Disston saws - what do I look for

[Lee Ludden]

I have a chance to buy 5 Disston saws. I know next to nothing about them, so what should I be looking for? I can probably get them for about $50 each, so I'd appreciate any info on what I should look for. The guy selling them came by them 2nd hand and doesn't know much about them.

[Erik Manchester]

Lee,

It is hard to say without seeing pictures as with old saws condition is everything. Some types are more collectable than others and will attract higher prices, but $50 for a user should get you an older Disston No 7 or D8 (1900-1940) in overall good+ condition (blade straight, all teeth present, light surface rust only, no breaks or chips to the handle). If someone has gone through the effort to sharpen them well, then you can expect to pay a bit more.

If you want something ready to go, for $250 you can likely get a few really nice users on E-Bay that have been professionally tuned by some of the well known experts.

If you watch E-Bay, there are good users going for $25-40 every week that will require a little effort on your part to restore.

In your case, you will get to try them out and see how they woork for you, etc.

Again, it is hard to say without photos whether these particular saws are worth the asking price, but as it is your $$ I am sure that you will make the right decision.

Erik

[George Sanders]

I currently have about 15 Disston saws that run the gamut from good users to wallhangers. I have never paid more than $5 for any of them. The one exception is a 26" backsaw that came with a Goodall-Pratt miter machine for $15. Yes I have no shame. I will often buy 3 or 4 saws for a few dollars in the hope of getting one good user out of the lot. I had 2 that were painted and after sripping off the paint found severe pitting on one and a serviceable blade on the other. There are so many saws out there in the wild that I have never bought one on ebay. I have a good saw vice, a joiner, plenty of good files, saw sets, along with a magnifying lamp to help me see what I'm doing. With the help of this site and others I can now recondition my own saws and it has been a fun learning experience.

[Jonathan McCullough]

If they're in new or pristine restored condition, those are good prices. If they're corroded, gummed up, need new horns or need to have the handles refinished, they'll require time and money to fix up. I don't like to pay a lot of money for those, like $3 to $10.

If they have a slight bend in them, you can get that out easily. If they have kinks in them, that's more of a problem. Some people pay a premium for a hand sharpened saw. That's why I learned to do it myself.

[David Weaver]

$50 each is a lot of money. They'd need ( to me ) to be dead straight with no sign of ever having been kinked, no hugely misshapen sections of teeth and no missing teeth, no sign of ever having seen pitting and they'd need to be in a tooth profile I can use.

No D8s for me in that range, they're too easily found cheaply elsewhere unless you find one that has no rust at all and perfect wood, and you're into staring at them.

I guess I have 2 thumbhole rip d8s, a #7, several atkins crosscuts (all decent saws) and a late 1800s disston #12. I didn't pay more than $15 for any of them other than the #12, and the three atkins were $20 for three.

I think there is a big disconnect lately with saws online and what you can find them for offline. Same thing used to be true with planes, but most of the places who run into planes have wised up and realized that they can sell them online if they can't get a good price local. Saws will maybe get there soon, but the only ones you should pay any real money for are (in my opinion), either really old really clean early D series saws or the old # series saws in good condition.

[Don C Peterson]

There are probably VERY few Disston saws that I'd pay $50 for...

[David Weaver]

There are probably VERY few Disston saws that I'd pay $50 for...

After jointing the teeth on a #12 last night, I'd pay $50 for a few more in good shape - if I could find them! They almost killed my jointing file. I'd like to have the opportunity to find out if they're all like that, and I love the tote placement.

I saw 3 d8s in a bucket last year, dead straight, each with a broken horn for $5 each. I figured they were a liability to have at that because I'd just end up spending time fixing the totes and then they'd never really get used, and I'd end up giving them away. I almost wish I'd have bought them now, just to flip them up on ebay, but it'd still be a waste of time, I guess.

Not that they aren't a good saw, they're excellent if you like the skewbacks and the cheapest way to get a good name-brand saw, and they're everywhere, but there's no reason to pay $50 for one that's been used.

[Don C Peterson]

Don't get me wrong, I've bought plenty of old Disston saws, but unless they are in primo condition or really rare collectibles, $50 is way too much IMO. My favorites are the D12's, of which I have 5, all but one of them was in decent usable condition and I didn't pay more than about $25 for any of them. D8's, D7's, etc... are pretty easy to come by for the $10 range, and D23's are a dime a dozen (although they can be perfectly good users)

[Dan Andrews]

Dito the comments about the $50. price. I buy hand drills on ebay because I have found it hard to find them at garage sales. I have inherited some very good Disstons, but have also bought user quality saws of various brands at garage sales for $1. to $5. I have invested in about $100. in good files, saw set and saw vise. It is a fun skill to learn to sharpen your own saws if you are patient and meticulous.

[Lee Ludden]

Well, I went out and picked them up. Pretty sure I am going to feel some buyer's remorse, but here's what I got 2 D23 Lighweight, 2 that I can't read the markings on, and a D8

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2699/4504066074_6001f1e688.jpg

Also included was a brace and some bits
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2713/4503433989_90385166e2.jpg

Close up of the boxed set
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4504065992_ba34582a7e.jpg

Total cost was $175. The saws appear to be sound, other than a bad handle on the D8. Teeth look solid and sharp.

[Mike Olson]

i am so jealous of that bit set...

it's taken me almost 6 months to scrounge up ALMOST a complete set...

if you can afford it, and you use the tools, then it will be worth it. no need to feel any remorse.

[David Weaver]

Well, I went out and picked them up. Pretty sure I am going to feel some buyer's remorse, but here's what I got 2 D23 Lighweight, 2 that I can't read the markings on, and a D8

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2699/4504066074_6001f1e688.jpg

Also included was a brace and some bits
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2713/4503433989_90385166e2.jpg

Close up of the boxed set
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4504065992_ba34582a7e.jpg

Total cost was $175. The saws appear to be sound, other than a bad handle on the D8. Teeth look solid and sharp.

The saws are in better than average condition except for the missing medallion and the hole.

The cherry irwin set with a box softens the blow a little, especially if they have sound lead screws and good elephant ears, etc.

You did fine, maybe not something you can boast to a tool dealer about, but you did OK, and you can prove that you did by trying your best to wear them out with use.

Enjoy the saws and the brace and bits. Not sure what exactly they are worth together, but I'd say they take an easy $50-$60 of the sting out of your deal. I think I paid about $40 for a set like that in a box. Now you can start hunting for jennings bits - you'll see why when you sink one of those into hard maple. Nice to have a set of each.