Disstonian Institute

Henry Disston started selling his own saws in 1840, operating out of a rented basement in Philadelphia. Despite setbacks during his first decade in business, such as fires and the confiscation of his machinery in a rent dispute, Disston built his company into the largest manufacturer of saws in the world. Disston was an innovative manufacturer and marketer, leading the way with products other companies tried to imitate. The saws' consistently high quality kept the company strong for another three generations after Henry Disston's death.