Sharpened Disston D-12 - 26", 10 ppi, Crosscut

This Disston D-12 came out of Pete Taran's personal collection — Disston's top-of-the-line handsaw, and one of the better examples I've come across. The etch is strong, the plate has real shine to it, and it's ready to cut.

What I did to it

1. Disassembled and inspected. Every part came off the saw and was checked before cleaning.
2. Cleaned to preserve character. Handle and hardware were cleaned in a way that keeps the saw's age visible — no over-polishing.
3. Plate cleaned. Cleaned properly while preserving the etch.
4. Jointed and shaped. Toothline jointed and refiled for crosscut work.
5. Sharpened to 15° rake, 20° fleam. Standard general-use crosscut geometry.
6. Set. Minimum set applied — just enough to let the plate glide in the kerf without binding.

Honest condition

The plate has good shine to it overall, with some staining in spots — cosmetic, doesn't affect performance. There's a little wear on the handle from years of use. Nothing structural, nothing hidden.

About Disston

Henry Disston founded the company in Philadelphia in 1840, and by the late 1800s Disston was the largest saw maker in the world — the standard against which every other maker was measured for nearly a century. The No. 12 line (this D-12 is its post-1928 D-prefix successor) was Disston's premier handsaw, outranked only by the ornate Victory: London Spring steel, a chip-carved applewood handle, and extra hammer work to tension the blade — a well-made one rings when tapped.

Questions about this saw? Email me at aaron@benchandchisel.com — I answer them all.
— Aaron, Bench & Chisel