Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
saw sharping question
jerry schram
>over the weekend I found a disston #120 acme saw, it's in good shape but it needs to be sharpend. On the disstonian institute web site it say's the saw should be sharpened with a file with a safe edge.Do you all think it would effect how clean the saw cuts if I were to use a regular saw file?I have'nt seen a saw file with a safe edge before. Thank for any help! Jerry
Re: saw sharping question
David Barnett
>You can easily make your file safe on a bench grinder, on a coarse bench stone, or scary-style with SiC paper on a flat substrate.
Re: DON'T SET THE TEETH...
Matt Curley in Windsor, CA
>If you didn't know already (although I think the Disstonian Institute is where I learned) the 120's were specially hardened so the teeth won't take a set, they'll break instead. I have been waiting to send my 18$ fleamarket find 120 Thumbhole Rip (never sharpened) to Tom Law and let him take care of it. As to the file I don't know, I just wanted to give you the same warning that I got when I found my saw...
FWIW
Matt
You need a special file
Mike DeHart, South Jersey
>I believe the Acme 120 uses a special tooth geometry that does not work with the typical triangular taper file. A cantsaw file is able to work in a sharper gullet and the safe back keeps you from accidently hitting the wrong tooth. I have the info but not at my figertips right now. The 120 was designed to be used only in dry, seasoned hardwoods. It has a taper ground blade which is specially hardened. If you try to set the teeth you will break them. This is all spelled out right on the blade as part of the etch. I have sharpened several saws, but not my 120 since I really haven't found a need to use it yet. I would also hate to damage it since it came from my Grandfather's tool stash.