Alan DuBoff
>Good for you Mike!

The hardest thing is getting over the fear, and doing it. Once most people realize that:

1) it is not that difficult (albeit seems awkward at first).

2) in most all cases leaves the saw sharper than it started, even if the teeth are not perfect.

3) it is pretty darn hard to ruin a saw.

They tend to get more comfortable with it, and as you are seeing, it starts growing...you start out sharpening a rip saw, next move on to xcut, pretty soon getting more saws and/or tuning them up is not out of the question.

It is funny to see people fret over a $100-$150 saw like it is some sacred object. It is only a tool, nobody should have fear of sharpening their own saw any more than they would their chisels or hand planes.

Again, good for you Mike! You are learning a skill that every craftsman who uses handsaws should know how to do.

Regards,
Alan