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About a year ago, my truck tool box got ripped off. F**kin crooks. The bane of our profession. The worst part is they took all of the Diston handsaws that I have been buying over the years at flea markets, etc. Does anyone know a good source for the old tools? I also lost my Stanley low angle plane. I’m not looking to collect, I don’t need a London 12, but a good Diston D8 would be nice to have again. I also lost an old Rockwell 6 1/2″ circular saw. God I miss that saw.
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Pardon me, but what do you cut with all those hand saws?
I haven't seen my lone handsaw in twenty years or more, and I don't even remeber using it once when it was new. It got rusty in it's cardboard case, and I think I left it when I moved.
Just curious,
blue
*Handsaws! You won't believe this, but I just saw that exact tool box, complete with that 6 1/2 inch Rockwell, just this weekend at a fleamarket sale in San Jose, CA. Just to let you know Ed that I'll keep an eye out for tools, in case they show up here abouts. I feel your pain, my dad has a set of Disston handsaws from 25 years ago and they ARE better than those of today.
*use my handsaw to finish out birds mouths and stringer cuts on stairs. A bit picky i guess but it looks a little neater than the cross marks on the circular saw. Oh well its all going to be covered up anyway so what the heck....
*GACC: I just checked ebay.com. I tried "hand saw" within the hand tools catagory within tools within the miscellanous catagory. and got 16 items, at least 6 of which were Disston hand saws. Current bids ranged from $1.00 to $14.50 but some will presumably increase at the end of each auction.Seeing as everyone else spells Disston with 2 "s"'s, I tried that (all catagories) and got 29 items including saws, catalogs, levels, magazine, band saws, meat saws, etc. Hope that helps. -DavidP.S. In the catching-the-b*st*rds catagory, a true story: A co-worker lost his high-end car stereo to a smash-and-pry artist. Collected from his insurance company within a week. The next week, a guy walks into a stereo store looking for the particular connector used in that unit (and which was trashed during removal). The saleswoman that he talks to is my co-worker's wife. She stalls him, call the cops who nail the thief. The stereo is returned. And they keep the insurance settlement.
*Ed - the best source I've found for good handsaw steel through the years is garage sales. (down there they are probably refered to as "hanger sales" since everything is big there). What I do is see if that old 2.00 saw will "sing". Then I try to bend the tip back through the handle. If it passes both tests, I buy it and take it to the sharpener and tell him how many teeth I want on it. Haven't looked for one in a few years, but I bet I could find 1/2 dozen this weekend if I wanted.Never did like those Disstons. The blades are too thick. Now if you're talking Sandvick, you're talkin' handsaws. I got a big old 6 point that the blade is about 8" tall and has to be 36" long with the handle - won't even fit in my shoulder box. I got 4 or 5 - 8,10, + 12pt with the curved backs. I even have a 14 point that I use for thin Cedar. Love those old saws. Bet you could even find a bunch of old planes at those hanger sales too. About your 6+1/2 skil saw. Up here in THE GREAT NORTHWEST wormdrives are king. I worked for a guy 15-18 years ago who had a 6+1/4" skil worm. Lighter than a 77 and a bit smaller, loved it up on a roof. You wouldn't think 1 inch would make that much difference, but it sure does, doesn't it? - ybAnd Blue - I can see how you wouldn't use a handsaw often framing. Trim carpenters still use them daily though. At least I do. :-)
*Blue, I can't tell you how many times I've used my handsaws. With a good handsaw, a good saywer can can make less dust, less noise and plenty of cuts before you (not personally) can roll out a extension cord, find the power, and hook up a circular saw. I use them a lot for small projects and I have never know anyone to cut off a part of their body with one. Circular saws are a wonderful thing. They take a lot of the "work" out of the work. But a good handsaw has been my best friend for years. I do believe, however, that the man who invented the Sawzall should be given the Nobel Prize for Carpentry. I love all the power tools, but find a great use for the old tools too. They really have their own special applications.
*Thanks Steve, Ed.
*Brian, In my book, that's the mark of a pro. Some guys use a jig saw, but who needs another cord in the rats nest? Ed.
*Youngbob, I worked with a carpenter from Germany about 20 years ago who had a 6 1/2" worm drive. I would love to have one. I own several Skil 7 1/4" worm drives and a couple of Milwaukees. I love them.I'll keep checking with the "hanger sales". They have a thing outside Dallas called "First Monday" in Canton, Texas. First Monday of every month - the worlds biggest flea market. Unbelievable, even for Texas. Gotta see it to believe it. They may have a web site.
*Dave, Got your email, thanks. Ed.
*Guys:How do you stop subs from stealing all your stuff?I do a fare amount of woodworking, and use handsaws (a backsaw to be precise)to trim tenons and the like. I also use them for coping inside mitre joints on base and crown. The darn jig saw can take off on me, and ruin an 8' piece of oak. Major bucks.
*Scooter just shoot one of them..........The rest will get the message :)
* Bill,
Joseph Fusco View Image
*Blue -You must be one a them city fellers - never far from the comforts a home. Ain't every old cabin got 'lectricity out here. Kinda hard to fire up one o' them noisy whirlin things without a few volts and amps. Forgot my saw one time when boarding up the windows of an old place and ran over the 2x4s with my 4x4 - the result was a bit rough for finish work, but it did the job. I suppose if I had more patience I could just whittle through em with my pocket knife...
