What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm,
"SteveB" quickly quoth:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

Some people say it's for notching the wood where you want to start the
cut. Others call it the front sight. Others say "HellifIknow." YMMV

---
Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing.
This is the ultimate.
--Chuang-tzu (369 BC - 286 BC)

On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/
There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.

******

eat the samoosa to reply

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/
There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.

Thank you ever so much for taking the time to answer a simple question.
Thank you for just taking the time to tell me to go to Google. If there's
ever anything you need, feel free to go to Google, and not ask here.

Steve

On Wed, 2 Jan 2008 07:43:58 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:


"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/
There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.

Thank you ever so much for taking the time to answer a simple question.
Thank you for just taking the time to tell me to go to Google. If there's
ever anything you need, feel free to go to Google, and not ask here.
I gave you a hint of where there is a lot of info. You expect me to go
there ,find everything, sift out the good stuff and hand it to you
while you sit on your arse.

******

eat the samoosa to reply

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Since you seem to have read and filtered all of the information on the
woodworking group, perhaps you could have used the same bandwidth to
give a 2 sentence reply to the OP's question. Not to mention all the
rest of us with enough curiosity to be interested but not enough time to
do all the research.



Phil Hansen wrote:
On Wed, 2 Jan 2008 07:43:58 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/
There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.
Thank you ever so much for taking the time to answer a simple question.
Thank you for just taking the time to tell me to go to Google. If there's
ever anything you need, feel free to go to Google, and not ask here.
I gave you a hint of where there is a lot of info. You expect me to go
there ,find everything, sift out the good stuff and hand it to you
while you sit on your arse.

******

eat the samoosa to reply

Phil Hansen wrote:
You expect me to go
there ,find everything, sift out the good stuff and hand it to you
while you sit on your arse.

You're new here aren't you? People here don't look up info for you. If,
however, they know something or have experienced something they
generally will share what they know.
Randy

"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 2 Jan 2008 07:43:58 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:


"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/
There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.

Thank you ever so much for taking the time to answer a simple question.
Thank you for just taking the time to tell me to go to Google. If there's
ever anything you need, feel free to go to Google, and not ask here.
I gave you a hint of where there is a lot of info. You expect me to go
there ,find everything, sift out the good stuff and hand it to you
while you sit on your arse.


Acrually it is you sitting on your obese arse while bitching about other
people.
You do know that you couls use some exercise. people as much overweight as
you do not have a long life expectancy.



******

eat the samoosa to reply

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

I have seen several saw scabbards that used the nib to keep the
end fastened.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"SteveB" wrote in message
...
What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

Phil Hansen writes:

On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/
There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.

What do you suggest to use as search terms?


--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"DanG" writes:

I have seen several saw scabbards that used the nib to keep the
end fastened.

That's a new one on me, and sounds better than any other theory...
Although the one in the picture is small - perhaps too small.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Bruce Barnett wrote:
Phil Hansen writes:


On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:


What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.


What do you suggest to use as search terms?


Try disston saw. In Google.

First hit I got, told exactly what the nib was for.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

How about a slot clean-out -
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


SteveB wrote:
What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

Information is for sharing.

This web page :
http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/glossary.html

says this:

"The nib is the bump on the back of many older saws, near the toe. It serves
no purpose other than decoration."

Now, I don't know posting if this makes me a spoil-sport, upstart, or
curmudgeon, but - - who cares?

Although finding it WAS a good read, and I learned a thing or two about
Tacony on the journey.

Flash




"SteveB" wrote in message
...
What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

SteveB wrote:

"Trevor Jones" wrote in message
news:USXej.25563$wy2.21704@edtnps90...

Bruce Barnett wrote:

Phil Hansen writes:



On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:



What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.


What do you suggest to use as search terms?



Try disston saw. In Google.

First hit I got, told exactly what the nib was for.

Cheers
Trevor Jones



First hit I got was an ebay auction. Second hit was the Disstonian
Institute, with hot links to a hundred sub topics.

Would you like to share what information you found out with the group?

Steve


www.disstonianinstitute.com/

I clicked on one of the saws shown there. It was an interesting read,
but it was all on this page http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/7page.html

Partways down the page reads...
"A few words about decorative features on the older saws. Theories
abound for the purpose of these features. The notch on the top of the
handle is said to be a way to hold a sheath on the saw with a string. I
must admit it works. The nib has been given every reason to be from
testing the temper of the steel in the factory to a means to start a cut
by notching the wood. Evidence that this theory is an old one is shown
by the high number of these saws with a missing nib. They snap off when
you try to start the cut that way. The fact is, these old saws were
designed in the Victorian Era, a time when workers took pride in their
tools, and manufacturers added embellishment to tools in order to
attract buyers. The nib is like the hood ornament on an old car, it's
meant to look nice."

