Rehab an old saw?

[Mark Gibney]

I need to rehab an old carcass saw. I'm pretty sure I read a how-to on this in either FWW or PWW in the last few years, but when I google their articles nothing comes up.

Maybe I'm imagining I read the article? - can anyone point me to a good source on how to do this, mostly how to file and set the teeth?

thanks!

[Nicholas Lawrence]

If you click on the "sticky" link at the top of this forum, and then click on "Neanderthal Wisdom/FAQs", there are a couple of links in there. Part 4 has links to sharpening saws, and then part 9 has a couple of threads on rehabbing old saws.

[Don Slaughter]

Go to YouTube and search for 'HOW TO SHARPEN A WOODWORKING HANDSAW WITH PAUL SELLERS' It's about a 30 minute tutorial. Also, Popular Woodworking has "SHOPCLASS' videos by Ron Herman (requires subscription). The Ron Herman tutorial is the absolute best I've seen but the 'free' Paul Sellers video is an excellent video illustrating the basics of sharpening.

good luck,
Don

[Jim Koepke]

There is a good primer on saw sharpening at: http://www.vintagesaws.com

Click on the "Library" saw on the left of the page.

jtk

[Pat Barry]

There is a good primer on saw sharpening at: http://www.vintagesaws.com

Click on the "Library" saw on the left of the page.

jtk
That website seems to have fallen into disrepair

[Jim Koepke]

That website seems to have fallen into disrepair

It may have been down when you tried. I just went straight through to:

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

Not sure if that will bring you to the page I was on since it has a strange framing set up.

NOTE: Just clicked on this after posting and that link goes to the library page. From there, click on "Saw Filing - A Beginners Primer."

jtk

[steven c newman]

There is a fellow out in Missoula,MT, named Bob Summerfield, who might redo your saw.....when he isn't out running crews to fight forest fires...Missoula Saw works?

[Phil Mueller]

Mark, went through the same thing about 6 months ago. Great suggestions above. The Paul Sellers video is great if your saw is in good shape and just needs a sharpening. On the other hand, if the teeth are in rough shape and need more work (or you plan to sharpen more saws in the future), I found the video Sharpen Your Handsaws by Ron Herman to be quite helpful. I purchased the download from shopwoodworking.com (about $15).

The other thing quite helpful was right here. I posted some photos of work in progress (otherwise known as mangled saw teeth) and got some great input.

[Mark Gibney]

Thank you one and all, I have some viewing to do tonight.

The blade curves slightly, so that's going to be my main challenge I think.

[Pete Taran]

Mark,

As others have mentioned, check out the saw filing primer on my website. Not sure where the "disrepair" comment is from, I look at the stats from traffic and it is always among the top visited pages on the website, so someone apparently finds it in good enough shape to use.

As you might imagine from a guy who has a website about restoring and using saws, I'm passionate about teaching the black saw arts to others, and there is nothing magic about their upkeep.

The thing you just mentioned about the curve. This is usually due to one of two things. Someone bent the back slightly in the center, or the blade has been disturbed in the back. The first is easy to fix, just take the entire back and gently bend it over your knee in the opposite direction and then check for straightness. Be gentle and do it several times if needed. You can do it with the handle on, but don't use the handle as a lever as you might break it. If that fixes it, you are on to filing. If not, you will likely need to remove or at least adjust the blade in the back. This isn't hard either, but you don't want to start there if you can avoid it.

Check it out and report back.

Pete

[lowell holmes]

Plus one for the Ron Herman video. It is the best I've ever watched.

[Pat Barry]

Mark,

As others have mentioned, check out the saw filing primer on my website. Not sure where the "disrepair" comment is from, I look at the stats from traffic and it is always among the top visited pages on the website, so someone apparently finds it in good enough shape to use.


Check it out and report back.

Pete
Many of the links don't work. That's what I meant by disrepair. You may want to have your IT guy take care of it for you.

[Mark Gibney]

The thing I don't like about hand tools is the big gaps in time between when I can get to work on them / with them. I've a lot to learn from all the links offered here from Paul Sellers to Pete Taran to Ron Herman and more, so I think I need to be patient. I'll let you all know how the saw turns out.

[Phil Mueller]

Hmmm...everything works for me. Great site...very helpful.

[Pat Barry]

Hmmm...everything works for me. Great site...very helpful.
errrrrr, I don't think so. Click on the "Site Map" and then on "Saw Care". I get an error 404. There are other links that are broken as well. In fact most of the links on the Site Map are broken. I just don't make things up.

[Pete Taran]

I'm pleased to report for those that rely on the site map, which has not been updated since 2009, the links have been corrected. I hope this vastly improves your enjoyment of the website. Thanks for pointing it out!

[lowell holmes]

This is the video, check it out.

https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/AQ-1153/Sharpen_Your_Handsaws_with_Ron_Herman

[Pat Barry]

I'm pleased to report for those that rely on the site map, which has not been updated since 2009, the links have been corrected. I hope this vastly improves your enjoyment of the website. Thanks for pointing it out!
Thanks for fixing it! I am looking forward to excellent content.