Failure to Achieve Desired Results

[Richard Gillespie]

I thought I knew what I was doing regarding sharpening hand saws. I didn't have any problems sharpening panel saws today, including those with 10 TPI.

Once again I F**K UP a back saw. I have several back saws and with the very small teeth I have problems. At my age eye sight isn't a fort'e, I started out by jointing the saw. Then I filed equal size teeth. After that, it went into the toilet. I ended up with a bad case of big tooth, small tooth.

You know I must admit I couldn't tell, on that small scale, which tooth was pointed in which direction. When I tested the saw it grabbed. Several teeth were too tall. Prior to filing, I tried painting the teeth with a black magic marker but that really didn't give me good results
.

Any Suggestions?

[Roy Wall]

Even Tom Law said the limit for his skills is 15 tpi..........was this more?

You would certainly need magnification. If counted your strokes evenly, your pressure would also have to be even go get consistent tooth height.

Tell us more about your procedure......

[Bob Smalser]

If you can joint, set and file a panel saw then a back saw is no big deal, just a lot more tedious....even 15tpi. Your problem is most likely that you can't see what you are doing.

Any dime store has cheapo reading glasses up to 3X magnification.

A pair of 2X and a pair of 3X live in my filing horse's bin.

[Richard Gillespie]

Roy, it was a Diston #4 back saw with 14 tpi. Bob, you're probably right, I had my drug store 1x glasses on and was struggling. I guess I'm going to have to add more light and a larger magnifying glass.

It is just frustrating to have eye problems. As a draftsman for many years I took great pride in how well I could read the smallest/finest printing on site plans.

[Roy Wall]

I'm over 40......:eek: :confused: ----and I need more light too.......

I also use those +1.25 reading glasses on occasion.......REALITY HITS....

Anyway, good luck and post some pics of that beauty when your done.

Maybe get one of those 12" circular magnifying w/light mechanisms....attach to the bench/table??????(you know what I mean:p )

[Brent Smith]

Going to be 47 this year, and I'm realizing my sharpening purchases of late have been more in the way of magnification and lighting than real sharpening supplies.Even reading the small fractions on a ruler is getting harder.Don't despair Richard........more light and a bit of magnification,and the world will seem right again.I remember an old guy I met at the local watering hole awhile back saying to me"now that the only thing I can do is look(at the ladies)my eyes are giving up the ship."
Brent

[Leif Hanson]

I absolutely cannot sharpen a fine toothed saw without one of these:

http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/saw/23-lamp.jpg

$20 at the local Office Depot.

Also - black out the windows, turn off all the lights except task lighting right where you are working - somehow, isolating that spot with light helps you to focus.

Another help, some magnifying head strap, like this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38896

Don't kid yourself - get some magnification, and some proper lighting!

HTH
Leif

[Alan Turner]

I use jewlers glasses, which are available in a # of strengths and focal lengths. About $35 at a findings store, as I recall. These go on for cutting DT's, sharpening, etc. And, of course, a lot of light.

[Richard Gillespie]

I want to take a moment to say thanks to all who responded to this thread. As always, the people on the Creek are most helpful especially with hand tool questions. Your suggestions will be followed.

[Jerry Palmer]

Additional light and magnification do help, my 51 year old eyes ain't nowhere near as good as they used to be. But, while I can use my scrollsawing magnifier lamp for some tasks, saw sharpening is not one of them. :cool:

Be that as it may, Big tooth, Small tooth has been a problem for me in the past and chances are that if you look real close at the bigger toothed blades you will see evidence of it there, also. The small teeth exacerbate the problem.

Two things I concentrate on doing when sharpening saws is to keep a light touch on the file and to consciously concentrate on filing the front edge of each tooth without putting downward pressure into the gullet. The business side is the front of the tooth and any incidental filing on the back side of the tooth in front of that one is sufficient to take any little burrs etc off. A third thing on crosscut teeth is that I find it useful to be standing at the handle end and observing the progress on the front of a tooth from there. As soon as you see the set side of the tooth come to a point at the top, that tooth is done.

[Eric Coyle]

one trick that someone from the oldtools list serve passed on to me was to pass the teeth over a burning candle, so that the carbon blackened the teeth, then it's easier to see.

The tip about the reading glasses from the dollar store works for me as well. Better than any illuminated magnifying lamp.

Next tip is for setting the teeth.....

I tried various saw-sets, but found none really to my likeing for back-saws and finer toothed blades, so I just used a flat punch and consistent taps with a hammer to set the teeth. It worked for me, and then I recieved some feedback saying that the method was not unknown, ie others used it.

Eric
in Calgary