https://usedhandtools.net Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:34:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1 https://usedhandtools.net/2021/12/clean-ca1900-h-disston-sons-no-12-28-5-12-ppi-rip-saw-custom-hand-filed/ https://usedhandtools.net/2021/12/clean-ca1900-h-disston-sons-no-12-28-5-12-ppi-rip-saw-custom-hand-filed/#comments Sat, 11 Dec 2021 17:10:49 +0000 https://usedhandtools.net/2021/12/clean-ca1900-h-disston-sons-no-12-28-5-12-ppi-rip-saw-custom-hand-filed/













Vintage Disston Panel Saw. 1911 Disston Pocket Catalog. After filing many saws, this particular model remains my personal overall favorite. You will not go wrong with putting this one in your arsenal of saws. It’s one of Disston’s finest offerings in their long production line. I’m sure most of you have heard of the legendary No. 12 already and the quality that Disston built into them. If you haven’t you’re in for a treat with this early 1900 era saw. Just take a look at the picture above from a 1911 Disston pocket catalog. This one is a longer 28 (blade length) Extra Refined London Spring 5 1/2 ppi rip hand saw with graduated teeth, getting down to 6 1/2 ppi at the point. As usual, with most of the No. 12’s, this blade has that sweet ring to it when struck. That’s because of the fantastic tension and temper Disston built into the spring steel on these higher end saws. Was this steel any different than the rest of the saws Disston produced? Well, that’s already been proven not be the case. I believe it was from the higher hardness and hand work that went into them, that made them Extra Refined London Spring. This one, like all I have done, have the “X” stamped in the blade, under the handle. I’m almost certain these were Disston’s top-of-the-line marks that were reserved for their premium blades, to keep them identified, through the multliple processes at the factory before the final etching. There’s just something wonderful & beautiful about these old saws, that just can’t be replicated today… But have to admit I’m a little bias. Don’t miss out on owning one of Disston’s finest, it’ll put a smile on your face every time you use it! The blade is still pretty wide measuring in at 7 3/4″ at the butt end and is 2 3/4″ at the point. The cutting edge measures in at. 042, the point at the back measures. 025 and the middle of the back. 032 for a very nice taper grind. It’s stiff, straight, has good factory crowning breast, has been polished by hand (no machines people), is slick as shit on a shingle, so it’s capable of sliding through the cut with little effort on the sawyers part. Oh, by the way, there is a difference in machine and hand polishing. I’ve been in the machining world most of my life, so I know. I’m not removing any material doing it by hand. Some buffers use a hard felt wheel charged with emery, that can actually spark. Carl Bilderback had one such person that would clean saws for him and he said there were sparks. So don’t let someone else bullshit you into believing there isn’t a difference between hand and machine work, because there is. The darker locations contain some very light pin prick pitting but nothing to worry about. The etch is very readable on this one which is always a plus in my book. The carved apple handle has no repairs but has been refinished with shellac quite a few years back. The top horn does have a chip on the reverse side that I chose to leave alone. This was one of my users that rested in the saw till that I use as my picture back ground. The brass fasteners retain the patina from time. Overall, a nice solid handle with the distinctive double ogee lower handle return. I’ve hand filed it with what I believe is a very good combination of edge durability, ease of cutting and smoothness of cut. I’ve never been a big believer in relaxed rake at the point, some call it the toe, on the big rippers that’s why the teeth are graduated to a finer ppi on 5 1/2ppi and coarser rips where the blades weakest point is or cross cuts but I will say I’ve used it on back saws for ease of starting. If the saw is set up properly & your sawing technique is good, you shouldn’t have to worry about kinking the saw. If you are buckling the blade that’s a good sign the saw isn’t in proper order or is becoming too dull to do it’s job… It’s trying to tell you something. This saw sings and tracks a straight line through wood with ease, all you have to do is provide some motion & it’ll do the rest. This configuration will work well with just about any wood you throw at it, you can trust me on that. If you take a close look at the pictures you’ll find the geometry and height of the teeth to be very consistent, which has been one of my trademarks before any of the other sellers came along and that’s the truth. I truly believe my saws won’t take a back seat in performance to anyone else’s western style saws offered today, regardless of claims being made. I have legitimate reasons for saying this, so you can believe whomever you want on the subject. You can take the late Carl Bilderback’s word Mr. Wonderful in the link to a great video below. I want to reiterate & stress my saws aren’t