confused about my backsaw

[Jasper Homminga]

Hello

First let me introduce myself: I have been reading al your posts for a while and must say they are thoroughly enjoyable. Woodworking has been a hobby for about 4 years now, but I am rather new to the Neanderthal style of working wood. At least 50% of what I did involved some sort of power tool. Because the noise and dust were really starting to annoy me though (and I did not think I could solve the noise part) I at least wanted to figure out how to get the dust out. After thinking and reading about it for a while it dawned on me that I was working on the wrong end of the problem: I should not have made the dust in the first place. So I made a sled and stepped onto the slippery slope.



On to the saw confusion:
I have an old backsaw with 6PPI teeth (filed cross-cut). The combination of backsaw and 6PPI does not seem to make sense. I thought backsaws were made for fine work while 6PPI would seem more for coarse work.
What would a 6PPI backsaw be used for?


Jasper

[Richard Gillespie]

Jasper let me be the first to welcome you to the creek. There is a wide range of experience here and many friendly people who are glad to share advice with you. I completely understand your desire to avoid dust. I developed allergies to wood dust while working as a cabinet/furniture maker.

As to your back saw, I've never seen one with 6 tpi before. Most of them are in the range of 10 to 14 tpi. To venture a guess, it is for cross cutting soft woods and not intended to give a smooth cut. For some reason, that tpi configuration makes me think of a stair saw used to cut stopped dadoes.

[Marc Hills]

I'm with Richard, I think you are correct to be confused by the 6 tpi. How long is this backsaw? Do you have a way of measuring the tooth set? I'm guessing it would have significant set. Maybe this was set up to cut through green wood.

The other alternative of course, is that the current tooth configuration is not original and is simply the result of a hack job. Can you provide us with a picture? We love pictures!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jasper....Welcome to the 'Creek! Wide variety of experience and talents here! Friendly people always willing to give an opinion! Again....Welcome!

[Jerry Palmer]

Welcome!

Some additional info would be helpful, the length of the say for one thing. If it is longish, say in the 18" range it was originally a saw for a miter box and might have been used as such for framing where a smooth cut was not needed. If it is in the 12" or shorter category, chances are it was retoothed either as a hack job or for one or another special purpose.

[Jasper Homminga]

The other alternative of course, is that the current tooth configuration is not original and is simply the result of a hack job. I had not even thought of that. So ... some idiot just filed teeth on it to make it look like a saw?

It's 12" long 3"deep from the back and ... it has no set.

Jasper

[Leif Hanson]

My guess would be that it started out life as a 12 PPI standard issue backsaw and was re-filed to half that for some other, more specialized purpose - probably something like doing quick, rough cut half lap joints in 2x4 construction - or cutting plastic pipe, or some such reason. Or somebody just screwed it up.... but with 3" of blade, its got lots left, so I would file it flat and start over.

If you go to my website and look up the back saw project (http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/ww/dovetail/bs-index.htm) I did a bit ago, there is a section on adding teeth to a saw that has none - if you're interested in going that route... Or you can take it to a professional who has a machine that can re-tooth the thing for you. 6 PPI is just too coarse for most uses that I can dream up.

Leif

[Tyler Howell]

Welcome Jasper! Glad to have you on board!

[Don Kugelberg]

Jasper,

If you decide to go the professional sharpening route, Steve at the site below is second to none and his rates are reasonable.

www.cookessharpening.com

Welcome to the forum.

[Jerry Palmer]

As appears to be Leif's habit, he is sverely understating the helpfulness of his site, and that page in particular. If you are at all interested in retoothing that saw, it is an excellent resource. Even has some downloadable printable gauges for several tpi configurations. Download the one you want, print it out and attach it to the jointed blade and go to town.:D

[Jasper Homminga]

... but with 3" of blade, its got lots left, so I would file it flat and start over.
If you go to my website and look up the back saw project (http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/ww/dovetail/bs-index.htm) I did a bit ago, there is a section on adding teeth to a saw that has none - if you're interested in going that route...
I have seen your website, it's fantastic. Actually, after reading it I ordered a set of files and a sawset (got here (the Netherlands) today) and I will try to get the backsaw in working order. I'll let you all know how it turned up. Don't hold your breath though, with two small children I don't get around to much woodwork these days (no complaints though!!).

thanks for the welcome and the help.
Jasper

[Chris Padilla]

Jasper,

Welcome...we love pictures...they are worth 10 times what they are worth normally!! 10,000 words!!! :D :D