Galoots:

I picked up a small panel saw a while ago. It has a Disston medallion, but I
don't
believe it's a Disston (I could be wrong, of course).

The saw is a 20" 10 pt. skewback. It has a very small 3-screw handle, in
proportion
with the rest of the saw. The handle has a bit of wheat carving on it. The
handle has
a Disston Philada medallion - which is consistent with the 100-year old
appearance
of the handle shape. I'm pretty sure the handle is varnished beech.

Although a bit of the etching has been lost to sharpening, the remainder
reads
as follows:

       THE CELEBRATED
  LONDON SPRING STEEL
              No. * 125
        PATENT GROUND
                 SAW
           WARRANTED 

The "*" indicates a large 5-pointed star. The appearance of the etching
(flowery
script and flourishes) is totally unlike any Disston saw I've ever seen, and
I'm not
aware that Disston ever made a No. 125. Also, the handle is not very similar
to
my small #9 panel saw of the same era.

I suspect that someone, long ago, added a Disston medallion to this saw. I
wish I
had Erv's book (soon!), as I'm sure I could find the answer there. In the
meantime,
can anyone satisfy my curiosity?

Thanks much,

  Eric B. (in Fairbanks, Alaska - where the winter continues to be
remarkably warm)

At the risk of getting my hand slapped for being OT, I will relate
something to you.

Several years ago in Kansas City  I went to the display of the artifacts
found on the Steamship Arabia which sank in the Missouri River in 1857
and was found about ten years ago.  Among those artifacts were some
Disston saws.

A restorer was working behind a glass window removing rust from one of
the tools using a draftsman's electric eraser. I had a conversation with
him about it.

I priced electric erasers and decided I could live without one. Until I
accidentally ran across one on eBay and bought it for $26 with three
boxes of erasers.

This is a very effective tool for removing rust.  Erasers are 7 inches
long and fit inside the tool. They are available is numerous different
grits. This is a slow but sure way to remove rust without harming the
tool.  One more way to restore.  

Jim Thompson