Starting an aggressive saw

[Jason Buresh]

I recently picked up this old Disston. 443267443268It is stamped on the plate 5. It has a very aggressive tooth pattern but once it gets going it can rip.The problem is starting a kerf. I have been using a less aggressive saw to start a kerf and then come in with this one. Is there a trick to starting a saw like this?

[mike stenson]

I draw back several times with aggressive panel rip saws, at an angle across the corner. It essentially creates the start of the kerf for you. I also start at the heel on those.

I could be wrong, but that's how I was taught. Backsaws, are a different story.

[Jim Koepke]

Some will cut a notch with a knife next to their knife line, pencil line or chalk line.

Others will use the heel of their hand agains the lower horn to lightly lift the saw through the starting forward motion.

Then, many do as Mike posted by starting the kerf with a backward stroke or a few.

jtk

[Brian Hale]

Try starting with the wood tilted away from you and/or lowering your hand so the saw is attacking the wood at a steep angle, ~45 degrees. After a few strokes you can raise your hand slightly and have at it. The wood your ripping needs to be fairly thick, 1" or more. need to keep several teeth in the wood

Brian

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Try starting with the wood tilted away from you and/or lowering your hand so the saw is attacking the wood at a steep angle, ~45 degrees. After a few strokes you can raise your hand slightly and have at it. The wood your ripping needs to be fairly thick, 1" or more. need to keep several teeth in the wood
Brian

This is good advice.

I would add, relax your grip on the saw. The tendency is to try to hold it more firmly to make sure it starts where you want it to, and you want to avoid that.

[Curt Putnam]

The big rippers are a bear (for the non-expert) and I have the same struggles as you. What I have found (so far) that helps me is to:
Start at the heel @ ~45° to the corner
Try holding the saw with 2 fingers and just rest it on the wood before pushing forward
Use a good starting kerf or notch

[Tom M King]

I back up across a corner too, and then a light hand until you get the feel for that board.

[Jason Buresh]

So i was playing around tonight. I used Jim's trick of using a knife to cut a a small wedge out, changed my angle, loosened my grip, and did the pull back technique and i am able to get it going.

Thanks for all the advice!!

[Prashun Patel]

Even once the rip gets going it helps to keep the wood tilted away. I try to rip on my saw bench which makes you do it this way.


However, I was taught that if you just kiss the teeth and keep extremely light pressure you can take a fairly long stroke and the cut will start. If I can do it with a little practice anyone can. There’s no need to draw back on the saw or to start with a less aggressive saw.

[mike stenson]

Probably true, I learned on work sites. We had stuff to do.

[Jerry Olexa]

Good advice Mike...Agree.


I draw back several times with aggressive panel rip saws, at an angle across the corner. It essentially creates the start of the kerf for you. I also start at the heel on those.

I could be wrong, but that's how I was taught. Backsaws, are a different story.

[Scott Winners]

Hard to tell from the one picture, but you _might_ have some smaller teeth at the tip end of that thing away from the handle.

Of the rip saws I have numbered 6 or less, I only have one with the smaller teeth on the tip. They were a bugger to sharpen, but now that I have the sharpness dialed in I can start a rip cut with the three inches or so of the blade tip with the msaller teeth, and then take longer strokes. If your saw has those it is probably worth giving it a try once the baby teeth are sharp.

[Daniel Culotta]

I’ve found this exercise helpful, though all of the techniques above are good.

https://brfinewoodworking.com/video-how-to-start-a-hand-saw-cut/

[Michael J Evans]

I am not sure if it applies to panel saws, but in one of Paul sellers videos on sharpening back saws he mentions shaping the first few teeth with what I would call a 45* rake angle. Basically straight down triangles. Like I said not sure if that works with low tooth panel, but a idea.
I just picked up a harvey piece 4-1/2 point and have had the same exact issue as you.

[Jim Koepke]

I am not sure if it applies to panel saws, but in one of Paul sellers videos on sharpening back saws he mentions shaping the first few teeth with what I would call a 45* rake angle.

That would be like having a kerf starter at the end of the saw.

Maybe that is what the nib on the back of saws was meant to be.

jtk

[James Pallas]

Here’s my take. Sharp saw, saw bench or saw horse, about 45* angle, no draw back, weight off the saw, make sure you have your thumb and knuckle high on the plate, long straight smooth stroke forward. Don’t get carried away with cutting to a line. These saws are for rough cuts, rip or crosscut. A dull saw will give you fits and get you cut by jumping from the cut. You would learn quickly if you had 400 studs to cut in front of you. Good luck.
Jim

[James Pallas]

That would be like having a kerf starter at the end of the saw.

Maybe that is what the nib on the back of saws was meant to be.

jtk
I was told what the nub is for Jim. As I remember the exact quote was, “It is there for a lad like you to wonder about. Now go bring me the board stretcher and the nail bender.”😀