Sharpening a saw

[Doug Dawson]

So I have two questions about sharpening a hand saw. I have done it on old beat up saws with decent results, but I have to sharpen my newer saws soon and I don't want to "mess it up" too badly.
I was reading a few articles/watching a few videos and sometimes you joint a saw, sometimes you don't. Also sometimes when using the file, you use equal amount of strokes, other times you use as many to make a sharp point at the saw tooth.
I was wondering what you all do. Do you joint your saw teeth each time? Do you do equal amount of strokes with your file through the teeth, or go until it's sharp (could be different amounts on each tooth).

Oooooh, another sharpening flame war, lock up your women and children in the castle, the white walkers are here. NO! They are merely the driving instructor, knocking at your door spoofing you with the rhythm of Beethoven's Fifth, ta ta ta DAH...

"What we have here, is a failure of mechanical sensitivity." Have you ever tried to teach your kid how to drive a stick?

It's kind of like that.

[James Pallas]

Very fun. I realize that wear that you have to magnify to see is very little for sure. It wouldn't make a dimes worth of difference in the saws performance. What I learned is that that worn away metal will actually re-appear if you file without jointing. If you touch up saws when you have to use magnification to see it a long time would pass before it ever became a noticeable problem. Now let's move on to breasted saws. That should be interesting also.
Jim

[Stewie Simpson]

I am very sure that someone with experience could do a credible job of sharpening a saw without jointing first, especially if the saw is not very dull. The tricky part is not having an established base line for tooth height that can be referenced. If the middle section of the saw is worn, which is usually the case, than counting strokes would still leave the outer teeth longer than the worn teeth in the middle. Jointing would give you wider flats on the outside teeth and narrower flats on the worn inside teeth. File to the point not to the count. The outside teeth will take more filing.
Jim

Jim; by changing the word longer to higher, you'll add greater clarity within your post. (See example below)

I am very sure that someone with experience could do a credible job of sharpening a saw without jointing first, especially if the saw is not very dull. The tricky part is not having an established base line for tooth height that can be referenced. If the middle section of the saw is worn, which is usually the case, than counting strokes would still leave the outer teeth higher than the worn teeth in the middle. Jointing would give you wider flats on the outside teeth and narrower flats on the worn inside teeth. File to the point not to the count. The outside teeth will take more filing.

Jim

[lowell holmes]

Just get an old junker saw and fix it. It will all workout.

[James Pallas]

Jim; by changing the word longer to higher, you'll add greater clarity within your post. (See example below)

I am very sure that someone with experience could do a credible job of sharpening a saw without jointing first, especially if the saw is not very dull. The tricky part is not having an established base line for tooth height that can be referenced. If the middle section of the saw is worn, which is usually the case, than counting strokes would still leave the outer teeth higher than the worn teeth in the middle. Jointing would give you wider flats on the outside teeth and narrower flats on the worn inside teeth. File to the point not to the count. The outside teeth will take more filing.

Jim

Thanks Stewie. I've seen your saws and I'm sure your better with the nomenclature than I could be. I know I've said it before, I like the look of your saws.
Jim

[lowell holmes]

I suggest taking one saw to a saw sharpening company and after that you will have a sample to copy.

Also, watch this video. I learned at a class at Homestead Heritage in Waco Texas when Paul was there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5DixEaaUo

[Jim Koepke]

I suggest taking one saw to a saw sharpening company and after that you will have a sample to copy.

Also, watch this video. I learned at a class at Homestead Heritage in Waco Texas when Paul was there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5DixEaaUo

To the best of my knowledge the closest saw sharpener is over 100 miles from me.

In some parts of the country a saw sharpening service doesn't have enough work to keep busy. My understanding is a lot of different businesses offer 'saw sharpening service' and the company down in Eugene or Salem, OR (not sure which) picks up, sharpens and then returns the saws on a weekly basis.

The local mower repair and saw sharpening service in my town closed years ago. Of course there are chainsaw repair and sharpening shops.

jtk

[Mike Allen1010]

Kevin,

Yes exactly, and it will not make it worse, only improve your chances of getting it right for the reasons you stated.

Regards,

Pete

+1 I usually don't comment on contentious threads as goodness knows everyone is entitled to their opinion. However in this case, the OP has a legitimate question and contrary to current political discourse, in the empirical world "facts are facts" and its logical/reasonable to respect and learn from credible expertise. Case in point; Pete is a credible expert. His opinion is also supported by those who literally "wrote the book" on the subject at a time when this knowledge was critically important for large segment of the working population. To suggest this viewpoint should be dismissed because "those guys don't really have hand tool woodworking experience" is ludicrous.

To the OP, I agree it makes sense to routinely joint your tooth line when sharpening – it can't hurt you and can only help. For those who disagree – God bless you – you do you – no harm/no foul.


Best, Mike

[lowell holmes]

Maybe you need to make a vise. I did.
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/j...made-saw-vise/

I made mine to fit in a wooden bench vise.