handsaws

Handle

Jim in Burlington On


>Even before I knew which saw's were the best I'd buy the one's with nice handles. Just seemed to makes sense if someone had a quality blade they'd build a nice handle to go with it. Seems to have paid off for me.

Re: Handle

thomd


>Me too on the handles. I also look at the stain pattern you can tell a lot about the age of saws you may not eve be able to see the marks of. Also if they let you stought hem with a file you can get a good taste that way.

Make sure they are straight, and not too used up.

Re: handsaws *LINK*

Bill Houghton, retired fun in Sebastopol, CA


>I also agree on the handles being a good indicator. I don't know what brands are common in the Netherlands. Here in the United States, the most common brand is Disston, and there's a website, listed below, that has some good handle pictures.

In the United States, saw brands were traditionally etched on the sawblade, about centered on the left side of it (handle held in your right hand, looking at the surface of the blade). These are usually pretty hard to see on an old saw, unless it's shinier than you'll find used. One of the saw nuts was also a medallion, with the company name in VERY small type around the company logo. Take a magnifying glass shopping with you, unless your eyes are better than mine ever were.

You don't want them so deeply rusted that the saw steel is pitted - when it is, the handle is usually not in very good shape, either. Light rust and staining is OK.

Hold up the saw, teeth up, with the handle close to your face, and sight along the blade. For a panel saw (no back), straight is ideal, a little curve over the length of it isn't too bad, but a kink or sharp bend is reason to put it back. Then turn it over with the teeth down and check the back the same way.

When you buy a backsaw, don't accept anything but straight.


The disstonian institute