glenn bradley
04-06-2018, 7:03 AM
I rarely start hand tool conversations. First off, I do not consider myself any sort of expert in their use even though I use them on nearly every thing I make. I knocked out a new Saw Vise yesterday and gave it a whirl on my Veritas 14 tpi dovetail saw. As with anything we get new or freshly sharpened, it cut like buttah.
Probably due to my hybrid approach lessening my practice or my complete lack of any natural athletic ability, starting a handsaw can be hit an miss for me depending on material. I had read here and there about graduated rake patterns on saws and figured, what the heck . . .
The Veritas saw is filed as a rip with a 14 degree rake. I followed this when I tuned it up. As an experiment I went back and filed the first 10 teeth at 20 degrees and the next 10 at 17 degrees leaving the balance of the length at the stock 14 degrees.
After a few test starts in various materials (including some difficult ash that I have around) I'm sold on the graduated rake on the first teeth. I can start and cut to the line in just a few strokes. I just wanted to share the experience in case there is someone else out there who struggles with the starting cut more often than not, as I did.
Probably due to my hybrid approach lessening my practice or my complete lack of any natural athletic ability, starting a handsaw can be hit an miss for me depending on material. I had read here and there about graduated rake patterns on saws and figured, what the heck . . .
The Veritas saw is filed as a rip with a 14 degree rake. I followed this when I tuned it up. As an experiment I went back and filed the first 10 teeth at 20 degrees and the next 10 at 17 degrees leaving the balance of the length at the stock 14 degrees.
After a few test starts in various materials (including some difficult ash that I have around) I'm sold on the graduated rake on the first teeth. I can start and cut to the line in just a few strokes. I just wanted to share the experience in case there is someone else out there who struggles with the starting cut more often than not, as I did.