Re: Disston saw questions
L. Hanson in N. Idaho
>Nice find! Those old metal cutting hand saw were generally used for softer sheet metals and metals - tin, wrought iron, softer grey iron - metals that were common around the turn of the century in the building industries. Tin roofs were pretty common, for example, and these were used for cutting those sheets.
They are sharpened with no set in a rip profile, IIRC - no set, as they were "double tapered" or some such -
I checked, and here's about all that disstonianinstitute.com says about them:
"No. 240 metal cutting saw. ca. 1945-1950 18 inch blade, beech handle, 15 ppi. rip-style teeth, 4 degrees rake, .050 thick at teeth, double tapered, .040 at back near handle, .030 at back near toe."
And:
"Other specialty saws in the Disston line include the No. 77 backsaw with a similar ultra-taper design for use without set, the No's. 240 and 340 steel-cutting hacksaws shaped like a handsaw, and a No. 7 handsaw with a detachable back for backsaw use."
You might check the oldtools list for more info, if there is any out there, it is probably in there. Looks like the antique dealers on the web have generally listed them for between $75 and $150 depending on condition.
If you are interested in miter boxes that would fit your 26" disston - take a look at Jim Barker's page at http://www.azstarnet.com/~barkerj/MBoxHome.htm
Lot of good stuff there on Langdon Acme Mitre Boxes.
-Nordic
www.norsewoodsmith.com