# Cleaning Up Old Tools



## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Hello, My name is Jeff M. I am just starting out and my aunt gave me some old tools from my late uncle. Today I am trying to clean the rust of a saw blade. Any Tips. Keeping it off is no problem I just am unsure of the best way to go about getting it ready for use again. I sanded the handle and finished it with boiled linseed oil. I repaired a small crack about 3/8" of an inch long using hide glue and a piece of oak to fill it. Next step is cleaning and sharpening. Its a neat hand saw from Better Homes Tool Co.


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## Tony (Jan 19, 2018)

@Brink and @Schroedc can most likely give the best advice here. Tony

Reactions: Agree 1 | +Karma 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Thanks Tony I really appreciate the help.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tony (Jan 19, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> Thanks Tony I really appreciate the help.



Jon and Colin will get an alert that I tagged them and respond when they can. That's what the @ symbol does. Tony


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Sorry My apologies!


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Never been on a forum before. I know living under a rock. Sorry

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Tony (Jan 19, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> Sorry My apologies!



No need to apologize! I was just explaining to you how tagging works. You'll get the hang of it quick. Trust me, if I can do it anybody can!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

rock on, thanks


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## Schroedc (Jan 19, 2018)

@Jeff M. To start with, some oil and some steel wool, scrub it down. That'll get it fairly clean there are a couple other things you can use too if you want to go farther like a sandflex block but that can be kinda aggressive and for me is a last resort.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

@shroedc Thank you very much, I got some steel wool and oil here. I will let you know how it turns out. Have a good day guys, I am going to get to work!


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## Lou Currier (Jan 19, 2018)

welcome to the forum. There is a wealth of knowledge here so just ask away. Would love to see some  of those old tools.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

thanks Lou Working on an old better homes tool co saw now. Got to De rust the blade is what I am doing now thanks to @Schroedc help. and then on to this wierd cromwell backsaw thing I got that the blade changes out on. And tomorrow maybe planes or chisels. lol

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 5


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## Schroedc (Jan 19, 2018)

Remove the handle from the saw before cleaning the blade, you don't want to get oil all over it and then you make sure you get the area underneath clean too

Reactions: Informative 4


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

@Schroedc K It dont have a screw head on the other side. How does it come off? Are they still bolts?


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## Schroedc (Jan 19, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> @Schroedc K It dont have a screw head on the other side. How does it come off? Are they still bolts?



I'd need to see a pic of both sides but they should unscrew and you can push out the other half.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Here is the other side @Schroedc


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

You can see my little piece of wood I sanded down to fresh wood on both sides of the crack and hide glued it in there.


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## Schroedc (Jan 19, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> You can see my little piece of wood I sanded down to fresh wood on both sides of the crack and hide glued it in there.



Ok, That is a riveted saw. You won't be able to remove the handle. Just clean it the best you can, try to keep as much of the oil/rust mess off the handle.


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## CWS (Jan 19, 2018)

Welcome


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Got it Thank You. I will post pics when I get it cleaned up.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Hi @CWS Thank You


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## Jeff M. (Jan 19, 2018)

Schroedc said:


> Ok, That is a riveted saw. You won't be able to remove the handle. Just clean it the best you can, try to keep as much of the oil/rust mess off the handle.


@Schroedc it is cleaning up really nicely. I will give it a few more go's as the day goes on but turning out real nice. There is a saw under all that gunk and rust.

Reactions: Like 6


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## Brink (Jan 19, 2018)

That saw is cleaning up nice

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 23, 2018)

Brink said:


> That saw is cleaning up nice


Thank You Brink, Sorry for the late reply.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 23, 2018)

I got to say though I just did the leg work. without Colin's advice, I would of made a big mess. Thanks @Schroedc

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 23, 2018)

If any of you know, This saw was made by Better Homes Tools Co but everytime I search it I just get Better Homes and and Gardens, Im not real great with a computer so if I should search it diffferent or if someone knows of them it would be neat to know a little history of this saw. 

Thank You All


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## Lou Currier (Jan 23, 2018)

@rocky1

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Jan 23, 2018)

No clue... I run into the same wall. 

http://www.vintagesaws.com/ - Seems to specialize in antique handsaws. For $10 he'll tell you everything he know about it.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 23, 2018)

rocky1 said:


> No clue... I run into the same wall.
> http://www.vintagesaws.com/ - Seems to specialize in antique handsaws. For $10 he'll tell you everything he know about it.
> 
> Thanks Rocky


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## rocky1 (Jan 24, 2018)

Might also try...

http://hus-saws1.wkfinetools.com/ - Considerable info on American Saw Manufacturers - None of which is Better Homes Tools

https://www.shopwoodworking.com/res...dium=referral&utm_campaign=shpw-jru-bl-160627 - Might be a worthy investment if you're serious about restoring old tools Jeff.

http://oldtoolheaven.com/links/links.htm - Lots of reference links for old tools, might want to save that one to favorites.

http://www.tgiag.com/saw-handle-scans.html - Likewise might want to save this one for future handsaw projects.

