Grandfather's saw

[tablesawtom]

I thought I would post pictures of one of my grandpa's  four saws. He apprenticed as a carpenter when houses were held together with wooden pegs, nails were expensive. And I have no idea how old the saw it but I thought everyone might enjoy seeing a saw as pointed as this. His first wife died in 1911 so I am guessing that this one is well over 100 years old and still cuts. 

   

   

The blade does say Henry Disston and D 23 on it. . I could be wrong but some of the later ones say and Sons.But I would need to go over to my shop to verify that.

   

In the last 2 pictures I tried to get pictures of the teeth from both sides. Each tooth has set and is sharpened at an angle in both directions  opposite the set. In the middle of they look like sharks teeth. It appears like every other tooth is shorter but the are all the same height. Try as I might I couldn't show the angles with my camera.  The saw is still sharp and it cuts on the push and pull stroke. 

   

   

And the last three is where I store my treasures, in my front room.

   

   

   

I hope you enjoyed  seeing stuff form yesterdays.

Tom

[Bill_Houghton]

That's pretty sweet, and so great that you've got it.  I regret that I was in the Midwest when my grandfather's shop was broken up.  My cousin (the oldest among his grandkids) got the shop and later sold off most of it in a yard sale (I was still in the Midwest).  I vaguely remember some of his planes.  I did wind up with his home-made lathe, his drill press, and his Walker-Turner (stationary) jig saw; but I'd sure love to have some of his hand tools.

Did your grandfather sharpen his own saws?  Are you maintaining the family tradition with your saw work?

[Tony Z]

Reminds me of a saw I bought at a Patina gathering, 4 or 5 years ago. It was a #16 Disston, bought from Tom Law's widow. It was sharpened to an absolute point, and I've often wondered if it was the saw Tom showed in his handsaw sharpening DVD. It is a 10pt. CC, and though I don't use it much, it cuts like a dream (the thin saw plate is a bit fragile).

[tablesawtom]

That's pretty sweet, and so great that you've got it.  I regret that I was in the Midwest when my grandfather's shop was broken up.  My cousin (the oldest among his grandkids) got the shop and later sold off most of it in a yard sale (I was still in the Midwest).  I vaguely remember some of his planes.  I did wind up with his home-made lathe, his drill press, and his Walker-Turner (stationary) jig saw; but I'd sure love to have some of his hand tools.

Did your grandfather sharpen his own saws?  Are you maintaining the family tradition with your saw work?

As early as I can remember he was retired and lived in California. He came back every summer and stayed with us for a couple of months. That was in the 50s. My dad had a rip saw and I used it to cut about anything I could get my hands on. I was always building something. I would clamp the wood with my knee on the stoop to do my cutting. It was not uncommon for me to catch the cement step with the saws teeth. My mother always had a project for him and the first thing he had to do was sharpen the saw, so once every year I got a ,my  saw as I called it, sharpened. 

Yes he sharpened his own saws. And I still have that saw also it is over at my shop. No, I use both power and hand tools  To my knowledge my grandfather never used a power tool. But I believe even Chippendale would have used a table saw if it were available.

[bandit571]

FWIW....Saw was made between the start-up in 1911, and the big model line up changes in 1928.   Handles were Apple.

Have 2 post 1928 D-23s in my shop...very good user saws!  

[Admiral]

Tom: nice that you have a family piece. The only thing I have from my father was an Atkins 8pt, 26" handsaw; I cleaned it up and sharpened it. In fact, I used it today. Very nice.

[Grandpa Dave]

Thanks for sharing the treasure Tom and even more so the story. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

[tablesawtom]

Thanks for sharing the treasure Tom and even more so the story. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

The brace  up on the wall was his also, the bits are over at my shop along with his wooden bool box he carried every thing in

[cputnam]

I have a D7, filed coarse xcut) that was my father's and his father before that. Don't much use it but it is sharp and ready for work.
Family heirloom tools are the best.

[Stwood_]

I have my fathers and grandfathers saws, and also my FIL's. And, they all need cleaned and sharpened.