A 50's model Disston mystery

[Matt Ranum]

Tonight I was given a saw that used to be my grandads some 40+ years ago. This almost has to be from the end of the Disston line right around the time they were bought out. It has the style of the D-23 straight back narrow width saw blade,
The bolt pattern and handle shape resembles that of the D-95,
and has a laminated handle like that of the war time D-15.

The blade while badly rusted isn't pitted, but I can find no etching unless it was cleaned off some time ago. The medallion matches very close to the latest model I can find at the Disstonian Institute. All the screws and nuts match the medallion so I think the hardware belongs to this saw.

She seems like a mixed bag of left over parts put together but it all fits nice, no double or missed holes anywhere. Its not worth anything to a collector but to me it is. I didn't know him very well and he died some 25 years ago and its the only thing I have of his so it means a lot to me to give it a special home.

Its going through the cleanup now and when I get it back together I'll get some pictures up, hopefully tomorrow and maybe then someone here can tell me what model it is.

[Charles Bishop]

Interesting, Matt. Were you able to use the medallion for dating this saw?
I used the recently discovered Disstonian Institute to identify a saw that someone had started to paint on. The medallion design puts it in the 1896-1917 range. With the help if this Neanderthal bunch, I'm hoping to help it regain it's self-respect.

[Matt Ranum]

Here is the saw in question. The bottom screw on the handle isn't correct, it was missing that one and its the closest replacement to what the rest were. I couldn't find any sort of etch on the blade, just the Disston & USA on the medallion.

Any guesses as to a year? I'm thinking mid 50's, near the end of the Disston line but maybe I'm wrong.

[Greg Crawford]

I got an Atkins from an older friend, and has the hole in the toe like yours. I can barely make out Atkins in the etch, and something that looks like a 100 or 700. From the hole in the toe, I'd say you're right about the age being close to the end of Disston's production. I guess pegboard must have come of age in the 50s, and everyone had to be able to hang their saws. What I'm wondering is if the handle might be a replacement. My saw also has no taper grind, it's a flat plate. Still better than anything at any BORG.

I know the sentimental feeling of using a tool that belonged to a long gone relative. It brings back memories whenever you pick it up.

[Matt Ranum]

The handle could have been replaced but it would have been a long time ago. Gramps was down and was helping finish the house my folks were building at the time. It would have been '66 as they were working on a built in china hutch and Gramps left the saw there when he headed back home for Minnesota. At least thats what I was told. After all I was only 2 at the time. Mom jokes that every time she turned around I was climbing a ladder with a hammer insisting that I just had to help. And Dad still complains he can't find some of the tools after I "just had to help".

Apparently the saw was too big for me to lose and basically its been on a shelf ever since and I know my Dad rarely used it.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Wouldn't be to difficult to take the handle off and see if there are other holes in the blade. Somehow the saw gives me the impression of being a combo of a good blade with a later handle.

T.Z.

[Matt Ranum]

Thats what I thought too Tony but I had it off and there are only one set of holes. No number stamps either on the blade for the PPI. Of course I have an old Disston D-100 without a stamp as well so maybe that doesn't mean anything.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Well, the lack of a number stamped on the blade could be because the saw has been sharpened below the stamp area. As far as the handle, perhaps your grandfather was adept enough to have made a new handle using the old as a pattern.

Hard to say! I would sharpen it up and use it!

T.Z.