just “Sharpened”. I go through a lengthy process of hand tuning these saws to perform at their best. I can honestly say they are likely better than when they left the factory. All of this includes jointing, reshaping the teeth, setting, sharpening, followed by a light side dressing to bring them to a wicked sharp edge. By the way I didn’t come up with the term WICKED SHARP it was a term given to one of my saws by a past Popular Woodworking editor and this gentleman has used quite a few different saws. I’ve been offering saws and sharpening for people since 2001. If you’d like to find out a little more about me just google my name, Daryl Weir, and I’m sure you’ll find enough information to satisfy yourself about my abilities. Comeback again & Thanks for taking a look! Be sure to keep and eye out for some more nice saws coming up here in the future. Are you interested in Old Tools and Tool Collecting? Want to learn more about tools, and meet some great people who have the same interests? A fantastic video of Slav interviewing master carpenter, fellow M-WTCA saw collector & friend, the late Carl Bilderback. You should really watch the whole thing but if you just want to see Carl’s comment on my ability to sharpen saws, go to the 28 min. There’s only one other person that I had more respect for than Carl, that was my father. A recommendation below from Tom Law was one that I was really humbled by! It was on the Old Tool List back in 2009. Point of reference about Daryl Weir: When Tom Law quit sharpening, I asked Tom for a recommendation. He said the only guy he could suggest was Daryl. Bear in mind this was a number of years ago before Mike W. Entered the scene, but for Tom to make this recommendation says a lot about Daryl Weir. I have never used Daryl, mainly because I used that time as an opportunity to learn to sharpen my own. Never as good as Tom Law, but better than some of the other guys who have been suggested from time to time on internet forums. I have never owned a good hand saw, but have made cuts with many, okay, hand saws. Your saw did not disappoint! The first hard wood piece I could find was a scrap of poplar casing, which was no challenge. I cut a 5/4 x 8 piece of maple, and could already appreciate how fine a saw I had. As a carpenter and contractor, I look for and depend on quality tools. I now have a great hand saw. I got back in Germany last week, and yes – your saw was here waiting for me. Yesterday was my first day in the “shop” – and I used it for the first time. They say that a great tool in the hands of an untrained user won’t make that user any better…. But, to be honest, I’m not sure that’s the case. I made several cuts – and the saw cut like a hot knife through butter and tracked like a laser. I have very limited ability – but this saw turned me into a surgeon. Thank you for the work you’ve done – and the service that you provide to all woodworkers. In your debt, – John. I have experience with three names mentioned in the post & replies. I highly recommend Daryl Weir and Mark at Bad Axe. Not only do they sharpen and tune saws well, they say what they mean, and do what they say. If they say it will take a week, it will take a week, not two. I have restored a lot of tools and have hired good help over the years to accomplish the work. There are some who’s work was very good, however their word was not… And I waited and waited. Daryl and Mark have great work ethics, and get the work done and out the door with excellent workmanship (you will not be disappointed). Daryl and Mark are also very personable and will take the time to talk to you explaining what they will do and why. I own quite a few hand saws, I don’t use most of them. My favorites I use a lot are old (a Disston backsaw, panel saw; and a Bishop backsaw) and Daryl tuned and sharpened all three of them. There is something in those old saw plates the new ones don’t have, I can’t explain it, but I can feel it when I cut with them. If you want a Saw, it is best to get one with a name on it which has a reputation. A man who has made a reputation for his goods knows its value, as well as its cost, and will maintain it. The motto above is one that I adhere to in every saw that I refurbish. Every saw I sell is one that I would gladly use myself. The item “Clean ca1900 H. Disston & Sons No. 12 28 5 1/2 PPI Rip Saw Custom Hand Filed” is in sale since Sunday, December 5, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Tools, Hardware & Locks\Tools\Carpentry, Woodworking\Saws”. The seller is “woodnut4″ and is located in Knoxville, Illinois. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, South africa, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Antigua and barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint kitts and nevis, Saint lucia, Montserrat, Turks and caicos islands, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei darussalam, Bolivia, Egypt, French guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Cayman islands, Liechtenstein, Sri lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macao, Martinique, Maldives, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Uruguay.

