Good Evening!

I generally prefer Japanese saws, however over the last few months I've
purchased a few vintage Disston handsaws at garage sales and antique shops
and I don't think I've spent more than $5.00 on any of these saws. Upon
further inspection, I believe three of these saws could be excellent
workers. But before I spend any time or effort cleaning and sharpening
these, I wanted to get the sage opinions of you Galoots who have much more
experience than me.

The first saw I believe to be a Disston D8 rip saw from 1888-1896, 23" in
length, 4 TPI.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0d3WIj-18xtgmR4GK_T4r_VOA
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ik3MslYtpcczb_P0LL3dlo6A
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0Psvr0IVVpQX9QTiDnyKTwVSA
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0gvoiID2lLVAm4Z0MvhRuW7-A

The next saw I believe to be a D-23 crosscut  from 1940-1947, 26" length,
10 TPI.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0-ezpEEZpisZdOpBt_9oFYsww
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0DrSYY-EcYxYLRVHl89oaIiiA
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0cUXiVR4lQtcvddwMYLpyIwOw

The final saw I have no idea. I believe it's a crosscut from 1940-1947, 20"
length, 9 TIP.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e_edOTp2wSyEwZOTp2_46-EQ
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0Cp-c3feTWq7--ohLF2RNr7rA
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0kwyyLtw3XiwvyE4jdDt0aP6g
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0bURC_5LUO9_6o4oNOLmV1Khg

But, I could be totally wrong. Please take a look and let me know what you
think. I appreciate the help and feedback.

Thanks,
Dan

As long as the blades are dead straight and the handles are comfortable I would
ay spend a bit of time sharpening and give them a go.  I find I am using my
shorter saws more and more at the bench - I have a 22 and 20” crosscut.

Ed MInch

Dan

www.disstonianinstitute.com<ttp://www.disstonianinstitute.com">http://www.disstonianinstitute.com> is
the place to start to id saws bases on handle shape and saw nut configuration.

Cheers,
John

“P.S. If you do not receive this, of course it must have been miscarried;
therefore I beg you to write and let me know.” - Sir Boyle Roche, M.P.


The final saw I have no idea. I believe it's a crosscut from 1940-1947, 20"
length, 9 TIP.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e_edOTp2wSyEwZOTp2_46-EQ
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0Cp-c3feTWq7--ohLF2RNr7rA
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0kwyyLtw3XiwvyE4jdDt0aP6g
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0bURC_5LUO9_6o4oNOLmV1Khg

I should have mentioned this in my first post- I spent several hours on the
Disstonian Institute site trying to ID these saws. I think I have the first two,
but could not figure out the last one. None of the etchings are visible enough
on any of the saws to help. Maybe the handle on the third saw is not original?

Cleaning question- when cleaning and restoring planes, I will often soak the
plane iron, cap, etc in a citric acid bath overnight to remove rust. Could I do
the same for the saw plates, nuts, and medallion on these saws? Or, could I use
Evapo-Rust? I’d prefer not to use mineral spirits (but I will if the general
consensus is that’s the best way to clean and de-rust).

Thanks, 
Dan

Dan,
I have cleaned and sharpened over 200 saws in the last few years. This is the
process I use for cleaning the metal parts.
For brass screws and medallions: Soak them overnight in a 1:4 solution of liquid
laundry soap and water. I use Tide Free and Gentle, as it seems to work better
than other products. The laundry soap will clean away oils, dirt, and much of
the oxidation without leaving an over-polished surface. The final cleaning is
done by brushing with a fine brass wire brush, which leaves a clean, soft finish
that is not too shiny.
For saw plates: I recommend wearing gloves to keep your hands clean, as the
process can get quite messy. First, carefully scrape away the majority of the
rust and dirt with a single edged razor blade or a sharp chisel. Round over the
corners with a fine stone so they do not dig into the metal and cause scratches.
Next, use 400 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper on a hard rubber block to sand the
remaining rust from the plate. I like to use Simple Green cleaner to lubricate
the plate. It is safer and not as hazardous as mineral spirits. It also smells
much better. I generally stop at 400 grit after the plate is clean, but you can
go to 600 grit if you'd like a little more polish. The next step is to rub the
plate with a burgundy Scotch-brite pad, which gets down into the grooves on the
surface of the metal and pulls out the remaining dirt and rust. The final step
is to polish with Autosol metal polish on a cotton cloth. Finish up with a coat
of paste wax. By the way, I never use Evaporust, citric acid, or any other
aggressive chemical on saw parts. I do not like the finish these leave and some
may actually cause damage to the metal.
Here are a couple of before and after shots of a Bishop rip saw that was cleaned
using this process. The handle was lightly sanded and finished with Tru-Oil.
https://flic.kr/p/PRzRCz


https://flic.kr/p/QUFdsn


Have fun! It is satisfying to use a saw that has been saved from the scrap bin.
Bob PageIn da U.P. of Michigan

    On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, 7:47:46 AM EDT, Dan Beck 
wrote:
 
 I should have mentioned this in my first post- I spent several hours on the
Disstonian Institute site trying to ID these saws. I think I have the first two,
but could not figure out the last one. None of the etchings are visible enough
on any of the saws to help. Maybe the handle on the third saw is not original?

Cleaning question- when cleaning and restoring planes, I will often soak the
plane iron, cap, etc in a citric acid bath overnight to remove rust. Could I do
the same for the saw plates, nuts, and medallion on these saws? Or, could I use
Evapo-Rust? I’d prefer not to use mineral spirits (but I will if the general
consensus is that’s the best way to clean and de-rust).

Thanks, 
Dan

Dan,

You can probably “bring up” the etch using wet-or-dry sandpaper on a FLAT (
emphasis added! ) hardwood block using WD-40 as a lubricant.  Lay the saw on a
flat surface with the handle hanging over the edge.

Preliminary scrape with a single-edge razor blade gets off any flakes.

Galoots with “A Saw Problem” tend to buy WD-40, a.k.a. “The Galoot After Shave,”
one-gallon cans.

Evapo-Rust is pretty harmless, but won’t “bring up” the etch.  Acids and
electrolysis are potentially harmful to saw steel. Acid will erode whatever
surface and etch remain. Electrolysis can introduce hydrogen embrittlement
issues.

John Ruth
Hoping that everyone noticed the “after shave” reference coming after the razor
blade reference!

Bob,

Bravo!  Outstanding job on that Bishop saw!

I’d not thought of using a water-based lubricant to wet-sand the sawplate, but
after seeing your outcome, I will certainly try it!

John Ruth

On Mon, Apr 22, 2019, 9:41 PM Dan Beck  wrote:

> . Upon
> further inspection, I believe three of these saws could be excellent
> workers. But before I spend any time or effort cleaning and sharpening
> these, I wanted to get the sage opinions of you Galoots who have much more
> experience than me.
>
>
In my opinion, any Disston that doesn't say Disston USA on the medallion,
and has a comfy handle, is a candidate for a good user, if the straight,
etc criteria are met.

Kirk Eppler in HMB , CA

Bob,

Thank you very much for sharing this info! This is extremely helpful and is
the process I will follow with my saws. The rehab you did on that Bishop
saw is fantastic!

Best,
Dan