Disston 344 saw

[Branson]

Yesterday I came across a Disston saw etched along the spine FOR METAL OR WOOD.  It's marked 344.  Disstonian Institute doesn't identify it, though in the "Gallery of Interesting Saws" section, there is a number 240 "metal cutting saw" which is 18 inches long. The one I found (and bought!) is 28 inches over all with a 24 inch blade.

One sold on eBay this past July, and the seller's write up said:

"Disston made a series of hand saws for cutting metal from 1918-1929, these were numbered 340 [for cutting iron] 341 [ brass] 342 [Metal trim] and the 343 [Kalomine]...No mention of a 344 metal and wood saw"

The handle  is held on by three bolts.  Beech handle, in good condition -- no splits or chipped horns.

I've found one other fellow who has one, and the seller says he's heard of another though his was the only one he had actually seen.

I'll send pictures later, along with some other stuff I picked up yesterday, but I wondered if anybody here knew anything more about this unusual saw.

[rusty]

I suspect the ebay fellow got what he knew from this post http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/archives_handtools.pl/bid/3106/md/read/id/82875/sbj/background-on-disston-metal-cutting-saw/

At least the fellow in the post seems to have a catalog.

kalomine/kalamine is an english corruption of the german corruption kalamein which was from calamine, which is a zinc/lead/tin alloy, a type of pot metal. The later use of the word refers typically to molded metal window trim, tho I found a reference to pipe being made from it.

In any case, it seems to be a soft metal alloy, so the series seems to be for mostly soft cuttable metals....
(it is interesting that alumnium is not in that list...)

[Branson]

The 340 and 240 are spec'd for cutting iron.  The 240 is shown on Disstonian Institute. 

I think the seller more likely got his information from Old Tools Archive:

http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php?message_id=123019&submit_thread=1

The 340, 341, 342, and 343 are in catalogs.  The 344, etched "For Metal Or Wood" isn't in the catalogs. 

Thanks for the info on kalomine.  Got a new definition in my word-hoard!

[Branson]

Here's a close up of the etch on the saw.  Other metal cutting panel saws are cataloged -- the '40, '41, '42, and the '43.  But so far, at least, the '44, "for metal and wood" has not been found in the Disston catalogs.

[scottg]

Nice etch!! Wow, fine condition.

 So what about the teeth?? We just have to guess?
And the overall saw?? The length, 3 screws and an unchipped tote is not enough.
Well carved and fully rounded turn-of-the-century topline tote?
 Flat slab blob with no decoration?
    Not enough info to go on for any decent guess.
 
 Not that I would know, but hey I still want to see it!   
  yours Scott

[rusty]

...and the tooth profile and TPI might help guess what it was intended to cut....

Say...where's the painted landscape with barn and flowers?