Thread: Hand Saw Sharpening?

What gear do you have ?

I think we're just using files, the teacher said the saws with the smaller teeth will be difficult to sharpen and saws that are made out of hardened steel.

I don't think we have access to any machine sharpeners.

What gear would you suggest?

The files that the teacher mentioned , triangular and flat , a saw set , saw grips (saw vise) , good eyesight , and patience .

The sore back will come with the job

Originally Posted by Mrwhippy

We're going to be sharpening some hand saws in class next week and we brought in some very blunt and used saws, any tips on how to sharpen them up before the class?

This is a pretty handy reference.
"www.vintagesaws.com/library/primer/sharp.html"

And once you have done it by hand you will quickly realise why no body does it this way any more

Originally Posted by China

And once you have done it by hand you will quickly realise why no body does it this way any more

Originally Posted by China

And once you have done it by hand you will quickly realise why no body does it this way any more

Nonsense!

I find saw sharpening quite therapeutic, and the final result most satisfying. I recently finished sharpening a saw that had belonged to my mother's uncle. He was a carpenter, has been dead for at least 30 years and many of his tools have sat under my parents' place until I got the old tool bug a couple of years ago. Uncle Harold's saw was a late 19thC Sorby 5 1/2 ppi crosscut panel saw that probably had touched a piece of timber for close to 50 years. After a lot of filing it now sails through a piece of 8"x4" blackbutt.

I'd never sharpened a saw until earlier this year when I attended a saw sharpening workshop with The Traditional Tools Group in Sydney. Since then I have got rid of all of my hardpoint saws, and am buying/swapping for old Disstons, Spear & Jacksons and Tyzacks (and triangular files) and am having a whale of a time.

It's a valuable skill to have and I encourage you to give it a go. Yes, there'll be a sore back and sore fingers (which I had forgotten about until I attended another workshop a few weeks ago) but when that old saw starts cutting timber it'll be all worthwhile.

Good luck with it,
Virg.

To each his own!, I have been there and done that and stand buy what I said above

Originally Posted by China

To each his own!, I have been there and done that and stand buy what I said above

yep , I stand with you on that one .
Much as it is good to have the skill , and the ability to recognise a properly sharpened saw , the thrill wears of , when you have to do the job once a week or so , year in year out , along with all the other stuff required in building houses etc.

I guess I haven't done it enough yet!

Cheerio,
Virg.

Originally Posted by Virgil

I guess I haven't done it enough yet!

Cheerio,
Virg.

Not enough sharpening? Or not enough therapy?

Cheers,
Joe