Disston Handsaws Made with Alternative Materials

D-95 Because Disston and other companies had advanced sawmaking to such a height in quality and efficiency, there was little else for them to improve dramatically on their handsaws. Marketing ideas turned toward changing the materials that went into the saws. A saw's wood and steel have limits in their performance, and compromises need to be made to get the best combination of characteristics from the material. Harder tempered steel holds an edge longer, but is difficult to sharpen with a file, and the sawteeth are likely to snap when set. Wood handles look nice and are comfortable to use, but they are prone to damage and need a finish to protect them.
For a tool manufacturer, wooden handles have certain degree of unpredicatablity and labor intensive work associated with them. The stock of wood needed to be kept in Disston's warehouse for three years while it dried, finishes wear off in use, and there's the damage that inevitably occurs to most saw handles at some point, getting dropped and breaking the horns off.

Saw manufacturers tried different materials to attract new buyers, improve durability, and cut costs associated with the use of wood. Plastics were being developed in the 1920's and 30's. Bakelite was used to make every consumer product possible. Saw handles were no exception. Disston used it for the handle of the D-18 handsaw, starting in 1925. Another attempt to use alternative materials was the D-55 handsaw, also sold that year. The D-55 featured a stainless steel blade, and while I've never seen one, it doesn't seem a good choice for a saw blade in terms of sharpening or holding an edge. That would be confirmed by the lack of stainless steel saws to be found today.

D-18 handsaw, with bakelite handle, sold in the mid-1920's.

The D-95 saw features a plastic handle, but is not cheap-looking. The handle was made from a material called Tenite, a product owned by Eastman, a company related to Kodak. Disston called the product Disstonite. The D-95 was manufactured from 1935 until the 1950's and was offered in three color combinations. It was switched to a wooden handle in 1955. The Victory theme was dropped from the saw's etch at some point, probably by the end of WWII, note the Morse code symbol for the letter V). Disston called this model the Masterpiece.

The Disston D-95 Masterpiece Hand Saw is the finest saw ever made.
Streamlined for beauty, action, service! Blade of the finest Disston Steel, perfectly ground, set and filed; polished to a brilliant lustre.
Entirely new design in handle construction. Handle made of the toughest, strongest molded material ever developed for practical industrial purposes. Blade fits snugly into recess of handle and over 4 hollow-molded dowels.
Shield, over dowels, is attached with 4 screws, lock washers and nuts. Cannot work loose.

Color combinations:
Onyx Green and Red Shield;
Brown and Green Shield;
Brown and Orange Shield
Packed individually in an attractive box.

Note the change in the etch during WWII.
Other information is the same as the 1939 and 1940 catalogs above.

Note the change in the etch during WWII.
Other information is the same as the 1942 catalog above.

D-95 Lightweight Pattern Straight-back

The Disston D-95 Masterpiece Handsaw is stramlined for beauty, action, service. Blade of finest Disston Steel, perfectly ground, striped back, set, and filed; polished to a brilliant lustre. Molded plastic handle, patented, 4 chromium-plated screws, lock washers and nuts. Cannot work loose.

D-95 Lightweight Pattern The Masterpiece of hand saws. Full carved rosewood handle, secured with five chromium-plated screws, one a medallion. Blade of famous Disston steel, full taper ground, accurately set and full bevel filed.