Disston Town and Country 26 inch 8 PPI Hand Saw Question

[Mark R Webster]

Can anyone tell me what date range that the Diston Town and Country saws were made? Thanks
Mark

[Bill Houghton]

You might explore the Disstonian Institute (http://disstonianinstitute.com/ ). My impression is that the Town and Country saws date from the 50s, but that's impression only. The one I've seen had a blocky handle like the 50s saws. Kind of a heavy plate if I recall correctly.

[Mark R Webster]

Hi Bill, I tried to find the Town and Country on the web site you provided. I am just not seeing if it is there. Thanks for the link though.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Photo would probably help.

[steven c newman]

Does it look like this one?
townsman saw 004.jpg
This one was my Dad's..( I'm 63 now)

[Mark R Webster]

Other than a couple of ebay entries with no real specifics, this is the only reference I have found. http://swingleydev.com/ot/get/24286/thread/. It suggests 1990s? It seems more like early 50s to me, but then I don't claim to much about vintage saws. I haven't been able to find the saw in the catalogs I have found on line. Here are a few pictures. The medallion is about 7/8" in diameter...seems to be from early fifties? I am sure this was more of a handyman saw. Thoughts. Still trying to give it an approximate age.
DSC_0689.jpgDSC_0687.jpgDSC_0694.jpg

[steven c newman]

The medallion is just about the time HK Porter bought out Disston...about 1955 or so. So..from 1953 to 1955 time frame? Not sure how long HK Porter kept just the Disston logos on the saws. I have a Disston/HK Porter No. 10 Copying saw in the shop...it has both company names in the logo..

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I am no expert, but from the reading I have done (mostly the Disstonian Institute), and looking at saws over the years, I would guess you are looking at something from the 60s or 70s. I think Disston was sold in the 1950s, and the medallion you have on that one started being used then. You can probably find that medallion at the Disstonian Institute if you go through and look.

Bottom line is it is not something from the golden age of saws, but the only way to know if it is any good is to sharpen it up and try it. If it were mine, I would feel free to do anything I wanted to make that handle better, because there is nothing of historical or collector value that I can see. Others may know better.

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks guys. I had seen the medallion info on the Disstonian site. This one seemed to be the last one before the KH Porter version. I hadn't considered that Porter might have used pre 1955 medallions from the original company. hmmm

[Brent Cutshall]

The townsman, the rancher and saws like this were Disston's last saws I think.

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks Brent.