Disston · No. 4 (14 in.) · by 1876–1955
Disston never sold a saw called a tenon saw. The old English tenon saw was an 18- to 20-inch rip back saw, but the name stuck to any back saw, and the Disston most people mean is the No. 4. It was in the line from the company's early decades, in 8 to 18 inches, and the 14-inch size has 3½ inches of blade under the back. Catalogs from 1929 on list that size at 13 points crosscut, with rip teeth to special order. Before 1928 the No. 4 had a blued back and an apple handle, sold alongside a brass-backed No. 5 and a polished-steel No. 7. The 1928 redesign gave it a bright steel back and a beech handle, and from 1947 the handle was just "hardwood." Most of the Disston back saws you'll see are No. 4s, and the longer No. 4 miter-box saws were sold with Stanley and Millers Falls miter boxes.
Identify and date it
Disston's 1876 catalog lists the No. 4 with a blued back, the No. 5 with brass and the No. 7 with polished steel, otherwise the same saw. Around 1918 the deep V-notch below the hand hole softened to a gentle dip. Back saws 12 inches and longer have three screws, one of them the medallion, and many older ones carry a name stamp on the back instead of an etch on the blade.
If you’ll use it
A 14-inch back saw at 13 points is a common size for tenons and general joinery. If you want it for ripping tenon cheeks, ask how it's filed, since most back saws for sale are crosscut.
If you’ll collect it
The brass-backed No. 5 is the scarcer find in the US, because Disston sold most of them abroad, often with a Toronto etch.
Most old back saws need sharpening, and many have rust or pitting near the handle, where grime collects. The back is what keeps the thin blade stiff, so the toothline should run straight and the back should grip the blade evenly. Chipped horns and cracked handles are common, and a missing screw can be replaced from a parts saw.
Buying guide
For a 14-inch No. 4, the one titled No. 4B at 13 points asks $40 delivered, and most of the 13 back saws listed ask $50–75 delivered, though that's too few for a firm band. Length matters more than the title, since sellers call No. 4s from 8 to 14 inches tenon or dovetail saws; a 14-inch No. 4 has about 3½ inches of blade under the back, and 13 points crosscut was Disston's standard filing for it. Look along the back in the photos to see it's straight and seated evenly, and check the horns and all three screws. Skip the 8-inch saw asking $212 delivered, nearly three times the band top with no reason in the title.
$38.72est. delivered
A 14-inch Disston back saw for about $39 delivered, the lowest here. The title gives no model number or filing, so check the stamp on the back in the photos and ask how many points it's filed.
Disston 14 Inch Backsaw Hand Saw (USA)
$39.50est. delivered
A 14-inch No. 4 at 13 points, the size and filing Disston catalogued for this saw, for $40 delivered. Ask for a photo along the back to check it's straight.
Henry Disston & Sons 14" Back / Dovetail / Tenon Saw No. 4B - 13 TPI Straight
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$38.72est. delivered
$29.99 + $8.73 shipping
Buy It Now$29.99
Good buy
14-inch, no model number or filing given.
Seller: gearuptradingco
99.8% positive
Used$39.50est. delivered
$27.50 + $12.00 shipping
Buy It Now$27.50
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Good buy
14-inch No. 4B at 13 points, the catalog size and filing.
Seller: patented-antiques
99.6% positive
Used$54.00est. delivered
$41.50 + $12.50 shipping
Buy It Now$41.50
Our take
12-inch No. 4, titled 1950s. Shorter than the 14-inch size this page covers.
Seller: tjtoolie
100% positive
Used$58.26est. delivered
$49.99 + $8.27 shipping
Buy It Now$49.99
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Our take
14-inch, 13 points, no model number.
Seller: thatguy951
100% positive
Used$58.44est. delivered
$29.11 + $29.33 shipping
Buy It Now$29.11
Our take
10-inch No. 4 from the UK. $29 shipping doubles the price.
Seller: carmad-2008
100% positive
Used$63.17est. delivered
$55.00 + $8.17 shipping
Buy It Now$55.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
No. 4 with no length given. Ask before you offer.
Seller: larryvintagecollectibles
100% positive
Used$69.77est. delivered
$59.99 + $9.78 shipping
Buy It Now$59.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
14-inch No. 4 marked Danville VA, which puts it after the 1955 sale to H. K. Porter.
Seller: strataflux
100% positive
Used$212.38est. delivered
$198.88 + $13.50 shipping
Buy It Now$198.88
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Priced high
8-inch No. 4, nearly three times the band top with no reason given.
Seller: amy_jenna
100% positive
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Disston · Hand saw
No. 68 / No. 70 / No. 71No. 68 by 1906–1955; No. 70 and No. 71 to about 1945
$100–$180 typical ask
Disston · Hand saw
D-8late 1870s–1955, sold on under H. K. Porter into the 1970s
$50–$130 typical ask
Disston · Hand saw
D-231911–1955 (lesser H. K. Porter versions to the early 1990s)
$50–$90 typical ask