PDA

View Full Version : My recent rust finds (Pics)



T.J. Mahaffey
01-09-2006, 10:41 AM
I've been trolling Ebay for an affordable start to a back saw arsenal. I won these three for about $60, with shipping. (Back saws are non-existent on my part of the world.) That price is a bit high for speculation, but the auction description did confirm they were all straight. And since I didn't see any missing wood on the handles, I figured I could fix any other potential problems using some of the excellent howtos found on the web and here.

Top: Disston 12", with craftsman-made sheath
Middle: Atkins 14"
Bottom: Warranted Superior 16"

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/backsaws.jpg

The Disston had a screw driven into the underside of the handle to repair a break. I've now removed it in anticipation of all three saws' restoration. I'm very conservative about restoration, though. I'll remove the rust, scrub the handles with mineral spirits and probably wipe them down with a few coats of boiled linseed oil. I'm very excited to see how these will shape up.

Meanwhile, I prepped some red oak yesterday for building my first saw till. The oak is from my recent 'wood score', posted here about 2 months ago. Now that I've looked it over more closely, a big chunk of the haul is pretty trashy red oak. So, I've had quite a bit of waste while trying to cull out enough to build a till. Looks like every shop project I do for the next year is going to be made out of low-grade red oak. :o

I also went spokeshave crazy on the 'Bay. My GIT, (8-yr-old daughter, Erin) has taken a fancy to my Stanley #51, so I was looking to buy one for her toolbox. I ended up buying 5 various spokeshaves in the process. :)

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/spokeshaves.jpg

In the second picture, you'll also notice the red-painted bevel I snagged for $2 at one of my regular rust haunts as well as a Lakeside drawknife (my first) I got for $20 at the same dealer. I've developed kind of a 'thing' for Lakeside tools. I now have a hand saw, a draw knife and a large mortise chisel bearing the Lakeside name. The saw even has a neat visible etch of a lighthouse on it.

Thanks for looking!

Steve Clardy
01-09-2006, 10:53 AM
Looks good! Always nice to add to the arsenal!!

Dave Anderson NH
01-09-2006, 11:02 AM
Hey TJ, A little bit of scrubbing with some steel wool and that Stanley sliding bevel should show its nice Rosewood for you. I see that like me you've developed a "thing" for spokeshaves. Personally, I stay away from eBay and all of the auctions sites because as a friend once told me, "Lead me not into temptation........I can find it by myself."

T.J. Mahaffey
01-09-2006, 11:10 AM
Hey TJ, A little bit of scrubbing with some steel wool and that Stanley sliding bevel should show its nice Rosewood for you.
Good idea, Dave. I'm hoping so.


I see that like me you've developed a "thing" for spokeshaves. Personally, I stay away from eBay and all of the auctions sites because as a friend once told me, "Lead me not into temptation........I can find it by myself."
I have, yes. But I think this will be all I need/chase for the forseeable future. Now, if I find some at an auction or something in the wild, all bets are off. ;)

You're right about Ebay. I troll all the new old-tool postings every day. :eek:
But I'm mostly pretty good about restraining myself. I watch way more auctions than I actually bid on. Just to keep abreast of prices.

Tyler Howell
01-09-2006, 12:47 PM
Nice Haul TJ.
Really like the rust hunt. Getting ready to spend 10 weeks unplugged with an old master, Taking an neander class :cool:

T.J. Mahaffey
01-09-2006, 1:35 PM
Nice Haul TJ.
Really like the rust hunt. Getting ready to spend 10 weeks unplugged with an old master, Taking an neander class :cool:

Oh, man, I would just kill to be able to do that.
Congratulations, Tyler. Wow. :cool:

Tyler Howell
01-09-2006, 2:37 PM
TJ I'm a man of peace! No killing needed. Your times coming Keep an eye out for a class in your area;)

Mark Stutz
01-09-2006, 10:13 PM
T.J.
Those saws should clean up nicely. Now all you need is a saw vise, a few XXslim files, a saw set or two and you'll be all set!:D
I got a few things on ebay, but after going to a couple auctions, I'll probably never do much on ebay again. I just like seeing it up close before buying.

Mark

T.J. Mahaffey
01-09-2006, 10:54 PM
T.J.
Those saws should clean up nicely. Now all you need is a saw vise, a few XXslim files, a saw set or two and you'll be all set!:D
I got a few things on ebay, but after going to a couple auctions, I'll probably never do much on ebay again. I just like seeing it up close before buying.

Mark
Hi, Mark. :)
Saw vice? Check. ;)

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/saw_vice.jpg

I don't have XXslim files, though. :(
In our first learning session pictured above, we figured out my files were too fat.

Does anyone have suggestions on sources for XXslim saw files?

Re: Auctions
I'd much prefer 'being there' to touch and look over first, yes.
But with the tool pool being so dry around my part of the country, I really don't have a choice but to take a chance or two on some junkers for restoration. Besides, its pretty darned rewarding in the end. :D

Brad Olson
01-10-2006, 2:16 AM
Lee Valley or Tools for Working Wood are about the best places to buy saw files retail.

If you know someone who has access to professional sharpeners catalogs then you can get them about 20% cheaper, but I think most companies have minimums on the dollar amount of the order.

