# Can you tell me about these saws?



## ironhead (Dec 20, 2008)

I just picked up these 2 Disstons from an antique store. I traded some old glass insulators I took off of a pole last year and they just have been sitting around. Picked up these saws, a 10"draw knife w/ folding handles marked Palmer, Meadville,PA and a large wooden carvers mallet. The shiny one is a #4 cast steel back saw. Blade length 12" x 4". The other one with surface rust and what looks like some sort of a coating on it says cast steel. Blade length is 10" back width is 3" and front width is 2 3/4". Looks worse in the pic than it really is>
Wanting to know what type of work the saws would have been used for. Also how should I go about restoring the rusty one without messing it up.


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## steve mackay (Oct 5, 2008)

I LIKE that rusty one ! A lamb's tongue always gives me a warm fuzzy. Might want to check the medalion on The Disston Institute for a time frame. I can't see it from here. I've done several Disston hunks of rust. The etching is almost certinley a gonner so I'd break it down and go after it with 400 paper then steel wool. Well worth the effort ! The other is fairly "new" from the look of the handle. Not as sexy. What are the teeth set-up for ?


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Iron,
They both look like backcut saws. Youl could use them for cutting dovetails by hand, small moldings, etc. The stiffener on top prevents the blade from flexing, and the small and many teeth per inch, insure a fine, smooth cut. Clean em up and hang em on the wall in your shop if nothing else. Always nice to look at.
Mike Hawkins:smile:


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike is most likely right but I was thinking they where miterbox saws.


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## Jason W (Dec 18, 2008)

Handyman said:


> Mike is most likely right but I was thinking they where miterbox saws.


That's what my Grandfather called them. He always used them with his home made miter boxes.


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## ironhead (Dec 20, 2008)

Best as I can tell from looking at the Disston Institute site the smaller rusty saw was made around 1896 to 1917. The 12" #4 was made around 1942 to 1953. The smaller saw was supposed to be an excellent saw for dovetail cutting, both seem awfully short to be used in a mitre box but who knows. I think I did good for trading some old insulators I took off of a pole a year ago. Cant wait to get them sharpened and use them.:thumbsup:


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## Admiral (Nov 9, 2007)

Both are too short for miterbox use, at least the metal boxes made by Stanley and Millers Falls; such saws are 18" to 24" in length.

The shorter one likely has finer teeth cut in it and can be used for dovetails and fine trimming and should be sharpened rip.  The larger is a tenon saw and should be filed crosscut. So long as there's no extensive pitting at the tooth ends they should clean up and sharpen up nice.


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