• Modified Item: Yes
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Original/Reproduction: Antique Original
• Modification Description: Cleaned and Sharpened. Handle has a newer finish on it.
• Brand: Disston

]]> https://usedhandtools.net/2021/12/clean-ca1900-h-disston-sons-no-12-28-5-12-ppi-rip-saw-custom-hand-filed/feed/ 0 https://usedhandtools.net/2021/07/clean-c1900-h-disston-sons-no-7-26-8-ppi-x-cut-hand-saw-custom-hand-filed/ https://usedhandtools.net/2021/07/clean-c1900-h-disston-sons-no-7-26-8-ppi-x-cut-hand-saw-custom-hand-filed/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2021 07:04:49 +0000 http://usedhandtools.net/2021/07/clean-c1900-h-disston-sons-no-7-26-8-ppi-x-cut-hand-saw-custom-hand-filed/













Vintage Disston Hand Saw. 1911 Disston Pocket Catalog. Up for your consideration is a very nice example of a c1900 Disston No. 7, 26 8ppi cross cut full size hand saw. One of Disston’s main stays and most likely the oldest model in their production line. This is the saw model that Henry Disston built his reputation on. It was pretty much based on the older English saw design with the beech handle proud of the butt end and a straight back blade with the decorative & controversial “nib” at the point. So if you’re in the market for a good cross cut, this is a great example to have in your arsenal. The lambs tongue style, tight grained beech handle in good solid shape with full chip free horns. The lambs tongue lower projections are chipped which is not unusual on saws that have seen use. This area bumped into the board being cut on the downward stroke. Other than that, there really are no other serious negatives to say about this one as I don’t think it saw much abuse. The blade is straight, has a good crowning breast on the cutting edge and is still very wide considering it’s age. It’s been lightly cleaned and hand polished to a very good sheen and slick enough to glide through the cut with ease. Oh, by the way, there is a difference in machine and hand polishing. I’ve been in the machining world most of my life, so I know. I’m not removing any material doing it by hand. Some buffers use a hard felt wheel charged with emery, that can actually spark. Carl Bilderback had one such person that would clean saws for him and he said there were sparks. So don’t let someone else bullshit you into believing there isn’t a difference between hand and machine work, because there is. It’s almost like saying there’s no difference between hand and machine filing! There’s no serious pitting on this one and it has a pretty good etch on it too. This one will put a smile on your face when you put it to wood! It’s been hand filed with my style of “UNDERCUT”, which in my humble opinion, produces a very good combination of edge durability & ease of cutting. The teeth come out with no bevel on the back side which provides more support and strength to the point. This allows me to have more of a bevel on the front cutting edge, producing a smoother and faster cut with good edge retention. I’m going to use the term “UNDERCUT” for the style of filing instead of sloped. Sloped is a more recent term that Steve LaMantia came up with about 1996 on the Old Tools List to describe the Disston pictures, that most people interested in saws, have already seen. I learned of the description of “UNDERCUT” that an old Acme filer instruction booklet used, which I’ve added pictures of at the bottom of this description. I’m one of those filers that use more than the 4 to 5 degrees that was mentioned. You see, I’m inclined to tell the truth, it’s the way I was raised, instead of adding pure bull shit to my descriptions as a marketing ploy, which the poor uninformed individual seems to gobble up on here. I’ve been around a while and know this information was gleaned from other knowledgeable saw guys and then claimed it as their “OWN” discovery. That my friends, is a solid FACT! Oh yeah, that would be before he learned filing a slope from Bob Smalser. Bottom most pic doesn’t look like much of a slope, does it! Hmmmm Filing aid lines too, all from a “Free” hander, no training wheels type of guy, that’s been filing since he was around 2 years old. I truly believe my saws won’t take a back seat in performance to anyone else’s western style saws offered today, regardless of claims being made. I have legitimate reasons for saying this, so you can believe whomever you want on the subject, even a narcissistic, ugly, knuckle head, who picked my brain for info at one time, back when I guess I knew something and he didn’t. You can take the late Carl Bilderback’s word Mr. Wonderful in the link to a great video below. I want to reiterate & stress my saws aren’t just “Sharpened”. I go through a lengthy process of hand tuning these saws to perform at their best. I can honestly say they are likely better than when they left the factory. All of this includes jointing, reshaping the teeth, setting, sharpening, followed by a light side dressing to bring them to a wicked sharp edge. By the way I didn’t come up with the term WICKED SHARP, it was a term given to one of my saws by a past Popular Woodworking editor