Reply To: Handsaw that do what a bend saw usually do
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Hi Sebastien
Disston made millions of fine saws back in their day, but they weren’t the only brand. Here in America, it was not uncommon for many high-end hardware stores to have their own brand of saws, some of which were as good as any Disston….Atkins is an example, but as for other brand recommendations, I’m only familiar with American brands, so I don’t know if you’d have access to these….Hibbard, Shapleigh Hardware, Cuyahoga Saw Co, and Simonds to name a few. Also, there are now modern makers who produce saws far superior to anything Disston ever made, such as Bad Axe.
The point, which Colin touched on above, is that you have options, although if your heart is set on owning a Disston then go right ahead. The Disston Number 12, later called the D-12, is pretty much considered their finest saw, perhaps only with the exception of the Victory model, but as Colin said, much more important is that your saw is sharpened and set properly. And where/what you buy does depend somewhat on where you are. Here in the USA it’s probably very different from the EU or Asia….I’d be very careful on ebay, but I’m sure gems can be found there.
Also — I should add that many brands, even Disston, are not a guarantee of a great quality saw. The quality controls on steel 100 years ago were primitive compared to what we have today — look what happened to the Titanic. Even if you get a saw from 1910, the steel might have defects which make it weak, and unable to hold an edge. And then there were the later years, when power tools were starting to take over, World Wars were using up all good materials, society was changing — even companies like Disston made products that were not nearly as good as their earlier stuff tended to be as they struggled to survive in the changing times.
- This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Edmund.