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Woodworking with passion

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New Hand Saw From an Estate Sale

18-inch Disston handle and medallion

 

18-inch Disston medallion

 

18-inch Disston

I have no idea what this hand saw is, or what it was used for. However, here are some things about it:

  • 18-inch plate
  • The medallion says H, DISSTON & SONS. – Philada (there is a period after the word SONS).
  • I have no idea what the wood is. It might be apple.
  • The teeth appear to be filed for rip cuts, 5-6 TPI. Some of the teeth appear a tad shorter than others. Maybe a previous owner did not know how to sharpen a  hand saw? Or maybe I know nothing about hand saws? I admit it – I don’t!
  • The teeth are not in a straight line, as the last photo shows. Did someone screw up the teeth during several sharpening sessions?
  • The screws are brass; they don’t require a special tool to remove, as the slot is straight.

I appreciate your help identifying this saw. Is it a panel saw? Thanks for your help!

— Al Navas

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I made a new shooting board

NewShootingBoard_monochrome

With only a few box-making jigs left in the shop, and a fair complement of hand tools, plus the Sjöbergs workbench, I needed a way to quickly prepare boards to make a few boxes. The old board is gone, but I still needed one to prepare boards, to make some boxes using a new jig coming shortly.

I decided to try my hand at making a new shooting board – and I am glad I did. No glue in this one; but I used a bunch of 23-gauge brads; those are the little dots all over the boards in the image above.

Total time from start to finish: 45 minutes.

I used the Stanley 4-½ to shoot the ends of this sycamore board in my tests. The corners are perfectly square!

– Al Navas

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Some tools from another era

I estimate this pattern-maker’s box to be close to 100 years old (see the Gallery of photos at the end of the post); it was confirmed by a good friend, a dealer of old tools in the Eastern U.S. A local woodworker, now deceased, obtained it somehow; I knew his son, who let me know about this box. It contains some very nice tools, some of which I have already put to good use.

For example, I have used the trammel points to lay out a very accurate arc on the rocker feet for a cradle:

Using vintage Stanley trammel points to lay out an arc.

You will find a detail photo of these trammel points in the Gallery below. Meanwhile, I would love to hear from you on any of the following:

  • Do you use old tools in your woodworking?
  • What are you favorite old tools?
  • Or are you a collector of old tools?
  • Maybe you buy and sell old tools?

— Al Navas