*Agreed, but I've been using "throw-away" Stanley contractor-grade short-cut saws for these cuts. No pride of ownership involved here, but replacement is cheaper than having a fine handsaw resharpened (if you can find someone to resharpen it).Steve
*gacc.....ditto the sawzall comment...we were just talking about that today. not only is it a carpenters best friend but a plumbers, electricians and hvac man. Mine paid for itself the first time i pulled it out of the case and cut our a 60yr old beaded pine ceiling to install a folding attic stair. I then proceeded to use it to cut vents for the a/c unit we put in up there....I hope that guy made a million on that patent
*...hard to say which is more indespensible, yer hammer, or yer sawzall... - yb
*I know I'm odd now! The only thing I hear when I hear the sawzall running is my dollars going out the window! When it's running, there musta been a mistake!If if cant't get my power saw in there, hack it out with my hammer and nail puller, or get it loose with my utility knife, I have created a royal mess!I can't tell you how many times I have seen guys sawzalling something that would have been quicker to whack with the poser saw. Usually, I can have it cut before they can switch the cords! I own three, oops two (they lost one last job) and I rarely use 'em.Sawzalls are money suckers!Blue
*...all depends on what kind of work yer doin'. A sawzall is a remodelers (true carpenter) best friend. Now if all you're doin' is new stuff (basic carpentry) I can see how you might react so negatively towards the use of a sawzall. But, whoever invented that thing will surely be enshrined in the Carpentry hall of fame right along with the guy who invented the box beam. - jb
*You don't remodel? I was a sawzall surgeon. I have no idea what a poser saw is. I do know that in Residental remodeling a sawzall is the second greatest tool behind the cordless screwgun.
*You tell'em brother!!
*I don't remodel, unless it's absolutely avoidable. When I did, I suppose I used the sawzall more. I just can't remember ever being in love with the thing. In fact, I hate the thing. I hate levels, chalklines, and ladders too, so don't get alarmed.blue
*I've also found it hard to find good saw sharpeners. I had an old Diston miter box with a 24" back saw. The guys I talked to must have gotten into the s.s. business out of the ads in the back of Popular Whatever: "You too can own your own business; buy our saw sharpening tools and hang out your shingle." They had no idea how to sharpen teeth that small. I must say I haven't looked too hard for better guys.Anyway, what I've taken to lately are the Japanese style, thin kerf saws that cut on the pull stroke. The ones with disposable blades and plastic handles. Started with a small fine tooth one for trim work. Just got the larger, coarser 'Plate Saw' to cut out a piece of 3x6 mud sill over an old cellar window opening lying on my back in the dirt crawl space hemmed in between the water meter and a bunch of other pipes. SawzAll would have worked but for the same price as a minimum rental, I now own the handsaw.
*I can understand the Sawzall, definitely the ladder and maybe even the chalkline (in a pinch) but the LEVEL? Why the hatred for the poor old level Blue? Just curious. Btw: DScott, I'm with you on the pull saw. Although I own a number of regular "push" saws, the pull saw is the one that gets used the most. As for the Sawzall, I'll buy the person responsible for it a beer any day of the week....:-)
*Agree totally on the lack of reliable sharpeners. I had a local guy for a few years, had a bunch of equipment set up in an old mobile home, really seemed like he had made an investment, and he did a great job, handsaws, chisels, carbide, you name it. Went to pick up some stuff one day, and there was a padlock on the door, had to hound the poor guy just to get my stuff back. I think DScott is right - seems like an easy buisness to get started in part time, but the reality is, it's probably boring as hell to do. -jb
*Blue, How do you build without a level? I use plumb bobs to hang doors, I use a transit to shoot plates ( or a water level in a pinch ), but I wouldn't consider setting cabints without my levels. I'm all in favor of "the fewer tools you need the better", so maybe you can give me some tips. Ed.
*Did I say I hate the level SamD? I must be getting old. Actually I don't mind the level, as long as it's my little green torpedo (plastic). I love plastic...light, durable, light, light.I do keep my 8' hanging in the garage, and pull it out when I start with a new builder. After I know he's seen it at least once, I re-hang it in the barn.Then I use my trusty little light torpedo.Oh yeah, I hate generators, compressors, cords, hoses...shall I go on?blue
*Pick up a old cheap hand saw and learn how to sharpen them yourself. As the man say "it ain't rocket science". Learninmg how to sharpen a tool is a skill that a carpenter needs to know. If you want to see how good that trim guy is ask to see his good chisels. That said....... a hand saw doesn't replace todays power line up. Like any tool sometimes it fills a gap to save time.
*Wow.I got a Martin D-28 stolen from me in Seattle. Never saw it again. No insurance either.I also had a Skilsaw stolen from me ON THE JOB SITE after I put it down to go nail a piece of wood to another. That was in East Nashville.That pecker.
*yb,Blue uses a sledge hammer for trim!Remember?
*I use my sawzall nearly every day as a remodeler. I got it from an old geezer on a job site in New Mexico. His wife had bought him a new one for his birthday and he didn't need the old one as much as I did. fifty bucks. It's the only Makita tool I've ever really liked...