Diston saw, part gloat part info seeking

[Ron Petley]

I came across this saw at the flea market and it was calling out to me to give it a good home. At a distance the shape of it and the wood of the handle spoke to me. I could not read the name on it as the emblem needed a little cleaning. I was happy to see the words H Diston and Sons pop out at me, double bonus. All in it was 3 dollars, the seller said he has a new saw for 6 dollars, not knowing I could see something in this old timer.
I guess this is part gloat and part posting to see if anybody could offer up any information on this saw. It is as is when I spotted it in the wild. Figured I would post it up before doing any cleanup, wishful thinking mostly, but for 3 dollars I can't loose I love the look of this thing.
Cheers Ron

[Mel Fulks]

I find old saws hard to turn down when they're cheap.If they they are kinked I won't pay over a dollar,make scrapers out of them.

[Mark Baldwin III]

It looks like the medallion used from 1896-1917, after consulting the Disstonian Institute. Is it just me, or are the medallion and middle screw in backwards? Is there anything left of the etch? If there appears to be some of the etch left you might be able to bring it out and learn a bit more. I'm not good enough to tell a saw just looking at it, some of the other guys here are though.
There's a good article on WK fine tools about restoring a saw etch: http://www.wkfinetools.com/tRestore/saw/etch/etch.asp

[Adam Cruea]

Nice grab.

I love hitting flea markets or antique shops for old tools. Usually they seem to have no clue how much those old tools are actually worth.

[David Weaver]

Check the saw plate for an etch. The handle is shopmade by someone, so it's not going to tell us much about what the saw is.

[Ron Petley]

Their is a faint etch I will see if I can do something with it. Thanks for the help.
Cheers Ron

[Larry McGarrah]

Nice rehandled old Frankensaw.

[Mark Baldwin III]

Nice grab.

I love hitting flea markets or antique shops for old tools. Usually they seem to have no clue how much those old tools are actually worth.

I wish that was the case around here. Most of the time everyone thinks that every rinky-dink old WW tool is "rare."
What's the give away on being re-handled? It's a nicely made handle at any rate. To me it just looked like it was showing its age.

[Jim Koepke]

What's the give away on being re-handled?

The saw nut dates it to before the flat handle look.

It also looks like the saw plate is intruding into the hand hole.

Ron,
My cousin whose name is the same as mine is from Winnipeg. Not sure if he still lives in the area. He used to have a dental practice. I think he sold that many years ago.

jtk

[Ron Petley]

Thanks for the info, even as a franken saw it will be a good user. I looked at the etch but it is to faint I can barely see the outline of the larger outter border, so I figure I am done, clean it up a but and put it to the wood.
Jim, it is the six degrees of separation small world getting smaller through the net. Great place to live we has a spectacular summer and still holding. Not to many exceptional tools around but a fair bit of cheap users.
Cheers Ron

[Mark Baldwin III]

The saw nut dates it to before the flat handle look.

It also looks like the saw plate is intruding into the hand hole.

jtk

After I asked I looked at the pictures some more, and thought that might be the answer. Thanks.

[Ron Petley]

Sorry I did not quite understand this, the saw plate does not intrude into the handle hole it is a knot running parallel to the cut of the wood on which the saw is sitting on.
Cheers Ron