Saw Identification

[Gil Knowles]

Hi
I was wondering if someone could identify the maker of this saw. It is an old one my father bought years ago.
It is crosscut 12 tpi and the blade is 12" X 4".
I can not find a name of the maker.
The medallion in the picture says Warranted Superior and the symbol is a bird with outspread wings.
Any ideas will be appreciated.
Many thanks.
Gil

[David Keller NC]

This medallion is typical of Disston's second-quality line of saws. Judging from the sharp arrises (edges) on the handle, the saw was likely made within about 30 years of the demise of Disston (don't have the dates handy, but approximately 1930 - 1960).

The Disstonian institute pictures your medallion and some information about Warrant and Ted Superior about 3/4 of the way down the page:

http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/faq.html

The irony of the Disston (and Atkins and Spear and Jackson, for that matter) is that the steel steadily increased in quality and consistency as advances in metallurgy and manufacturing made high quality steel cheaper in the mid 20th century, while the quality of the handles steeply declined as all-out efforts were made to make the saws more cheaply. This is partly why users typically look for Disstons that were made in from about 1900-1917 because the handles were hand-shaped and are far more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing than the later examples.

[Jim Koepke]

This is partly why users typically look for Disstons that were made in from about 1900-1917 because the handles were hand-shaped and are far more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing than the later examples.


I have a Disston that was my dad's from probably the 1950s or '60s. The handle was not comfortable, so I modified it with files, rasps and gouges until it fit my hand better.

It was sharpened with crosscut teeth and works pretty well.

jim

[lowell holmes]

I have three Disstons, from years 1878, 1913, and 1940's.

The older saws are sharpened as rip teeth. They approach my LN saws in performance. I prefer the 1913 saw for tenon cheeks.

The newer one is crosscut. I had to spend considerable time stoning the teeth to achieve the proper set on the crosscut saw, but after I achieved that, it works great.

I have settled on stoning the teeth until the saw stays in the kerf, afterwards I take a 7 oz hammer and gently tap the teeth untill the set I'm looking for is achieved.
I run my thumb and forefinger down the sides of the teeth. I can feel if any teeth are proud of the rest.
I cannot measure the set with a micrometer, though I try.

Afterthought, I probably posted this in the wrong string.