3 old saws

[Rodney Walker]

Lately most of the time I've spent here at the Creek has been reading past postings here in the Neanderthal section. Most of my woodworking so far has been done using machinery but due to some recent health issues I was banned from using my machines. No one said anything about hand tools though:). After I was well enough to go out to my shop I started cleaning, sharpening, and learning to use my hand tools. I have been given clearance to use my machines again too but do find myself reaching for the handtools more often as well. My 7 year old daughter has taken an interest too and I'm slowly building a set of hand tools for her and a toolbox to put them in. A few weeks ago I picked up a rusty old Warranted Superior rip saw for $1.00, then a week later a Disston D-23 crosscut and a plastic handled Craftsman rip saw both for a total of $1.36, the money I had on me at the time.
I'll start with the Craftsman. It's 26" and 5 1/2 PPI.
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I found a Craftsman handtool catalog online at Rose art antiques if I remember correctly that showed a similar handled Craftsman saw from 1960. Sorry I didn't take a before picture. When I bought the saw, the handle was an olive green color. When I took it apart to clean the rust off the blade I noticed a purple color under the saw nuts. It turns out that over the years the plastic had turned green from oxidization. The first thing I tried to remove the oxidation was a buffing wheel with jeweller's rouge. It was too hot and started to smear the plastic. I stopped before I did any further damage and broke out the sandpaper. 3 hours of wet sanding by hand working thru the grits brought back the original purple color. I have another hour or so sanding the rust off the saw plate down to 400 grit. This saw is also my first successful attempt at sharpening a saw. It's probably not great, but at least it cuts. The first saw I tried sharpening was a crosscut and I need to try that one again.

Next up is the Disston D-23 crosscut saw that came with the Craftsman. It's 26" and 8PPI

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I'm not exactly sure when this was made , I'm guessing mid 1940s. I would appreciate any estimates on the age of this saw or other information about it. The medallion says Disston USA and it looks like the handle is apple. Maybe 30% of the original finish was left and it pretty well crumbled into dust when I started cleaning the saw. The handle was blocksanded on the flats to maintain the handle's profile and refinished with boiled linseed oil topped with Minwax antique oil then buffed out with 0000 steel wool and waxed. I haven't attempted to sharpen this saw yet, but it does cut fairy well considering I don't think it has been sharpened since it was new. My daughter claimed this one as soon as she saw it because she liked the wheat carvings on the handle.

Last up is the warranted superior. It's 26" 5 1/2 PPI rip with a skew back.

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The shape is very similar to my Disston D-8. The handle is a chocolate brown open pored wood with a grain similar to either mahogany or walnut. Based on color my guess is walnut. It also has nickel saw nuts. If this saw had an etch, it's long gone. I would appreciate any information anyone here can give me on the saw.
I gave my daughter her choice between this one and the Craftsman. She chose the Craftsman so I guess this one is mine.

Sorry for the bad photos, the background is supposed to be white.

Thanks for looking,
Rodney

[Jonathan McCullough]

Neat. I think the first saw was made by Great Neck. I seem to remember seeing a catalog with that style handle in it. The last one looks like an Atkins and it may be one of the last No. 53s they put out under the auspices of Nicholson. I have a 53 from that era and although the handle isn't as nice as the older, fancier applewood handles from earlier, the steel sure is nice.

[Andrae Covington]

Great deal on the saws, I think. The disstonianinstitute (http://www.disstonianinstitute.com) is the premiere resource for identifying and dating Disston saws, perhaps you're already aware of it. On the Disston D-23, the shape of the hand-hole in the handle dates it no earlier than 1928, while the wheat carving just above the medallion dates it prior to 1947. If the handle is indeed apple, rather than beech with an "apple" stain, that also dates the saw prior to approximately 1947. The Disston U.S.A. medallion was introduced circa 1940. All of that to say I believe you are correct in dating the saw to the mid 1940's. It is rare to be able to date one any more precisely than that.

[Rodney Walker]

Thanks for the additional info on the saws. Overall considering how they looked when I bought them I think they cleaned up pretty well. They were certainly worth the time and were a good learning experience for me. Plus my daughter has a couple decent user saws to grow into now.
Thanks
Rodney