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2015/04/06/woods-used-in-saw-handles/ - Interesting read, never really thought about it.


Don't know Jeff... Keep coming up blank on that one. My guess would be it was manufactured for Better Homes and Gardens, or a Hardware Store line by another manufacturer. Doesn't seem to be a popular brand name, but that doesn't mean it's not a quality tool.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 24, 2018)

I did find about two sentences on it and they thought didn't know but thought it was a middle of the road saw for a hardware store. they have the same medallian as a better merchandise saw but different wording.


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## rocky1 (Jan 24, 2018)

Sounds like your on the right track there. Discussions I found on one link suggested looking at profiles of the handle, medallions, screws, rivets and such to try and find similarities in manufacture/date of manufacture.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 24, 2018)

yeah I just saw a better merchandise saw, same handle, medallion, and wheat pattern on handle, also riveted but it has no info on it

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 24, 2018)

So I just went to get this from my aunt's farm, my brother was using it and brought it to me cause he knew I been wanting to fix it up. When I was 16 I found this in the back of a 60's dodge pickup with a utility bed. The top is not original and I painted it and put horse shoes on it for my mom to use as a tack box cause she was training race horses at the time and needed a tack box. Now that she no longer trains and my brother no longer wanted it in the way. I want to turn it into a tool box of sorts which may have been what it was being used for when I bought the service truck. I am going to strip it and see what else I can do to give it some character. But I gave it to Mom when I was 16 and now 34 and it has been all over the country with her so I think it will be sturdy enough for a proper box. Even cooler my aunt said I could have my late Godfathers wall cabinet box and it is built like a tank. Stay tuned for that. Here are some pics of the one I gave my Mom.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Borsco (Jan 24, 2018)

So far I’ve found them for sale across the Internet for $9-$13.

I also found this, apparently another alias of the company is Jackson. Obviously this is such a common name it was hard to find anything specific to this company and it really didn’t bring to light any new info.

http://lumberjocks.com/summerfi/blog/39861

Reactions: Like 2


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## Jeff M. (Jan 25, 2018)

Thank You @Borsco


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

Round #2 of steel wool and oil to clean up the saw, It is getting better every time.
@Brink , @Schroedc

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

I also found this in the barn the other day when I grabbed the tack box. My aunt said take it or she was going to junk it. It is a 2" chisel/slick idk but I can not find a single identifying mark on it or the collar?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Brink (Jan 27, 2018)

I have a few excellent chisels with no ID marks on them


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

Brink said:


> I have a few excellent chisels with no ID marks on them


and it could come in handy if i turn a handle for it. or find a socket type handle but it would have to be a big one.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

Socket chisels are better than a through tang I heard, or are they equally good at different times?


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## Brink (Jan 27, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> and it could come in handy if i turn a handle for it. or find a socket type handle but it would have to be a big one.



They’re easy enough to make.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

i know what i need to do today.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

So I was at my aunt's farm cutting up that wood and looking at her car for her. and I was showed her the Better Tool Co Saw and she said I had done a real nice job with it, she wanted me to have some more of his tools cause she knows I could use them and would hold onto them, Wasn't real fond of her grandson today for ripping the exhaust system off her car to say the least. Anyways I got a nice Disston saw, but I do need a bolt, for some reason the handle was off it and it was still on his workbench but I got all 5 slotted nuts and the medalion, just could not find one of the bolts. So if anyone has an extra or knows where to get one. It does have a couple surface cracks in the handle but they do not go deep down to the I got a horse shoe rasp and these things are razor sharp and last forever, I am going to see if it will work as a wood rasp since I do not have one. A nylon headed mallet with interchangeable heads, a Cross brand Brace, it is made in china and the chuck had a chipped tooth, it has a 10" swing. Its pretty cheap and there are no bearings in the head just the but the ratchet works and it came with a 1" auger bit. Anyways that is the old tools from the barn today and I am thinking I might ask to see if I can set up to build chairs in the tack room, no tack in there anymore and it is 20' x 20' would be plenty room till I get a place, just no heat, But a guy could put a portable heat source in there. She did say that I could use all the lumber I want and there must of been 200 boards in there that are full dimensional stuck in the hay mount and wherever else plus some other lumber. So as soon as the joiners box is done, I will be starting on my treadle lathe.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

How do I date the Disston Saw?


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## Jeff M. (Jan 28, 2018)

Finally, even as Disston began to cut corners and quality decreased in many aspects (look at the saw handle), D-23 saws made before 1955 are better than *any* handsaw sold since then.

The above picture and information came off www.disstonianinstitute.com I also used that sight to figure out the medallion. It says after 1940 they used applewood handles on a D-23. Is that still true for the 1955 saws. It did not say. 

So the medallion says it is 1955 or after it is a 26" crosscut saw with 8 tpi and best I can tell it is a D-23 that is the same handle and bolt pattern.


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