Spring Steel, files, Rockwell etc??

[Dave Hanningan]

Hi new to the forum and I've been interested in making some hand saws like dovetail etc. Heard that 1095 spring steel is the best to use and the one to get should have a hardness of RC48-51. Well I've found some at Mcmaster and called them up there's is 44-51 kind of a broad range. From what I've read a RC50-52 can be found using Swedish Spring Steel but where the heck can you get that in US or can you? I heard Sandvik makes it but there over seas and they do have an office in Houston but I haven't been able to get in touch with any of them, possibly holdiays etc. Another question is can you harden the stuff from Mcmaster to get something near RC 50-52 or is it even worth the trouble. How long does it take to dull a saw if you use the regular 1095 vs the swedish made and filing a saw that's RC50-52 for touch up how will it eat up your file. I looked into files and found Grobet brand supposed to be the best. Another question is on the files I found Grobet brand files on Amazon however they say its American Pattern whats that?? That they were swiss made? Or am I just being assinine about this and just go with the 1095 from like Mcmaster. I plan on making some dove tail saws with 15ppi rip cut. Just wandering if having that big of a margine from RC44-51 is a little to much. I know a simple way to build a furnace but not sure how much propane I'd end up using. The furnace can get up to 2000degF and just to let you know I have never try to harden anything and also wandering if if might warp the metal which means it would be a pain in the but to try.

Thanks,
Dave:)

[David Weaver]

Go with the 1095 from mcmaster carr, or buy a saw plate from someone who makes parts or kits.

The files will work it whether it's 44 or 52, the grobet brands from amazon are fine. If you're going to order individual files, you might want to go with a woodworking supplier like Tools for Working Wood so you don't end up paying up front for a dozen.

American pattern means they aren't swiss pattern files, to you as a saw filer, you want the ones they call american pattern.

Buy hardened and tempered 1095 and don't worry about trying to do it yourself, I don't think you could reharden and temper it accurately.

[Dave Hanningan]

Ok, Thanks David!!

[Trevor Walsh]

Ditto on rehardening and tempering the spring steel. While possible, the material is consistent enough and nice enough and will be hard enough for the purpose, it would probably take a fair amount of practice/figuring to get harder, straight and usable. I'd put the money towards good files and lots of steel, making 10 saws with stock steel will be cheaper than trying to get one harder steel.

[george wilson]

It would be a disaster to try to re harden sheet spring steel. It'd never stay remotely flat. My 1095 always checked out at 52 R.C.. Spring steel that hard is getting pretty hard on your files,so you don't want it any harder. Also,it would be too hard and would crack the first false move you made with your saw.

American pattern files have their ends chopped off,while Swiss pattern files have ends that taper down to a fine point. American pattern triangular files are just fine for filing saw teeth. Use the Grobets. Nicholson files are now made in mexico and are WAY too soft. I can file a new Nicholson to below the depth of the teeth with an old USA made Nicholson.

[Chris Fournier]

Groberts are excellent and my go to saw filing files. I buy a dozen of a size at a time and they are reasonably priced.