What yr range would this saw be from?

[jasfrank]

Just started to clean it up, It wasn't rusty too bad, but was pretty dark and blotchy. Only markings are what you see, no etch whatever. The Henry Disston was clear beforehand but the 7 couldn't be seen. Also the handle was a replacement from the 50's I suppose. The type where you drill your own holes, so I will need to find a handle or sell the plate to someone who has one... I do have some of the older style split nuts and flush bolts somewhere if I can locate them.

[AHill]

There are far better saw gurus than I, but it appears to be a No. 7, given the nib. D-7's lost the nib in 1928, so it's at least 1927 or earlier. Lots of useful blade on yours. Sadly, you lost the medallion, which could nail it down to a more specific time period.

[ButImeasuredtwice]

Disston used a die stamp like the one on your saw until about 1864 or 5, when he began to use etching to mark his saw blades. So that would make your saw pre-1865. But just how pre- I couldn't say.

[jasfrank]

Thanks for your help. I dug out a box of parts I have and I had a handle from a slightly newer 7 that had a cracked plate. It has the flush bolts with the split nuts and the disston medallion with the keystone. But when I lined up the holes they aren't the same. They look the same looking at them, 4 holes each and the same pattern but they won't line up. So I will be looking for a handle.

[TobyC]

They drilled the holes in the handle and the blade at the same time, without a template, you won't find a handle with the holes in the right place.

[KlausK.]

It's a pity that this blade was separated from the handle and the nuts somewhere up the road. Given that it's aged about 150 years, it's shape is great. No major pitting, still full sized, no visible damages. If the toothline is straight, it seems well worth to be rehandeled. Since the blade is rip pitched, the original handle probably was made without a lambs tongue, maybe like this one (pic from Disstonian Institute)



This pic printed in the right size would be a nice template to make a new beech handle. The screws probably will have to be replaced with newer ones but that doesn't matter since the handle was replaced as well.

Klaus

[jasfrank]

There appears to be a belly of 1/8" in the tooth line. Against a flat edge it touches at the start and at the end and gradually comes away in the center. That same curve is apparent at the top, laying against the straight edge the center touches and the ends each have that 1/8" gap. The plate does seem very flat though, both laying on a table and sighting down it. So, would it be worth the effort to bring this one back to life?

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

There's a LOT of plate left there. I'd make a custom handle (I need the practice. Badly) for it in the shape of the originals of the period and model.

Have fun!

[ncosman]

I've got one or two 7's from that period, I can dig out and scan if you want a pattern to reproduce the handle. They are relatively basic and would a good starter if you've never shaped one before.
Those saws are pretty special, it's from before Disston really took off.

[ncosman]

This is one of them. I'd say this was a sibling to yours. This is a 5pt Rip. The stamp and bolt configuration seems to be complimentary.