If you are buying files, buy multiples, I find that one major sharpening of a saw requires a minimum of one file and as many as 4 files if you are shaping teeths from nothing

Alan DuBoff
01-10-2006, 3:01 AM
Nice score on the saws.

I saw those, but didn't bid on them. Those Atkins saws are nice, and all of the Disstons are decent saws, IMO (just get bid up too high these days on ebay). The 16" would come in handy filed crosscut and used in a miter box. You could even make your own box.

I get files from Pete Taran, I thought they were Sandvik but MikeW mentioned they're Bahco in another thread. I have some Nicholsons also. Probably 5 xx-slims or even a 5 x-slim would be good on those saws. I would just get a few and see which works the best, since they're so cheap. If you're ordering from LV, they have them as does Joel over at Tools for Working Wood.

Regards,
Alan

PS - Thanks for sharing the pic of your daughter. I showed that to my 10 year old daughter who occasionally helps me, and she said, "Hey, that's one of those 'little saws', isn't it?". But the best was she said, "I bet I can do that".;-)

Mike Wenzloff
01-10-2006, 3:13 AM
Sandvik = Bahco

Sandvik bought out Bahco in the 70s or so, I forget now. Sandvik then branded all the non-commercial tools under the Bahco brandname.

In 1998, Snap-On purchased this division [Bahco] from Sandvik. So now one can find the Snap-On name on some or most of the tools once carrying the Bahco brand.

***end useless trivia***

Lie-Nielsen sells Grobet files, another very good brand.

Both last longer and perhaps leave smaller gullets than Nicholsons. But then again, if I need a file I can run to Ace for the Nicholsons.

Lately I have been using an expensive Swiss file [forget the name]. These have incredible life--for a terrible price.

Take care--and that picture is precious!

Mike

Alan DuBoff
01-10-2006, 6:09 AM
How much longer do the Swiss files last? What is a terrible price?

Most files you can only get 1 saw to an edge (I try to use the same edge).

Where do you get them?

Regards,
Alan

Dave Anderson NH
01-10-2006, 12:29 PM
So Mark prefers to go to auctions.:D Does this mean I'm gonna see you come the April LFOD auction in Nashua? I'm sure Martin has some stuff you"need".

Anonther good place to get files is from MSC Industrial Supply and they carry XX Slims in both Nicholson and in the cheaper imports. Sometimes they will also have the very hard to find XXX Slims too, but don't count on it.

Mike Wenzloff
01-10-2006, 1:28 PM
How much longer do the Swiss files last?
With the Bahco and Grobet, I can get longer than a single saw per edge, not well enough to do ten. I probably can squeek several saws if I am not fully reshaping teeth, but still some shaping.


What is a terrible price?

For the ones I have been purchasing of late--and the jury is still out on their longevity--$17/ea. Looks like they may well last a couple dozen saws. But they also are only 6" slim or 8" regular taper. Which is fine. I mostly use the 6" slims anyway.

Then again, I have some cheap China imports that cut smaller gullets that last maybe a dozen saws using all three edges.

I'll let you know the final verdict on the spendy ones.

Take care, Mike

Alan DuBoff
01-10-2006, 4:43 PM
With the Bahco and Grobet, I can get longer than a single saw per edge, not well enough to do ten. I probably can squeek several saws if I am not fully reshaping teeth, but still some shaping.Price seems similar to the cheaper files if you factor that in. I've been able to squeeze more than 3 saws from a single file, when a blade only needs minor touch up.

For the ones I have been purchasing of late--and the jury is still out on their longevity--$17/ea. Looks like they may well last a couple dozen saws. But they also are only 6" slim or 8" regular taper. Which is fine. I mostly use the 6" slims anyway.Since most of my saws are smaller, that could be a problem for me.

I think one thing is very clear, no matter which files are used, there is no substitute for a sharp saw. If T.J.'s daughter can do it, and in turn convince my daughter she can do it, most everyone should be able to do it. Of course kids have a huge advantage over adults, in that they don't worry about destroying their saw, and will take right to it. It seems more adults are terrified that they'll actually ruin the saw, rendering it unusable, which would be very difficult since it can always be jointed, shaped and sharpened again. Between vintagesaws.com and Bob Smalser's sharpening guide, there's no reason anyone shouldn't take a stab at sharpening their own saw.

Oh, and speaking of stab, don't forget to get a cheap handle or make one of your own for your files folks, don't sharpen with the tang in your palm.DAMHIKT

Regards,
Alan

Mark Stutz
01-10-2006, 10:15 PM
Dave,
I would love to make it to Nashua for the LFOD auction, but this year I may have to settle for the Indianapolis version...only about a 5 hour drive.

To everyone else,
These auctions are a must for any Heander. It's run of the mill stuff for the New Englanders, but for all the rest of us it's like being a kid in a candy store!:D

Mark

Mark Stutz
01-10-2006, 10:15 PM
Dave,
I would love to make it to Nashua for the LFOD auction, but this year I may have to settle for the Indianapolis version...only about a 5 hour drive.

To everyone else,
These auctions are a must for any Neander. It's run of the mill stuff for the New Englanders, but for all the rest of us it's like being a kid in a candy store!:D

Mark