Saw Sharpening Files?

Re: Saw Sharpening Files?

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>To start...I'm sure that there is a difference in quality between brands. However to learn to sharpen I believe just having a new file of the right size will be all you need. Even Tom Law says the files wear out so if he can wear one out you are allowed to also:-). I don't think it will be an issue for a long while until you are proficient. Remember to use an apex only until it gets to the point of poor cutting and then mark that apex some way to avoid introducing it back into the work flow. I bought Nicholson and they seem ok to me. If the saw is tempered to a harder condition the file will dull quicker. JR

Re: Saw Sharpening Files?

Jim Crammond in Monroe, Mi.

>Sanford,

I agree with Joe, Nicholsons from the corner hardware work fine. The only problem I've encountered is finding them small enough, they seem to stock the larger sizes, but if your sharpening a saw with fine teeth it could be a problem.

Having said that, I would highly recommend starting on a saw with at least 7 TPI and preferably a rip saw. It makes it easier to see what is going on and you don't have to worry about filing at an angle.

Good luck, and just go for it, I'm by no means a good saw sharpener, but every one I've tried has worked better after I finished than before I started.

Jim

Re: Saw Sharpening Files? *LINK*

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>I just bought the tape a week ago and waiting for the 12 saws I bought on e-bay to arrive. I e-mailed simonds to find a dealer(the files that Tom Used in the video) but will buy a few off of LV to start with. The sight black is considerably harder to find.


http://www.simondsinternational.com

Re: Saw Sharpening Files?

Sanford Levy

>Okay! I am off to the hardware store tomorrow. Hm. . . I doubt that the sight black that Tom Law recommends will be too hard to find in a Montana town filled with guns. (And I know a few target shooters! I bet it is supplied in town.) Thanks for the advice. Sanford

Re: Saw Sharpening Files? *LINK*

Michael Campbell

>Try the following...


Sandvik files

sight black

Larry Williams

>I prefer red machinists layout fluid. It's a lot easier to see and I use it for a plenty of other things. I prefer the kind that brushes on over the spray. It's easy to remove with alcohol.

Re: sight black

Sanford Levy

>Thanks, but what kind of store sells red machinists layout fluid? Can it be bought in a hardware store? Sanford

Re: cheap black

paul womack

>The traditional (and cheap and easy) way to blacken saw teeth is to run the blade through the yellow part of a candle or lamp flame.

Soot is nice and black.

BugBear

Re: Saw Sharpening Files?

Roger Nixon

>I got the small sizes covered. At an auction last summer, I bought 4 boxes of NOS Nicholsons probably '40's-50's vintage. There was a box each of 4", 5", 6" Slim & 6" X-Slim. Three of the 6" Slim files were missing but I got 37 files for $30. Not a Toddly gloat but a very handy find.

Re: Saw Sharpening Files?

William R. Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Wat's the matter with using a magic marker? They work fine on plane, chisel and gouge blades. Why not on saws? You can get them in black or red at the grocery store, drug store, or 7-11.

Magic markers / sight black / candle soot

Dave (Arlington, Va)

>Hi William -

I've tried magic markers for this purpose - and didn't have much success. Unless I misunderstand your application, I found that the teeth were kinda hard on the felt-tip of the marker (YMMV). Also - since I was sharpening a blade with a fairly high TPI that getting in between all the teeth was a challenge. That was an important consideration for me as I found that I really liked having all the teeth fully blackened because it provided more feedback or on things such as which teeth had been touched during jointing as well as my progress as I moved down the blade shaping or sharpening the teeth.

On sight black: I, too, thought I'd try it after watching Tom Law's video, but before I could run out and buy a can I figured I'd give candle soot a try. I found the candle soot was so easy to apply that I'm not sure why anyone would need to use sight black - unless they just happen to have a can of it lying around the house. And I'm guessing that most folks are more likely to have a spare candle laying around the house than a can of sight black - but maybe that's just because I live in the city :-)

Regards -

Dave

Re: Magic markers / sight black / candle soot *LINK*

Ted Shuck

>I have used a sharpie to mark even/odd teeth to keep track when setting and sharpening. It seems to work well for that. I think it would be difficult (impossible?) to get a marker between the teeth of a saw with more than 6tpi. I agree that lampblack looks like the best solution.

On the orginal question of files, I have some German files that Lee Valley had on closeout last year and I have been very happy with them. They come in a set of 5 for sharpening saws from about 5tpi to 15tpi. They were out of them for a while, but seem to have them back on their website now. Look under "Special Buys", then look for "German tapered files". I have included a link to the files below.

Usual disclaimer, just a happy customer.

Ted


Lee Valley files

Re: Magic markers / sight black / candle soot

William R. Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense. I'lll save my magic markers for tools with bigger cutters.