dropped them off for sharpening

Very subtle gloat

Bill Houghton, foggy in the morning, sunny later


>Pretty saws. The breasting on that lower one is remarkable.

Re: Very subtle gloat

arw01


>Someday I might even clean them! But the patina makes me think about how old it is, the story of the family that owned it.

His dad worked all the way through the depression as an engineer, his mother paid off their home during the depression many years early. She had lived through the WWII German depression and was quite conservative.

Alan

Re: Very subtle gloat

mikew


>Patina is like that. The memories locked in from toil and sweat.

Makes for great thoughts and feelings. I have some tools like that. I don't use some of them. On some, the patina doesn't alter the performance and I have left it for the visual reminders.

Saws, if they are to be used with less set and more efficiently, will benefit from a shiney saw plate. Polished isn't too strong a word.

Just a thought. Take care, Mike

Re: Very subtle gloat

david.marcus.brown


>What's the best way to clean a saw plate?

I've tried 320grit paper followed by a rust eraser. It helps but doesn't get in the nooks & crannies.

Would electrolysis be too aggressive?

Re: Very subtle gloat

mikew


>Hi Dave--cleaning is a hot-button topic. So I might as well make both sides of the issue pissed at me...

My feeling is that if the saw is to be used and *perhaps* is not some rarity from the 18th century, the very first Disston made, etc, etc, then remove the handle, begin with 150 grit and MS, sand, rinse, sand etc until you finally are wet sanding with 400. Wear out a sheet. Or two.

For a pitted blade, begin with citric acid--just watch the effect over a day, depending on the strength. Then do the sanding thing. When it first emerges from the acid, it will be gray and ugly. It will polish up.

But, I have saws which for various reasons--sentimental, rarity, etc.--will never see wood again. These I was very conservative. 0000 steel wool and MS to get the worse of the gunk off the handle and steel. Wax the blade and handle or a little BLO first on the handle.

Take care, Mike

Re: Very subtle gloat

William Duffield, on the Cohansey


>It's more likely to be barrel distortion due to the optical characteristics of the particular wide angle lens used to take the photo. Sorry to rain on your parade.

Re: Very subtle gloat

david.marcus.brown


>Thanks Mike.

None of the saws that I'm cleaning is rare. They are users and the patina (oxidation, etc) does increase the cutting effort, no matter how much wax you throw on the saw plate. I'll give the Citric acid a try. Does it work about the same as Naval jelly?

Re: Very subtle gloat

mikew


>Hi Dave--yes, similar to Navel Jelly. It's been a while since I used Navel Jelly and so I don't know whether the discoloration from Navel Jelly is removed post processing as easily as Citric Acid. Even at that, the saw plate will be a grayish color when done unless one really goes to town on the sanding.

Take care, Mike