Hand Saw Sharpening

[Neil Gaskin]

Is it difficult to sharpen a saw and not "screw it up"?

Never tried it before, from what I have read: I would need the appropriate file based on PPI, a set, and a saw vise. The tool part seems easy, the act of doing it looks easy on paper, but I do not want to screw up the saw.

I do have a few hand saws I do not care about so I guess I can start there.

Any advice from the collective?

[lowell holmes]

I learned to sharpen handsaws from the Ron Herman video on sharpening. Popular Woodworking offer it as a download.

He has two videos, be sure to get the one for sharpening. I have other dvd's, but Ron's is the best one I have seen.

[Jim Koepke]

Never tried it before, from what I have read: I would need the appropriate file based on PPI, a set, and a saw vise. The tool part seems easy, the act of doing it looks easy on paper, but I do not want to screw up the saw.

I do have a few hand saws I do not care about so I guess I can start there.

Neil, You do not indicate a location in you profile. If you are in the Pacific Northwest, I would be happy to help you to learn how to sharpen a saw. It is actually not all that hard.

A simple wooden saw vise is not hard to make.

Most saws have more than enough set to sharpen a few times before needing more set.

The file size is rather fluid. If you check different sites you will find different recommendations. The main considerations is the file should be at least twice the tooth height so the file doesn't become worn out before all three sides are used. It also has to be small enough so the corner doesn't distort the tooth shape at the bottom.

Another important point of saw sharpening is to use equal force and strokes on the teeth. Tall teeth will jam in the cut. Short teeth do little or no work. That is where a joining file comes in to play. If on the first pass all the teeth do not play well together, then take a few passes with a file held perpendicular to the tooth line and try again. Many saw sharpeners give a very light pass with a joining file before a final pass with the triangular file.

Here is a good starting point for learning more:

http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html

jtk

[Neil Gaskin]

Thank you both. I will check out the video and the web-site article.

I'm in Lawrence KS, so no where near the pacific northwest, but I do appreciate the offer.

[Mike Siemsen]

If you can't figure it out from the videos or Pete Taran's tutorial (the best) I run a saw filing class in Minnesota which is only slightly closer than the Pacific Northwest. You really don't remove much metal from a saw when you sharpen unless it is really messed up. Start with an 8 point saw or larger and decent raking light. I like DyKem layout fluid for darkening the teeth. Start with jointing, shaping the teeth, setting and filing rip. That is the easier part, then add fleam for a crosscut saw.
http://schoolofwood.com/classes