and this gentleman has used quite a few different saws. I’ve been offering saws and sharpening for people since 2001. If you’d like to find out a little more about me just google my name, Daryl Weir, and I’m sure you’ll find enough information to satisfy yourself about my abilities. Comeback again & Thanks for taking a look! Be sure to keep and eye out for some more nice saws coming up here in the future. Are you interested in Old Tools and Tool Collecting? Want to learn more about tools, and meet some great people who have the same interests? A fantastic video of Slav interviewing master carpenter, fellow M-WTCA saw collector & friend, the late Carl Bilderback. You should really watch the whole thing but if you just want to see Carl’s comment on my ability to sharpen saws, go to the 28 min. There’s only one other person that I had more respect for than Carl, that was my father. A recommendation below from Tom Law was the one I have treasured the most! It was on the Old Tool List back in 2009. Point of reference about Daryl Weir: When Tom Law quit sharpening, I asked Tom for a recommendation. He said the only guy he could suggest was Daryl. Bear in mind this was a number of years ago before Mike W. Entered the scene, but for Tom to make this recommendation says a lot about Daryl Weir. I have never used Daryl, mainly because I used that time as an opportunity to learn to sharpen my own. Never as good as Tom Law, but better than some of the other guys who have been suggested from time to time on internet forums. I have never owned a good hand saw, but have made cuts with many, okay, hand saws. Your saw did not disappoint! The first hard wood piece I could find was a scrap of poplar casing, which was no challenge. I cut a 5/4 x 8 piece of maple, and could already appreciate how fine a saw I had. As a carpenter and contractor, I look for and depend on quality tools. I now have a great hand saw. I got back in Germany last week, and yes – your saw was here waiting for me. Yesterday was my first day in the “shop” – and I used it for the first time. They say that a great tool in the hands of an untrained user won’t make that user any better…. But, to be honest, I’m not sure that’s the case. I made several cuts – and the saw cut like a hot knife through butter and tracked like a laser. I have very limited ability – but this saw turned me into a surgeon. Thank you for the work you’ve done – and the service that you provide to all woodworkers. In your debt, – John. I have experience with three names mentioned in the post & replies. I highly recommend Daryl Weir and Mark at Bad Axe. Not only do they sharpen and tune saws well, they say what they mean, and do what they say. If they say it will take a week, it will take a week, not two. I have restored a lot of tools and have hired good help over the years to accomplish the work. There are some who’s work was very good, however their word was not… And I waited and waited. Daryl and Mark have great work ethics, and get the work done and out the door with excellent workmanship (you will not be disappointed). Daryl and Mark are also very personable and will take the time to talk to you explaining what they will do and why. I own quite a few hand saws, I don’t use most of them. My favorites I use a lot are old (a Disston backsaw, panel saw; and a Bishop backsaw) and Daryl tuned and sharpened all three of them. There is something in those old saw plates the new ones don’t have, I can’t explain it, but I can feel it when I cut with them. If you want a Saw, it is best to get one with a name on it which has a reputation. A man who has made a reputation for his goods knows its value, as well as its cost, and will maintain it. The motto above is one that I adhere to in every saw that I refurbish. Every saw I sell is one that I would gladly use myself. The item “Clean c1900 H. Disston & Sons No. 7 26 8 PPI X-cut Hand Saw Custom Hand Filed” is in sale since Thursday, July 8, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Tools, Hardware & Locks\Tools\Carpentry, Woodworking\Saws”. The seller is “woodnut4″ and is located in Knoxville, Illinois. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, South africa, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Dominican republic, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, El salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Antigua and barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint kitts and nevis, Saint lucia, Montserrat, Turks and caicos islands, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei darussalam, Bolivia, Egypt, French guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Cayman islands, Liechtenstein, Sri lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macao, Martinique, Maldives, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Uruguay, Russian federation.

• Featured Refinements: Hand Saw
• Modified Item: Yes
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Original/Reproduction: Antique Original
• Modification Description: It has been cleaned and sharpened.
• Brand: Disston

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