Making saw handles

Re: Making saw handles

paul womack

>Making it is no problem

Wow - you must be a pretty skilled worker! A good saw handle is a combination of ergonomics, aesthetics and precision fits.

BugBear

Re: Making saw handles

David in Mangum

>I am refurbishing some old hand saws. The good handles just get a rubdown of mineral spirits and wax. One gets a new handle. Since it is an old Disston, I plan to use an old standby finish like boiled linseed oil and shellac. A simple tool needs a simple finish, especially if you plan to use the tool instead of displaying it.

Ease of repair

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>Jim -

I've just finished making a pistol grip handle for my DT saw, and am in the process of "personalizing" the handle on a "blocky-handled" 1950s model Diston 11 TPI crosscut. All I've used is Watco and wax.

While I like the look (three coats of oil and wax, each), the main reason I did it was ease of repair. I have assumed that I may want to "fiddle" with the shape of the handles some, and I wanted a finish that looked good, but could be removed with relative ease so I could fine tune the shape of the handles, if needed.

I've already found that while my new DT handle felt great as I was working on it, that now that its beginning to see action there are a couple of spots with which I think I may want to tinker.

Just a thought - you may want to factor "ease of repair" into your consideration for whatever finish you use.

Regards -

Dave

Re: Making saw handles

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>I did this recently. Wasn't hard to do, was fun, and the saw's remarkably easier and more enjoyable to use.

For a finish, I used a few coats of danish oil, and have lost count how much wax. Generally, when I take a break from other things, I'll drink some pop and throw another coat of wax on the saw handle. It's a compulsive behavior, but that handle now gleams...

Old picture:

very pretty--nice work!

John Truxell-Svenson (jvs)

>

Re: Making saw handles

Jim in Burlington

>No genius here I just copy the one I like the best.

Re: Ease of repair

Jim in Burlington

>You know that never really occured to me I might want to tweak or repair the handle.

Re: Making saw handles

Larry Felix

>Making handles can be rewarding, especially for for Disston 12 saws. Here's one I made to rescue an otherwise good blade. If anyone is interested, I'll be glad to send the drawing I used to make the handle.

I'd love

Steve Kubien

>to have the pic!. Please send it to the above email address.

Thanks for the offer.

Steve Kubien

Saw handle finish

Adam Cherubini, NJ

>Hi Jim,

BTW, I think every State has at least one Burlington. No idea where you are from. I live near Burlington NJ in Burlington County. How 'bout you?

Pretty sure traditional saws (old disstons) had a shellac finish. Not sure wax or dewaxed

I'd guess LN have a spray-on catalyzed laquer finish- good finish, hard as all get out and fast drying. Good for a saw handle.

Oil and wax may be the worst finish for a working saw. In use, the wax can become sticky, causing blisters. DAMHIKT

Lately, I've been applying no finish to tool handles. Saw handles really aren't like wooden plane bodies (which I oil). Woods like Apple (a traditional saw handle material) develop a nice patina and smooth finish over time. The toothiness of the unfinished wood provides a satisfying grip.

As any furniture conservator would tell you, finishes don't really "protect wood". They really don't "seal" it either. At least in some cases, finishes like linseed oil destroy wood over time.

If you must finish, I recommend something very hard- laquer or shellac would be my top picks. But if you are choosing a wood like cherry say, or apple, I'd leave it dry and let it wear in.

Adam

P.S. Please send us pictures when you are done!

Wax and friction...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>Hey, Adam -

Just curious, but my take on blisters has always been that they were caused by friction due to slipping of skin ag'in something (at least, that seems to be the mechanism for blisters as far as my boots are concerned). Seems like wax, especially wax that's causing some sort of adhesion, would work to prevent slippage.

Day ever comes when I get blisters from too much dovetailing, I'll dance a little happy dance, then refinish my handles with somethin' harder.

Scott

Re: Saw handle finish

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>I live in Ontario. As you can see there are loads of idea's on how to finish saw handles. The post above by Larry is a dream handle. I really need to buy a digital camera it takes me months to fill up a roll of film.

Me, too...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>That is beautiful.

Re: Ease of repair

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>Hi Jim -

Someone with more experience making saw handles might not have to be concerned about the "repair-ability" of the finish. But these were my first efforts so I thought there might be a chance I'd want to tweak them as I had a chance to break them in with use. So far, I've been right, and it's been handy to have a finish that was easily removed and just as easily restored after I'd finished the tweaking.

Regards -

Dave

Send it to me too, please

Wendell @ Murphy, TX

>

VERY Nice

Todd Hughes

>Really a very nice handle !, have to say often when I see a homemade handle it's so ugly you would, as my grandmother would say, have to hang a bone around it to get a dog to play with it but this handle is just beautiful.Really like how you followed the lines of the original.Someday somebody is going to insist that Disston made curly maple handles for no. 12 saws!....Nice work....Todd

Re: Me, too...

Roy, Vista, CA

>Send it to me too!

Re: Wax and friction...

Adam Cherubini, NJ

>Hi Scott,

Sorry no theory here. I don't understand blisters, just reporting on their occurance. Also could be a function of the gummy beeswax I use. Either way, I recommend against waxing. Handles are not furniture. I've learned my lesson.

As I've mentioned before, I cut lots of dovetails and I work with a really cheap saw. Of all the tools I have, you'd think I'd have a good DT. A basic large carcass takes me about half a day to make. This is usually 60-80 dovetails. Recently finished a set of 8 drawers- took two days(should have been a day and a half - too slow Adam). I don't know about you, but that's a lot of sawing to me. Since I don't often get more than two days in row in my shop, I don't ever develop calluses. Blisters, cuts and general arthritis limit my precious shop time, so I'm extra careful.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, if you only get one hour in the evening to work and will never get more, finish however you want. Wax won't effect you. If you'd like to get several hours, but haven't yet (maybe you do some dovetailing, some sharpening, some cleaning up) my experience suggests waxing may be a problem for you.

Adam

Me too please

Tony - Memphis

>Wow, that is really nice!

Tony

Re: I'd love

MikeL in SoCal

>You should be able to just save the picture directly from WC. On most systems, click on the picture with your right mouse button and then left click on "save image". HTH.

Cheers,

Mike - who is also very impressed with the handle

Re: Making saw handles

Tim Caley - Little Rock

>You should consider submiting that as a shop shot or article so everyone could have access to the drawing.

Re: Making saw handles

Larry Felix

>Tim: Good idea. I had no idea that there would be this level of interest. I'll see about posting the drawing, as a minimum. I'll also try to add some notes on avoiding problems and finishing handles, based on this thread.

Re: Making saw handles

Paul Brandley

>That's a beautiful handle! I'd like a copy, when you have time...Thanks.

Wow! The TSOA!

Roger Nixon

>That's the Todd Seal of Approval! Better print this one and frame it, Larry :). I completly agree. The combination of #12 lines and pretty maple work great.