Tell me about this Disston

[Jim Hoti]

Looks like somebody was starting to restore and gave up, but kept the medallion! Anyway, looks like either 3 or 3-1/2 TPI, but has anyone seen one sharpened like this with inbetween filing not as deep as the other? I have looked at the Disstonian Institute site, but can't figure this one out. What do I have here like Model #, age, etc? Any ideas as to date of Manufacture? The etch isn't clear, but it does not show anything like "d-7" or "D-8" under the scales. Even with the light pitting, I want to put this one to work!

Thanks for any response.....


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[Rob Paul]

Looks like a D-8 thumbhole, made by Disston Canada in Toronto, steel screws indicate about 1950 era.
Tooth pattern looks like sloping gullets (the file is not held horizontal to the vertical blade, but the file handle is dropped and alternate teeth filed from one side, then intermediate teeth are filed from the other side in same way). The apparent big/small look is an illusion created by the alternate slopes of the bottom of the grooves. So long as the tips of all the teeth are on the same line it should cut fine. Some claim sloping gullets get rid of sawdust better and gives a faster cut.
You can sharpen it the same way, or file with the file horizontal and the apparent tooth size variation will disappear.

[Andrae Covington]

I think what you have is a Disston 120 Acme saw, or the later D-120 version. The thumbhole handle would suggest the latter, as that handle was introduced with the D-8. However, the D-120 version of the handle should have wheat carving and yours doesn't. So the handle may have been swapped from a D-8.

Here's the disstonian institute page (http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/acmepage.html). Unfortunately they don't have a closeup photo of the teeth. But the description...


It features an ultra-tapered and hardened blade, filing with tall, narrow gullets, and no tooth set....sounds a lot like what yours looks like. Apparently it required a special safe-back cant file to sharpen.

Also this page (http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/sawjig/disston%20draw.html) has a drawing of the teeth. The 120 is down towards the bottom of the page.

[David Weaver]

canadian D8 (not sure, though). I think Disston had some saws made in canada to get around some canadian laws.

No clue on the teeth, someone filed them that way for a reason. Maybe someone was cutting logs with it.

Wild guess looking at the tote that it's between WWI and WWII - totally wild guess. It's too bad someone mooched the medallion. I just can't see a good reason for that for newer saws like that one, I see them go for $5 on ebay for a bunch. I guess even five years ago, though, rough saws didn't bring a lot. when I first got into this hobby, I got two d8s with 3/4hs of their plates left, pin straight, no rust, no pitting for $15 on ebay. things change fast.

[Acharya Kumarswami]

This saw is definitely worth restoring and putting back into action. Handle is undamaged and blade looks to be in good condition. It should clean up well.
Unless you are strongly invested in the special filing, I would suggest refiling it normally.
I agree with Andrae that the handle is from a D8 saw. it's a 5 or 5-1/2 ppi blade (PPI, rather than TPI, is indicated by the number stamped on the blade below the handle on the left side.)

[Jim Koepke]

The jagged look to the teeth give me the impression the last person to take a file to that saw did not know what they were doing.

A chat at a hardware store with one of the workers gave me the impression a lot of people who know absolutely nothing more than to use a three cornered file have attempted to sharpen saws.

jtk

[Johnny Kleso]

Thats a D-17 Not

OOpps D-8 Rip with a really funny sharpening almost like a D-17 at first look..
The D-17 has cross cut and rip teeth 5 cross cut teeth and 2 rip teeth but yours are all rip???
I'm guessing someone added a special sharpening to saw.. It almost looks like a Progressive Tooth Pattern (like some backsaws) with teeth getting coarser as they go backkwards

http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/d17page.html

[Jim Hoti]

Keep the info coming! I really appreciate it. If you look at the photo of the whole saw, you can see it has at least two teeth broken with a chip or two out of others....sooooooooo, should I try and retain the weird teeth or just joint it flat and go back with a more traditional style of rip?

[Acharya Kumarswami]

In my opinion, go to the traditional filing.
You can pick up loose medallions on eBay. Search saw bolts.
This one should have a Philada or Phila medallion.

[Marv Werner]

I agree with Acharya....

But more to the point, someone has filed the saw with no knowledge of how to properly file a saw. It's hard to tell if it was filed
rip or crosscut or something in between. It resembles sloping gullets but not really.

I see a broken tooth about a third up from the toe. That will require some major jointing and filing. I would go with what Acharya said and just file it the normal way but you'll be spending some time reshaping the teeth. With teeth that size, I suggest filing it rip, between 4 and 8 degrees rake angle depending on how aggressive you like your rip saws to cut.

[Mike Siemsen]

From the looks of it it is either filed with sloping gullets or has a bad case of Cow Calf syndrome. Just joint and file with your preferred method. as to the missing tooth you can probably ignore it and it will "grow Back with repeated filings.
I believe Disston sold it's saws with progressive pitch, at least the ripsaws. go to the disstonian institute on line and read away. Vintage saws has a good filing tutorial.
Mike

[David Weaver]

I believe Disston sold it's saws with progressive pitch, at least the ripsaws. go to the disstonian institute on line and read away. Vintage saws has a good filing tutorial.
Mike

I'm pretty sure they did, too, I've had a few that look factory (turn of the century and older). As did other makers. I have a saw made by bakewell that goes from about 6 1/2 to 4 1/2 over its length. My disstons with the progressive teeth are 5 1/2s, and they look like they have less progression, like maybe 6 1/2 at the toe, but they are definitely easier to start than a saw that isn't.

The strange thing about that saw, if it was not filed intentionally that way, is that the teeth are very consistently done that way, and the low level teeth are almost all the same height as each other, and the same with the high level teeth. Someone went to a fair amount of work to make it like that.

[Rob Paul]

Here's my Disston Canada D-8 Thumbhole saw for comparison, showing the medallion that you're missing and the etch to show some details illegible on your etch.
(The teeth on this saw are filed regular 5 1/2 ppi rip. Its one of my "to-be-restored....when-I-get-a-round-tuit" saws )
Disston Canada started making saws in Toronto in 1905 and were bought out by H K Porter in 1957 who continued to run the Toronto company til 1980. They made good saws, so clean and sharpen yours, and let-er-RIP !

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[Jim Hoti]

Thanks for all the help! "preciate the medallion photo especially. Now to decide how many teeth I want it to have......probably 5-1/2...