Daniel Rode
02-22-2016, 4:57 PM
I have a few dull hand saws that I've acquired over the last year or so. So I made a saw vice and ordered a selection of saw files. I've watched watched videos and asked questions here, so I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of how to do it. Ron Herman's video was probably the most helpful and so I mostly followed his technique. I was very careful to take the same stroke every time. Even pressure and the full file length.
I had a junker rip back saw that I started on. It was so dull the teeth looked rounded over. After a jointing pass with a file, I followed the existing tooth angle by eye and ran down the line twice before it looked sharp. I tried it and it cut OK. It pulled right and jammed a bit.
The next saw was a 70's era Disston 11pt rip saw. This time I used a block on the end of the file to help me keep an consistent rake angle. Twice down the line and it felt sharp. You can see when the tooth is sharp easier than I thought. Magnifying eyeglasses are a big help. I ripped some 5/4 wanlut and some 8/4 pine. I was kind of shocked. It cut fast (for an 11pt saw) and tracked a straight line with no effort.
Next was a somewhat older 9pt Disston rip saw. It's probably from the 50s or 60s. Not very elegant, but still well made. I'd already down some work on the handle to make it more comfortable but it was dull. Again, twice seemed to be enough to get all the teeth sharp and the block made holding the rake angle easy. Once again, it cut fast and held a like. Both saws had comfortable kerfs, so the did not need any set.
The last saw is an 18" "boys saw" (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?229074-Saw-restoration-1-hour-amp-1&highlight=) It's like a panel saw but even shorter. It came filed rip and appears to have about 11 tpi. I got it off eBay with the idea of having a small hybrid saw for the bench or a small tool box. This was my first attempt at adding fleam. I made a pair of blocks with a 1/8" hole drilled at 15 degrees. I eyed the rake angle at about 15 degrees as well. This time, I took two strokes on each tooth. I used a marker to color the teeth and filed every other tooth. I swapped blocks and took two strokes on the odd teeth.
I gave the small saw a try cutting both rip and crosscut on a test piece. I was able to track 1/32" away from my line the entire distance. I was surprised for a couple of reasons. First, the saw outperformed my wildest expectations. The saw cut nicely rip and x-cut in 4/4 stock. It was fast but still fairly easy to start. Most surprising was my ability to follow a line that closely with any had saw. I mostly do joinery with hand tools and use the machines to break stock down or make long rips.
Lastly, I went back to the junker back saw. I wanted to re-file it the same as the boys saw to see how it did. It was OK but it kept stalling in the cut and was still pulling right pretty bad. I stoned the teeth on the right side and it cut a little straighter but it still kept getting stuck. The issue, I think, is that it needs set. I don't have a saw set yet, so I'll have to try again when I get one.
I'd been thinking and planning for the last year. When I finally stared filing, I was much easier than I had imagined. I also think I got a case of beginners luck. 3 of 4 saws did not need set and cut straight with no adjustments. Lucky is good :D
I hope this encourages someone who's hesitant to give saw sharpening a try. It's much easier that I imagined and a sharp saw is a joy to use :)
332265
I had a junker rip back saw that I started on. It was so dull the teeth looked rounded over. After a jointing pass with a file, I followed the existing tooth angle by eye and ran down the line twice before it looked sharp. I tried it and it cut OK. It pulled right and jammed a bit.
The next saw was a 70's era Disston 11pt rip saw. This time I used a block on the end of the file to help me keep an consistent rake angle. Twice down the line and it felt sharp. You can see when the tooth is sharp easier than I thought. Magnifying eyeglasses are a big help. I ripped some 5/4 wanlut and some 8/4 pine. I was kind of shocked. It cut fast (for an 11pt saw) and tracked a straight line with no effort.
Next was a somewhat older 9pt Disston rip saw. It's probably from the 50s or 60s. Not very elegant, but still well made. I'd already down some work on the handle to make it more comfortable but it was dull. Again, twice seemed to be enough to get all the teeth sharp and the block made holding the rake angle easy. Once again, it cut fast and held a like. Both saws had comfortable kerfs, so the did not need any set.
The last saw is an 18" "boys saw" (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?229074-Saw-restoration-1-hour-amp-1&highlight=) It's like a panel saw but even shorter. It came filed rip and appears to have about 11 tpi. I got it off eBay with the idea of having a small hybrid saw for the bench or a small tool box. This was my first attempt at adding fleam. I made a pair of blocks with a 1/8" hole drilled at 15 degrees. I eyed the rake angle at about 15 degrees as well. This time, I took two strokes on each tooth. I used a marker to color the teeth and filed every other tooth. I swapped blocks and took two strokes on the odd teeth.
I gave the small saw a try cutting both rip and crosscut on a test piece. I was able to track 1/32" away from my line the entire distance. I was surprised for a couple of reasons. First, the saw outperformed my wildest expectations. The saw cut nicely rip and x-cut in 4/4 stock. It was fast but still fairly easy to start. Most surprising was my ability to follow a line that closely with any had saw. I mostly do joinery with hand tools and use the machines to break stock down or make long rips.
Lastly, I went back to the junker back saw. I wanted to re-file it the same as the boys saw to see how it did. It was OK but it kept stalling in the cut and was still pulling right pretty bad. I stoned the teeth on the right side and it cut a little straighter but it still kept getting stuck. The issue, I think, is that it needs set. I don't have a saw set yet, so I'll have to try again when I get one.
I'd been thinking and planning for the last year. When I finally stared filing, I was much easier than I had imagined. I also think I got a case of beginners luck. 3 of 4 saws did not need set and cut straight with no adjustments. Lucky is good :D
I hope this encourages someone who's hesitant to give saw sharpening a try. It's much easier that I imagined and a sharp saw is a joy to use :)
332265