Saw recommendations

[Farley Thornsberry]

I'm getting the hand tool bug, after using mostly powertools. As a guy starting to build a usable tool collection on a budget, what handsaws are good purchases for utility and value (something to hand down to my kids). Older Disston D8's seem to come up a lot in conversations...are their rip and crosscut saws all they're cracked up to be? Any other saw models, or brands, that would provide a good foundation?

[Bill Haumann]

There are quite a few, and some lesser known are cheaper simply because they aren't as well known.
Personally I have disstons of several models (I especially like the thumb hole rip handles), Simonds, and a Jennings that I like a lot. Disston also made saws under "house" brand names . . .

[Jim Koepke]

Farley,

Welcome to the Creek.

My suggestion would be to read as much as you can about saws on sites like:

http://norsewoodsmith.com/node/89

http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?8198-Sharpening-Handsaws

Then purchase a few inexpensive saws at yard sales or where ever they are found without worrying about their heritage.

Use these to learn about sharpening and using saws.

This will give you useful knowledge for finding better saws on your future searches. You may also get lucky and pick out a few great saws without even trying. A century ago there were not a lot of "bad" saws on the market.

jtk

[Jared McMahon]

I believe the three names that almost always come up are Disston, Simmonds, and Atkins. I have a couple Disston as well as one from their "second-tier" mark, Keystone. They all behave nicely, and the Keystone I got for $1. The D-8's with thumbhole handles command a premium, I wouldn't recommend spending extra for one unless you plan on doing a fair amount of ripping 4/4+ stock by hand. And if you already own a selection of power tools, rough-dimensioning stock by hand might not be how you want to spend your time.

VintageSaws.com has "Saw Filing Kits", saws that are fairly healthy except for needing to be sharpened. They aren't too cheap but they've been picked out by a guy who has probably forgotten more about saws than most people will ever learn. If you have more money than time, this might be a good route. I usually have much more time than money, so it's worth it to me to hunt through the flea markets and antique stores, buy cheap, and put in the sweat equity to clean and sharpen those abused diamonds-in-the-rough shoved into barrels with old axes, nail-pullers and golf clubs.

Also, if you can find panel saws (handsaws in the 20 - 24" size range), they can be really handy for quick tasks. Something to keep an eye out for.

[Mike Siemsen]

When shopping for old handsaws rather than seek a specific brand I look at the general condition of the saw as may saws no longer have an etch. The plate should be straight and not pitted, avoid saws with several broken teeth. I prefer saws that are not filed down to a point at the end and have a lot of plate left. I also look at the handle as a measure of quality. As a general rule better saws have better handles, nice shapes, wheat carving, nice wood. Have fun with it!
Mike

[Jim Matthews]

... look at the general condition of the saw as may saws no longer have an etch. The plate should be straight and not pitted, avoid saws with several broken teeth. Mike

These are useful tools, if and only if they cut straight. The Disston D8 and D23 are undervalued workhorses. They're worth the money if the plate is straight.
I'm a fan of the Sandvik saws, which are frequently overlooked on the auction sites. They're made with good steel, which may be difficult to sharpen. Once sharp, they hold an edge quite some time.

[Mark Baldwin III]

I'll add another vote for the "big three" saws. I have a warm spot for Atkins, no idea why, I just like them. My short Disston D100 is my favorite for crosscutting on smaller pieces. The handle is great. To round out the big three, I have a Simmonds that is quite nice as well. Just about any old saw that looks like it was cared for in its previous life will likely make a good user after being sharpened. (my Simmonds didn't fall into the well cared for category, but I got it anyway).
An off brand that seems OK to me (though a bit on the hard side when it comes to sharpening) is Penn State Saw Corp. The one I have is a 5ppi with a thick plate, it would be hard to ever bend something like that in use.

[Farley Thornsberry]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! Now, I just need to keep my eyes peeled when walking through the flea markets and auctions.