How best to restore old handsaws?

Re: How best to restore old handsaws?

Patrick Gibbons, Bayou City

>Ellis, I have been successful at restoring the few old ones I have by using mineral spirits as a lubricant for 240 grit wet/dry sandpaper to remove rust. I rub the length of the saw and don't pay much attention to the teeth as they will be taken care of in the sharpening process. If the blade is very pitted (a judgement call) down by the teeth I reserve the saw for ripping. Others use WD 40 as a lubricant. I don't try to get the blade shiny as this is counterproductive. I stop when the rust is gone. I wax the blade when finished or apply a film of oil. I have far fewer problems with my saws developing new rust than my planes. I believe this has to do with not having physical contact with the steel of the blade as I do with plane bodies and blades. In the archives you'll find Todd Hughes and others relating in better detail what I've said here and the Pete Taran primer on sharpening in the WC Articles has some more info. Pete's website has even more info, IIRC. I don't think there have been any revisionists opining on this subject and besides, it's a pretty basic activity.

Re: How best to restore old handsaws?

Jim Crammond in Monroe Michigan

>Ellis,

I agree with Patrick, though for the initial removal of rust and crud, I use a single edge razor blade mounted in a holder that is used for scraping paint spatters off windows. This works quickly and isn't quite as messy as wet sanding.

Jim

Re: How best to restore old handsaws?

s.mackay@worldnet.att.net

>I asked here when I started the three Disstons I scored that had been stored, quote, "at the bottom of a well" (don't remember who.). Remove handle, 220 paper (dry) on a block for the blade and same for the handle. The blade took a couple days while sitting out front watching the cars go by. My concern was obliterating (sp) the etching but you can still see it fine. Most of the pitting came out clean if not even. Then the magic trick . . . Johnson's Paste Wax. VERY slick and pretty to boot and, after about six months, still no sign of any rust returning. Was fun to watch the transformation too ! Much more fun to use than new plastic handled saws. But I'm weird that way .

Re: How best to restore old handsaws?

Ernie Miller

>I beleave in better living thru chemistry I use a purple scotch brite and some oven cleaner as a lubricant spray it let it set a few minutes and the oil and gunk just melts away the scotch brite removed the rust. wipe off with a paper towell if it is still rusty then it is the 250 sand paper but it isn't as messey as it would have been and the paper last longer. I like the purple cause they come in 32" circles for refinishing gym floors and can be had for about $7 trim the sides so they fit in a large sheet tray and you have a flat surface for cleaning even the largest hand planes and the mess is contained. the off cuts are for saws and small items.

Why not use R.O.S?

Rich Glisson

>I have some saws to restore also and am puzzled why anyone would sand the blades by hand (for a couple of days???!!!). I would think that a random orbit sander with progressively finer paper would do a fantastic job and quickly. Is it because of fear of removing too much material from the sides of the teeth? One could clamp the teeth between two boards to completely protect them while sanding.

Pretty Funny

Todd Hughes

>Well guess you could use an angle grinder and get it done plenty fast eh? [Believe it or not I Have actually seen saws cleaned this way!]

I've cleaned dozens of saws and it is a rare one that takes more then 15 mins or so using a sanding block...and I'm slow and stupid. ..If real rusty a razor blade scraper probably speeds things up a bit but I really try not to buy saws that are that rusty and you should too

Now lets talk about cleaning 18th century wood planes with your sand blaster ......Todd

Re: Why not use R.O.S?

Ernie Miller

>If myou want swirley marks on the blade that would be fine but when they made the saws they were ground and the grinding marks go along the length of the blade. I'm with Todd I have never spent that much time on a blade and I have gotten some really nasty ones. I do like your idea about using a coule boards to protect the teeth but as of yet I have not ruined any. A couple boards screwed to some binder clips might be the trick. But I don't see t5hat happening any time soon. It depends on which porch is in the shade and I don't want to make two.

Re: LOL

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Your sand blaster remark made me actually laugh out loud. Yep, my opinion is that to use a power tool to clean a hand tool should only be done in very dank dungeons by people who are highly skilled in the use of the rack. Although sometimes when the moon is very dark and I can close the curtains in my shop I will use a wire wheel on my grinder to clean screws.

Todd, that's to Foul

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Now lets talk about cleaning 18th century wood planes with your sand blaster ......Todd

Conjures up very bad images.

Very funny tho, you almost made me blow my coffee! :~O

I suppose you've given up using shotguns for tree trimming now that you've got that howitzer eh? ;~)

Todd O.

Re: How best to restore old handsaws?

Adam Cherubini

>I've had bad luck removing the handles on saws I've recently made. I took the handle off and then couldn't line the holes back up again. I've heard of guys trying to keep the same hardware in the same holes. Not sure if that works or why it would.

Otherwise, I'm with Jim, if its red flaky rust, I really like using a razor blade. If possible, I think it would be a good idea to soak in kerosene for as long as you can stand it (weeks). Just be careful to suspend the saw since kerosene floats on water. I put one tool in a jar of kerosene and the top was fine put 1/4" of the tip was sitting in water and rusted!

Consider sending your triangular files to Boggs for resharpening. I've never sent my files, but I'd like to. I have some really old files and I really like them and would like them more if they were sharp.

I wet sand (usually with lots and lots of water) and a sanding block. I don't think I've ever been able to do it in 15 minutes or 50. But a good saw is worth restoring.

Good luck with them Eliis,

Adam

Uhhh...

Rich Glisson

>A. Ellis didn't say he was restoring them for display at the Smithsonian.

B. He did say they were "pretty rusty".

C. One can achieve any desired degree of finish with an ROS depending on the abrasives used. You can just stick Scotchbright to the pad if you're worried about your precious grinding striations.

D. I know you guys better than you think, having lurked here for years, so it's possible that there just might be a wee element of chain-jerking involved here :)

Down, Mongo!

Zap it.

Joe Hurst

>Ellis-

For once, I get to offer you a scrap of advice! Yeah, baby.

Over the past two years, I've found so many excuses to use electrolysis that I now keep a car-battery charger and tub of water in the corner of my shop.

Couldn't be simpler, or safer (if you're worried about preserving any etchings or inscriptions). If the handles won't come off, you can use a deeper tank and dip the saws up to the edge of the wood.

-Joebob

Re: scraps of info *LINK*

paul womack

>Are on my website (linky)

BugBear


http://www.geocities.com/plybench/saw_sharpen.html

Yeabutt...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Zappin' saws turns them an ulgy grey color. Not for me, I'll stick to a razor blade and sandpaper.

Thanks all

Ellis Walentine

>I'll post some pix when I finally get these babies cleaned up. Sharpening is going to be another challenge, but I'll get there.

Cheers,

Ellis

Re: How best to restore old handsaws?

Peter Evans

>Adam, you cannot sharpen saw taper files because the file teeth on the flat do not wear much, but the corners become rounded and stop cutting. The corner "teeth" are ground away whilst filing, so Boggs would not be able to restore.

However saw taper files, with the teeth ground off (or at least the first inch or so) make great dovetail chisels, and you cannot argue about the price. I have a few very large 3 square files in new condition (cost $1 each) that I don't use for saws, and may turn into dovetail chisels. With so many blunt saw files I have left and right skews as well.

bummer

Adam Cherubini

>

Re: Yeabutt...

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>I definately agree with Scott on this issue. Zapping saw IS NOT a good idea. From my experiance they turn a dull grey that cannot be shined back up. Other than that I'm a firm believer is electrolysis because it gets down into the tiny crevices as well.

Todd O.