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Thread: Disston Combination Saw Found - Anyone With Info?

  1. #1
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    Disston Combination Saw Found - Anyone With Info?

    Flashback:

    A year ago I was at a garage/tool sale in the country around my in-laws' house. I bought about a dozen hand saws for $15. I was very happy with this as there were some old Disstons, Atkins, and Peace that were worth refurbishing into "user" condition. Of course, I knew I wouldn't get around to cleaning them up/sharpening them for a while, and I put them in a box.

    Present Day:

    I have been going through a major shop reorganization, and I decided I would go through the pile of handsaws I have laying around. Gleefully distracted from the work that actually needs to get done, I brought each saw into the light to see what I actually have. After being pleased with the usual "cool" old saws I ran across one that I had never seen before. Not only that, but it didn't even have a "brand medallion" in the handle like most old saws. Hm. So I examined it even closer, and there it was stamped on the brass shoulder strips on the front edge of the handle: Hiram Smith, Patent May 18, 1858. I immediately got excited, and after a bit of searching online I could only find limited info on that name. As it turns out, I had myself an old combination saw!

    The saw is designed with a straight edged spine, engraved with a ruler. The handle has brass strips on the leading edge, and it's attached at 90 degrees to the spine of the blade so it can be used as a square. Also, there was originally a scratch awl housed in the top of the handle, now missing. There is a number 3 stamped on the blade. The poor thing is in rough shape, but I still can't help but be excited about stumbling upon such a cool old saw!!

    From what info I have gathered so far it seem to be an early Disston #29 combo saw. It predates the famous #43, as Hiram Smiths patent was built upon for that saw. According to the info found it seems like it may date from between 1858-1860.

    Any one able to help with info? Dare I clean it? Thanks!

    - Hutch

    Grand Rapids Woodworking, LLC
    Grand Rapids, MI
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  2. #2
    Very nice find. Just in case you haven't cleaned up an old saw, DON'T take a sander to it. That saw may be worth a fair amount, or not. But you're on the right road by trying to find out all you can about it.

    Jim

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Davis View Post
    Very nice find. Just in case you haven't cleaned up an old saw, DON'T take a sander to it. That saw may be worth a fair amount, or not. But you're on the right road by trying to find out all you can about it.

    Jim
    +1 on what Jim says - that looks like a find and a half to me!! Don't touch it till you find out more - a lot more.

    Dave B

  4. #4
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    Thanks guys. I have continued to search online for as much info on the saw as possible. There is nothing, I mean nothing (as yet), for this particular style of saw from this early in its production.

    I couldn't resist working on it a bit to see if I could get clarity as to the date. So today I placed part of the blade in some vinegar for a few hours to break down the surface rust, and then I wiped it away with #0000 steel wool. I didn't touch it with sandpaper, and I was hoping this would be enough to find an etching or stamp on the blade.

    The number 3 I saw stamped on the one side is actually the number 23, as in 23 inches. That side of the saw is numbered 1-23 starting at the tip, while the other side is numbered from the handle to the tip. Also, I could see parts of the full ruler, meaning the line parallel to the back edge, as shown in these later models: http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/4...o38cat1911.jpg

    After searching and searching for an etching in the middle of the blade finally I found some numbers stamped there...I think. It doesn't appear to be etched. Whether etched or stamped, the mystery seems to deepen. There is what appears to be a "2" followed by what looks like a "1", a space, and then possibly a "3" or "8". I have been looking for as many Disston saw stamps/etchings as a can and none seem to contain any small sized numbers. Typically there are the LARGE saw model numbers in the etching, but these are not the same. These are less than 1/8" tall and about 1/16" wide.

    Right now I am not sure what to do, but I am really tempted to light use 2000 grit wet sandpaper in the area in question. I won't for now, but man do I want to see what it says.

    - Hutch

    ADDENDUM: Interestingly, I just realized that the above numbers that I thought were stamped in the middle of the blade are found in the actual patent number. The Hiram Smith patent is #20,313.
    Last edited by Matt Hutchinson; 10-29-2015 at 6:09 PM. Reason: Addendum

  5. #5
    The early Disston saws were stamped instead of etched. If this plate is stamped, you won't hurt it with wet-or-dry paper. You could go to 400 grit. 2,000 would just polish the rust. Put the plate on a flat surface and back the wet-or-dry with a flat block. Some times I use a piece of mild steel for the block. Keep the surface wet while you work on it--water, kerosene, paint thinner, WD40 etc.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Davis View Post
    The early Disston saws were stamped instead of etched. If this plate is stamped, you won't hurt it with wet-or-dry paper. You could go to 400 grit. 2,000 would just polish the rust. Put the plate on a flat surface and back the wet-or-dry with a flat block. Some times I use a piece of mild steel for the block. Keep the surface wet while you work on it--water, kerosene, paint thinner, WD40 etc.
    The stamps are pretty light. Usually the Henry Disston will the only thing left by heavy rust. If you are lucky you might get a model number and other information from the secondary stamps which are considerably shallower.
    "Aus so krummem Holze, als woraus der Mensch gemacht ist, kann nichts ganz Gerades gezimmert werden."

  7. #7
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    Before moving to abrasives, you may want to try either WD40 and a green scotch brite pad, or I've had luck wrapping the plate with paper towels soaked with EvapoRust and then wrapping that with cling wrap. Let sit for 24 hours, then scrub with the WD40/scotch brite.

  8. #8
    Scotch brite pads are certainly less aggressive, but they have the drawback of reaching into depressions and smoothing the edges of those, and in this case, the stamping edges, making them less visible. Block-backed paper does less of that. Even a flat fine sharpening stone can help by touching only the top of a pitted surface.

  9. #9
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    Good point Jim, thanks. Do you avoid scot h brite whether stamped or etched?
    Last edited by Phil Mueller; 10-30-2015 at 12:00 PM.

  10. #10
    I would suggest contacting the people at one of the popular antique tool sellers/businesses and ask them more about what you have... maybe they can direct you.

    But I can tell you that anytime you have something that might be rare/valuable/collectible... steel wool or other abrasives is a no no.

  11. #11
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    But I can tell you that anytime you have something that might be rare/valuable/collectible... steel wool or other abrasives is a no no.
    Something comes to mind, it can always be cleaned tomorrow. Undoing the cleaning is much more difficult.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  12. #12
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    Be very careful, and google the Disstonian Institute. I've found the mod there to be very helpful
    Where did I put that tape measure...

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    Something comes to mind, it can always be cleaned tomorrow. Undoing the cleaning is much more difficult.

    jtk

    I agree with Jim: The fact that no one has come forward with significant info, AND that is one old saw - please leave it alone - you can't add 150 years of honest patina.

    Someone out there will have more info - I would love to see what comes up for this unique saw.

    Dave B
    Last edited by Dave Beauchesne; 10-31-2015 at 12:24 PM. Reason: Spelling error

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