I figure anyone that went to that much trouble to build a site like
that, gotta either be fairly in the know, or whacked. Mebbe both.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 2 Jan 2008 07:43:58 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:


"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/
There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.

Thank you ever so much for taking the time to answer a simple question.
Thank you for just taking the time to tell me to go to Google. If there's
ever anything you need, feel free to go to Google, and not ask here.
I gave you a hint of where there is a lot of info. You expect me to go
there ,find everything, sift out the good stuff and hand it to you
while you sit on your arse.

******

eat the samoosa to reply

Feel free not to ask here? I'm sorry. I was either absent or drunk the day
you were put in charge. Go **** yourself.

Plonk.

Steve

"Trevor Jones" wrote in message
news:USXej.25563$wy2.21704@edtnps90...
Bruce Barnett wrote:
Phil Hansen writes:


On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:


What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.


What do you suggest to use as search terms?


Try disston saw. In Google.

First hit I got, told exactly what the nib was for.

Cheers
Trevor Jones


First hit I got was an ebay auction. Second hit was the Disstonian
Institute, with hot links to a hundred sub topics.

Would you like to share what information you found out with the group?

Steve

"Trevor Jones" wrote in message
news:E4_ej.43886$UZ4.4570@edtnps89...
SteveB wrote:

"Trevor Jones" wrote in message
news:USXej.25563$wy2.21704@edtnps90...

Bruce Barnett wrote:

Phil Hansen writes:



On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:15:03 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:



What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

There was a long discussion on rec.woodworking about this. Check the
archives.


What do you suggest to use as search terms?



Try disston saw. In Google.

First hit I got, told exactly what the nib was for.

Cheers
Trevor Jones



First hit I got was an ebay auction. Second hit was the Disstonian
Institute, with hot links to a hundred sub topics.

Would you like to share what information you found out with the group?

Steve
www.disstonianinstitute.com/

I clicked on one of the saws shown there. It was an interesting read, but
it was all on this page http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/7page.html

Partways down the page reads...
"A few words about decorative features on the older saws. Theories abound
for the purpose of these features. The notch on the top of the handle is
said to be a way to hold a sheath on the saw with a string. I must admit
it works. The nib has been given every reason to be from testing the
temper of the steel in the factory to a means to start a cut by notching
the wood. Evidence that this theory is an old one is shown by the high
number of these saws with a missing nib. They snap off when you try to
start the cut that way. The fact is, these old saws were designed in the
Victorian Era, a time when workers took pride in their tools, and
manufacturers added embellishment to tools in order to attract buyers. The
nib is like the hood ornament on an old car, it's meant to look nice."

I figure anyone that went to that much trouble to build a site like that,
gotta either be fairly in the know, or whacked. Mebbe both.

Cheers
Trevor Jones


Thanks. The saw does have a nice wheat pattern in the handle. As for the
nib being a decoration, it is sure a plain one. If I was to put a
decoration on there, I think it would resemble SOMETHING.

Steve

SteveB wrote:


Thanks. The saw does have a nice wheat pattern in the handle. As for the
nib being a decoration, it is sure a plain one. If I was to put a
decoration on there, I think it would resemble SOMETHING.

Steve


All I can come up with on my own, and unsubstantiated, at that, is
that it may have served as a reference point or setup point whae the
blades were being produced.
The idea that they were made like that to look distinct from the
competition, seems pretty reasonable to me, if one was selling into a
market that may consist of less than functionally literate labour, too.

That might be the best that anyone comes up with.

The only other source of info that might be of use is the Audel's
books on framing carpentry. They would have been written about the same
era, and if there was a use for the nib, they would likely have
mentioned it. I don't have the books, though.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

On Jan 3, 12:04 am, "flash" wrote:
Information is for sharing.

This web page :http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/glossary.html

says this:

"The nib is the bump on the back of many older saws, near the toe. It serves
no purpose other than decoration."

Now, I don't know posting if this makes me a spoil-sport, upstart, or
curmudgeon, but - - who cares?

Although finding it WAS a good read, and I learned a thing or two about
Tacony on the journey.

Flash

"SteveB" wrote in message

...

What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/


But, are they referring to the little piece sticking up or the cut
away near the end in general?


Dave

wrote:

On Jan 3, 12:04 am, "flash" wrote:

Information is for sharing.

This web page :http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/glossary.html

says this:

"The nib is the bump on the back of many older saws, near the toe. It serves
no purpose other than decoration."

Now, I don't know posting if this makes me a spoil-sport, upstart, or
curmudgeon, but - - who cares?

Although finding it WAS a good read, and I learned a thing or two about
Tacony on the journey.

Flash

"SteveB" wrote in message

...


What is this for on a Disston saw?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/



But, are they referring to the little piece sticking up or the cut
away near the end in general?


Dave
The picture shows the arrow pointing at the bump itself. The photo on
the Number 7 saws page I posted before, is a pretty clear shot of the
piece sticking up, too.

Cheers
Trevor Jones