's the toys not the boys ) you have done well. I would agree with your time dating from the medallion. It is almost certainly a Disston No.7 with that style of and what looks to be a Beech timbered handle. The only small fault I can see is the absence of the nib, which has likely broken off. The "5" refers to the number of tooth points to the inch. This saw is a rip saw for cutting along the grain. How long is the blade: 26"/28"?

    If you care to grab a piece of W & D (wet and dry paper) and wrap it around a block of wood or any other convenient hardish object (a pencil rubber would be something else that comes to mind that you might have around or a match box) and rub the saw plate in the region there might be an etch or a stamp you may find something under the near 150 years of grime. Have a look back on the Disstonian Institute on the section, from the menu for a No.7, to judge the likely location of an etch/stamp and exactly what it might look like. You can do this dry or use a little lubricant such as turps or water. Water is fine (it is what I use) but be very sure to dry the area immediately and thoroughly to prevent rusting, which can set begin within 30 minutes if left carelessly. You need to use a hard object rather than just fingers or the etch will be more easily rubbed away.

    I would say there is a 50/50 chance of finding some identification as I have found Disston etches survive very well. Old Henry and his boys did a good job.

    Depending on what you find we will be able to suggest the likely places to offload the saw if you wished. Ebay is one possibility and the Marketplace on these Forums is another.

    I have picked up on your comment:

    "It has been an interesting morning - I seem to have Disston and Spear and Jackson saws representative of several decades!"

    If you would care to post some pix of these saws (full frontal, handle, detail shot of the medallion and one reverse shot of the handle) I feel sure there are a group of people here who would like to identify and generally discuss what you have.Thank you for posting.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

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

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