Disston 10 in. No.4 Timeline

This is not a full fledged type study as I know I don't have all the years yet to complete my collection. I'm missing samples prior to the 1860 and one in between the 1885 and 1890 time frame which would still have cast screws but would be the larger diameter. I have not collected any samples after WWI but might in the future. I intend for it to be an ongoing study and hope to add more as time goes on. Anyone that can help contribute pictures and information would be greatly appreciated. Hope you will find this information useful and enjoyable if you're a saw geek like myself.

All of these saws have been cleaned, tuned up and are ready to use. I know I can't use them all but I'm pretty anal about them being ready to go! 'Ya never know when a better one comes along and I'll sell the one I currently have. When I state rip or cross cut congifurations, it's not necessarily what the saw had but what I wanted to file on them.

If you're not familiar with lightbox it's a program that starts when you click on one of my pictures to enlarge them. Down in the left hand corner will list the number of pictures and their order such as "Image 1 of 4". Hidden close to the top at the left & right are PREV & NEXT buttons that will appear when you hover over them with your mouse. CLOSE X at the bottom right will exit you out of lightbox.

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Early to Mid 1860 era Apple handle with longer and more slender horns. Arched Henry Disston stamped on back. Federal eagle with H. Disston in medallion/label screw with split/spanner nuts. Blade is .025" thick with 15ppi filed rip. There is 2 7/16" of blade width under the back at point & butt.

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Early 1865 era Right at the transition when Hamilton returned from the civil war in 1865. Apple handle with the horns now being a little shorter & blocky compared to the previous era. Inch worm Henry Disston & Son stamped on back now. This still has the Federal eagle with H. Disston in medallion/label screw with split/spanner nuts. It's similar to the last one but has changed a little. Blade is .025" thick with 14ppi filed cross cut. There is 2 1/4" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 5/16" the butt.

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1866 era? Still in the early part of the & Son era. Apple handle is pretty much the same. Arch in inch worm stamping on back is now more pronounced. This has the Federal eagle with H. Disston & Son in medallion/label screw and is not commonly found. Blade is .023" thick with 14ppi filed rip. There is 2 7/16" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 7/16" the butt.

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1866-1871? This one probably encomapasses the majority of the & Son era. Apple handle is still pretty much the same. Arch in inch worm stamping is still pronounced but the PHILADA has moved up into the arch more. The Federal eagle has been eliminated and the Keystone now appears. I have heard this was possibly due to the civil war and the relationship to the Federal eagle with the north. If this is true, it was a marketing issue that Disston wanted to cover with goods being sold in the south. Keystone H. Disston & Son in medallion/label screw. Blade is .023" thick with 15ppi filed rip. There is 1 13/16" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 1/4" the butt.

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1871-1875 The start of the & Sons era. Apple handle is still pretty much the same with the horns becoming a little more slender and longer again. Arch in inch worm stamping is still pronounced but has changed from & Son to & Sons. Keystone H. Disston & Sons in medallion/label screw. Blade is .025" thick with 14ppi filed cross cut. There is 2 3/8" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 3/8" the butt. The paper label is still evident on the grip of the handle.

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1875-1885? The split or spanner nuts are now gone. The use of Disston's "centennial" screw and capped nuts have taken their place. However, the size of the thread is still the same as the split/spanner nut. The overall shape and hang of the apple handle has changed. Once again, it has long and slender horns and is nicely shaped. Gone is the inch worm stamping on the back and is now back to a single arch. Keystone H. Disston & Sons in medallion/label screw. An ' has now been added in PHILAD'A on both the back and medallion/label screw. Blade is .023" thick with 15ppi filed cross cut. There is 2 1/4" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 1/4" the butt.

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1890-1896? Glover's patent is now used for the screws and has the more modern larger diameter threads. I'm still not sure if Disston started using this patent right in late 1887 or waited a few years. The apple handle is pretty much the same. The stamped arch on the back is now a little taller. Keystone H. Disston & Sons in medallion/label screw with Glover's patent. This example has the mirror image of the 27, 1887 on the righ. Blade is .022" thick with 15ppi filed cross cut. There is 2 7/16" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 7/16" the butt.

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1896-1916? Glover's patent is now gone. The apple handle is pretty much the same. The stamped arch has gotten lower and wider so PHILAD'A U.S.A. would fit. Keystone H. Disston & Sons in medallion/label screw is no longer recessed down into the handle like it had been. They have gotten smaller in diameter too. Blade is .022" thick with 15ppi filed cross cut. There is 2 3/8" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 3/8" the butt.

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1917-? The apple handle is now not as refined as it had been but still not bad. The severe notch at the front of the lower handle return has been replaced by a shallower one. The stamped arch in the back is about the same but the letters have become taller. The medallion/label screw is the same. I'm sure this is a transitional saw using up stock. Blade is .022" thick with 15ppi filed rip. There is 2 7/16" of blade width under the back at the point & 2 7/16" the butt.

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