saw plates old VS new

[george wilson]

I do not have access to a hardness tester now. Since I do have a lot of experience by now,I don't feel like blowing a lot of money to buy a new one for my home shop use. I have an accurate electric furnace for when I make punches or harden knives,or whatever. I can harden and temper at accurately controlled temperatures and get the hardness needed for punches and dies for my wife's jewelry business. Beyond that,I'd mostly be making guitars,which need no testing.

Rob is where I was many years ago,when I was new to toolmaking and curious about many things including tool hardness. If he wants to dabble to satisfy his own curiosity,let him do so. Beyond that,I can't see him making Earth shaking new discoveries. The work already has been done even if charts and graphs were not drawn.

Charts and graphs in the end prove nothing. They,like computers,only reflect what has been put into them.Producers of nearly everything from tooth paste to medicine can make graphs to prove their product is best.

Being able to file a Disston saw proves nothing,especially that they are in the low 50's RC. They are more into the 40-48(at most) range( a nod to David). I'm sure exceptions can be found,but the ones I tested were in the 40-45 range. I guess I should have written a book or done a dissertation about it. It didn't seem that important at the time. Nor does it now.

[David Weaver]

David,

Sand the whole surface. I want to map them from tooth to back. A lot of work but I think the effort is worth it. In addition, I think that the teeth should be filed away. The reason is that the anvil of the C tester has a radius of about two inches. If I test close to the tooth line the points of the teeth will bear against the surface of the anvil and raise the saw plate above the anvil surface and thus produce useless measurements. Let's get this agreed before you ship. PM sent.

I'll sand them so that they're at least free of rust. They may be a little dark in spots, but they will be clean and full hardness. I'll joint the teeth off, too, I was going to do that just because there's no reason to have them other than initially to confirm that the plates don't have broken teeth (which could suggest a defect).

[Rob Streeper]

I'll sand them so that they're at least free of rust. They may be a little dark in spots, but they will be clean and full hardness. I'll joint the teeth off, too, I was going to do that just because there's no reason to have them other than initially to confirm that the plates don't have broken teeth (which could suggest a defect).

Check my post on the preceding page, I've added more suggestions.

[george wilson]

David,if Rob is so curious,let him sand the saws off.You've already been generous enough offering to spend your money buying and mailing them.

Wow,5 pages so far. Or,to be more accurate,64 posts. Reminds me of Shakespeare's play "Much ado about nothing".

[David Weaver]

Check my post on the preceding page, I've added more suggestions.

I'll sand them free of rust, but if you want them to be bright, you'll need to do that. I always sand with silicon carbide and WD40.

They'll certainly be fine for hardness testing. If you want to map them, you can use a white paint marker or score them with a carbide scribe.

[Rob Streeper]

I'll sand them free of rust, but if you want them to be bright, you'll need to do that. I always sand with silicon carbide and WD40.

They'll certainly be fine for hardness testing. If you want to map them, you can use a white paint marker or score them with a carbide scribe.

I'm okay with your proposal, would anybody else care to comment before we begin?

[David Weaver]

I'd be pleased if another couple of clean plates (perhaps with a kink or something, you could easily shear that out) that were disston and with no broken teeth would pop up.

2 is a good start. A sample of 5 would be better. I just don't have five to throw away.

[Rob Streeper]

I'd be pleased if another couple of clean plates (perhaps with a kink or something, you could easily shear that out) that were disston and with no broken teeth would pop up.

2 is a good start. A sample of 5 would be better. I just don't have five to throw away.

I agree, I'll keep an eye out locally. Garage sale finds here can be very good.

Here is some guidance on surface roughness. This isn't copyright marked so I'll post it in it's entirety. Different testing device but at least it gives an idea of how to prepare the plates.
Equotip_Surface_Roughness_E_2010.03.17__Page_1.jpgEquotip_Surface_Roughness_E_2010.03.17__Page_2.jpg

[george wilson]

I think this is called "Analysis paralysis."

[David Weaver]

that surface smoothness is no problem. Some darkness is left even at 220 or 400 grit, but I will probably sand them to 220 and a little finer in the spots where I think they should be struck.

My concern about the ebay lots (and why I put up two saws) is that a lot of the saws still have a lot of scale to remove, or are painted, etc. These two that I have will not take much work to be ready for striking.

[george wilson]

David: How the heck do you spell what I just posted?My spell check has stopped working. It is sulking in the corner since I clicked on it wrong.

[John Stankus]

Analysis paralysis (I need a support group for this )

[Rob Streeper]

The hard fact is that, as a researcher, you must be prepared to accept the results of carefully conducted experiments even if they do not fit your starting hypothesis or comport with your emotional desires. Rather in the spirit of this fable.


The Scorpion and the Frog

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the
scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The
frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion
says, "Because if I do, I will die too."

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream,
the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of
paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown,
but has just enough time to gasp "Why?"

Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature..."

[george wilson]

I have a 9 pound sledge hammer I keep around here for swatting flies. But,I haven't used it yet.

I think you need to remember the part about your emotional desires yourself.

There are so many much better things to tie up your time with. Like,studying how to achieve good saw handle design. Something I have studied carefully because that is my nature.

[Rob Streeper]

I have a 9 pound sledge hammer I keep around here for swatting flies. But,I haven't used it yet.

I think you need to remember the part about your emotional desires yourself.

There are so many much better things to tie up your time with. Like,studying how to achieve good saw handle design. Something I have studied carefully because that is my nature.

At the moment I'm copying and thinking. Rome wasn't built in a day. Saws and more generally woodworking are interesting to me and they are areas where I am working to develop skills but they are not my calling.

In the area of my calling I have achieved, what is for me at least, lifetime success. This of course has nothing to do with the subject of this forum. Through many years of study and work and a decade of focused effort I have finally achieved something of significance that also has implications for all of us. I haven't done this alone of course because I stand in a way on the shoulders of those who labored before me. My personal efforts have been made in concert with others, one of singular import. Nonetheless even if no further successes accrue in the area of which I write here I will die contented knowing that my goal in life, i.e. to do something significant, has been achieved.