hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 7:22 AM #1

chichi
Guest

hand saw sharpening

chichi

>I did not have good luck my first try at sharpening a cross cut saw. Please critique the procedure I used as described below:

1)I joined the teeth. I used a file on the flat and filed tallest teeth. I then shaped the tooth to a point before beginning the sharpening. Very few to file.

2)With saw in saw vise and handle to my left, I used a slim trianle file to sharpen the front edge of the teeth pointing away from me.I sharpened at about a 45 deg angle to the blade.The front of the chisel angled toward the front when making the 45 deg. bevel.After finishing a tooth, I then skipped a tooth and repeated the process on next tooth.

3)After I completed one side, I flipped the saw around and repeated the process for the second set of teeth. I filed until each tooth had a point and the side was beveled to approx. 45 deg.

4) I did not intentionally mess with the angle of the tooth (I cant remenber the term for this angle). I just tried to follow the existing angle.

When saw was done, I sawed a piece of scrap. The saw did not have a good bite and it pulled to the right. If I sawed a 1x6, the lower end of the cut would be to the right of where the cut began by quite a lot, say 1/2 in..

Any obvious errors, recommendations?Please comment.Is this as hard as I am making it to be?

Thanks,

Bob

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 8:59 AM #2

Nemo Tools
Guest

Re: hand saw sharpening *LINK*

Nemo Tools

>Bob,

I'm a fairly new saw filer myself. My little Disston panel saw works like a dream. The secret for me was to read the article here in Wood Central by Pete Taran on saw filing. It is excellent. See the link.

I can tell from your description, that you need to have a look at your fleam and rake.

Following the methods that Pete suggests, you will also be sure that your hand filing is relatively uniform and consistent from tooth to tooth.

Don't bother to conserve the life of your file. Only use the best files and throw them away after a few short uses.

Be sure that the saw blade is not bent. Considering the price of most garage sale saws, attempting to straighten out a bent saw blade is not worth the effort.

On the other hand, considering the over supply of garage sale saws, don't feel bad about chucking your first attempt if it comes to that. I'm working on a saw now that is severely pitted. It is intentionally a practice piece.

I can also tell you from bitter experience that sawing technique has a lot to do with how well your saw tracks. Be sure you're not experiencing pilot error. I could bore you for a long time on the tricks and traps of hand sawing that I have rediscovered the hard way.

By the way, what the heck are you doing up at 2:30 a.m. posting to the message board? What the heck am I doing up at 3:40 answering?

Best of luck,

Roy Anderson

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=handtools&file=articles_284.shtml

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 11:40 AM #3

Christof Hartge
Guest

Re: hand saw sharpening

Christof Hartge

>Hello chichi,

a further suggestion:

Iread your posting but couldn't find, if you set the teeth anew. If the teeth of your saw are not uniformly set, the cut won't track well.

Christof.

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 12:40 PM #4

Bill Sands in WV
Guest

Re: related sharpening question

Bill Sands in WV

>Does any manufacturer still make saw sets? I'm looking for a functional one to learn dovetail and panel saw sharpening techniques and not a collector's item. Also, I'm not inclined to shop on eBay.Thanks

Bill

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 1:01 PM #5

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida
Guest

Re: hand saw sharpening

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>Try stoning the the teeth on the side of the blade which turns away from straight tracking.

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 1:58 PM #6

Skip in Falls Church
Guest

Re: related sharpening question

Skip in Falls Church

>I've just been looking around for saw sets myself. I don't really *want* to get into saw sharpening - but since Tom Law isn't doing them any more I guess I might as well. (grumping)

You can find saw sets at Highland Hardware (www.tools-for-woodworking.com), Lee Valley (www.leevalley.com) Garrett Wade (www.garrettwade.com) and Slav's Hardware (lunytools@aol.com - no web site, you'll have to contact Slav directly). I'm sure there are more sources out there.

Skip

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 4:23 PM #7

Dan Donaldson
Member
Offline
5,264 posts

Registered: 9/17/01

Joel carries them *LINK*

Dan Donaldson

>Joel of Toolsforworkingwood carries them and the files also. He is a contributor and advertiser here at WC.

Toolsforworkingwood

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/2/05, 5:43 PM #8

William Duffield, on the Cohansey
Guest

Re: related sharpening question

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>There are lots of them out there on the used tool market, and many are much better and less expensive than the new ones. You should be able to find user grade saw sets at flea markets and garage sales, and especially at old tool sales sponsored by such organizations as MWTCA, PATINA, CRAFTS, EAIA, LFOD, Browns (FTJ), etc. and through many online old tool dealers. My best one, a Stanley 42X was found at the Columbus, NJ flea market for a buck or three.

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/3/05, 11:37 AM #9

Bill Sands in WV
Guest

Re: related sharpening question

Bill Sands in WV

>Thanks for the source information. I ordered two sets - one for fine teeth and one for coarse. I already have a couple of cheap saws to practice on, some files, Tom Law's video and an idea for building a saw vice. Can wrecked handsaws be made into cabinet scrapers??

Bill

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/3/05, 2:19 PM #10

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida
Guest

Backwards.

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>I meant the other way around. Stone the teeth on the side to which the saw is turning.

Re: hand saw sharpening

4/4/05, 8:39 AM #11

paul womack
Guest

Re: hand saw sharpening

paul womack

>I did not have good luck my first try at sharpening a cross cut saw.

.

.

.

Any obvious errors, recommendations?

I can't be sure, but if you didn't practice your filing skill on a rip saw first, that's a big mistake. Saw sharpening ain't killer difficult; but you have to learn. On cross cut saws I recommend Bob Weaaring's (and my) rake control gadget. Accurate and consistent rake is especially important on cross cut saws. You might also want to reduce the fleam angle on smaller toothed X cuts.

BugBear

hand saw sharpening

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