Hi all. Hope someone sees this! I have just purchased a #6 Disston saw vise in reasonable condition ($20.50 AUD plus postage). It is only missing a pad on the end of a screw and a piece of casting has broken off. Neither will affect use. I am trying to find any info on the web and there is very little. If anyone has any, please share.
I don't get anything that shows up for a #6, typically in America most people seek out the Disston 3D saw vise. I have a Disston #2, not nearly as beefy as the 3D, but when you buy saw vises be very careful, the cast iron vises tend to get damaged in shipping. If the seller is smart enough, they do come apart and can be packed well with padding...but that doesn't always happen with saw vises. DAMHIKT. Do you have a picture you can post of the actual vise, could probably give you a better answer if you show the actual vise. Would be better to see what condition it's in also.
Hi TT. Here are a couple of screenshots of the original ad on Ebay. I have since found out a little more about this vise. The Disston #5 and #6 are similar, the main difference is the the #6 has bench clamps that can be folded flat to make it more compact for carrying in a toolbag/box. The 1st photo shows it from the rear (and with the most unusual sawset I now also own) and the 2nd photo from the operators viewpoint. Based on the number of file marks, the vise was well used. These marks also obscured the cast "Henry Disston and Sons" on the front. Patent date of 1910 is also cast underneath and can be seen in the 1st photo. This vise awaits my restoration.
That's pretty cool. How wide is it? How does it work? I've not seen those before. They must not have made very many of them as there doesn't seem to be a lot of them in the wild...although you did get it on Ebay.
Here's a screenshot from the Disstonian Institute website. I will get onto cleaning mine up soon. Saw blade is inserted from underneath but is projection above the jaws is restricted by the casting connecting the jaws. Really only makes setting difficult, as I tend to do this with the saw in my vice.
Funny enough I think I may have owned one of those which I bought at a Bay Area Galoot meetup years ago, but it was limited, so I sold it. I currently have 2 x Disston 3D vises, they are also 13", but the ends are open and I can put them next to each other if wanted to sharpen a long saw. And I have a No 2, similar as the Atkins possibly. Since, I got the Acme sharpener. I haven't used it at all yet. It is not automated, it requires you apply pressure on the file, but the file moves in/out auto by motor, and it has a lever to control the speed. Pretty trick, doesn't take much to get used to using. I really wanted the saw vise, it's classic. And they were made in San Jose, where I currently live. All that said, I've had a couple ideas for a saw vise that I may try to fabricate for sale. Not sure if I will do that yet or not, but want to make some saws again. Need to get my slotting fixture dialed in and turn some split-nuts. I make everything on manual machines so far. But I could see doing CNC in the future possibly.
I can't help but think that with the Gramercy vise at close to $300, although it is slightly lighter, it's a vintage design. Sure, a wood vise is also good and easy to make. But I ponder if a better mousetrap can be designed these days? The Gramercy is more modern in the way it is fabricated. Many of the older saw vises were made of cast iron, and because of that they were heavy, and as such people would drop and break them over the years. Is the Disston #6 cast iron? That brochure you posted says it's only about 5-1/2 lbs., lighter than the Gramercy.