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  1. #1
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    Default Best way to fill holes and chips on saw handle

    Hello,
    I'm going to refinish an old lamb's tongue Brown saw handle and need to fill a couple of holes and some chips that I hope to stain later. I've been doing some research and it appears some people like Timber Mate water based wood filler. Another person said they melt solid shellac into the holes using a soldering iron, making it appear to be a knot in the wood.

    Any suggestions?

    Regards,
    Dave

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  3. #2
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    Sep 2009
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    victor harbor sa
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    Hi Dave,

    in the past I have had success using coloured wax sticks for small pin holes,

    with the usual big chips missing from top and bottom horns, I either repair
    with timber or plastibond that has been coloured with either powered pigment
    or wood stain.

    Once in place you can file and sand to blend in, I then give the handle 3 coats of shellac
    rubbing back between coats with 0000 steel wool, finishing with a good coat of
    Dubbin clear wax.

    The same wax gets used on the blade as a protective layer.

    Hope this helps

    Graham.

  4. #3
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    Dave, I'd be reluctant to use wood fillers on something like a saw handle - it will probably part company before long unless you intend to keep it for show only. On a user, I'd just clean the handle up a bit & ignore any defects unless they are really large or on the grip. Chipped horns are so common, it's almost like a badge of honour on n old saw. I just smooth them off as well as I can & live with it, but if really badly busted or missing as they often enough are, I'd graft a new bit on & re-shape it to what I imagine were the initial contours (guided by a picture if I can find the relevant model). If it's a Beech handle, raw material is easy to come by, but Apple is not at all easy to come by for me. Should be a few Apple trees in Wisconsin, though....?

    Cheers,
    IW

  5. #4
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    Dave

    I think making an invisible mend in a saw handle is probably the hardest task there is as far as saw restoration is concerned. I am completely unable to make a mend that you cannot see.Even if I am able to find a matching piece of timber primarily the glue line is still going to be visible.

    As far as filling is concerned I think this reaches another layer of difficulty. What appears to be simple is not. For example, after many goes and a stack of pots of filler representing many shades you find a filler that matches your timber even after it has dried. Then you apply the finish. The filler takes the varnish or whatever you used differently to the original timber and sticks out like the proverbial male canine parts. people sometimes talk of mixing glue and the same sawdust and I really like that idea, but when I have given that a go it just looks like sawdust mixed with glue .

    I am inclined to agree with Ian regarding living with what you have, if you wish to retain the integrity. The only thing I don't like is the abbreviated horns which are ubiquitous. I just can't live with that look so I add a new piece of wood.

    I just revisited your thread on the Brown No.3 and I am assuming you wish to fill the holes made by the bolt through the handle that had been used for a repair. I would find an old Beech handle (or one of Ian's planes would be even better) and make up a small dowel from that to suit. The easy way to make a dowel is to drill the correct sized hole in a piece of steel plate (say 1/4" thick plate). Cut a square section of the timber slightly oversize and trim off the corners with a small plane, rasp, chisel or sander. Form a small bevel on one end to engage the hole and tap through with a mallet, which will trim your timber to size. Cut off to the required length. You may only need a very short length to fill the hole: 1/2" possibly?

    Also I noted that you require a split nut style eagle medallion. I will send you a link in a PM for one that might suit. The only slight problem is, and I will make a guess here, that it may cost more than the saw if you picked it up at a garage sale of equivalent!

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  6. #5
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    victor harbor sa
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    Paul,

    I have to agree with you about achieving invisible repairs, so I just blend as best as I can to bring the handle back to near its original shape and usefulness.

    When I've used coloured plasti-bond for missing horns, it is important to have fresh clean timber at the break for good adhesion, I also drill a pair of holes
    into the wounded area that I can then araldite a pair of protruding metal dowels (small nails) that act as anchors for the plasti-bond.

    Which when sets vey hard and is easy to then file and sand to shape.

    It seems to work for panel beaters so I thought I'd give it a go.

    As to making a dowel, your method works but leaves end grain showing, I have some 3/8" and 1/2" plug cutters from Carbatec that produce a short timber
    plug with matching grain.

    Graham.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #6
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    Graham

    Thanks for mentioning about the orientation of the grain. I had meant to mention that aspect and completely forgot. As you have identified, a dowel along the grain is relatively easy, but will leave end grain showing and will be very obvious. The plug needs to be taken from the "face" of the timber. Now while this is probably going to break up a little or resist we are not looking for a long length in the way dowel is normally seen. In fact the main depth of the hole could be filled with almost anything including builders bog as we only need a slither of correctly orientated grain at the top and bottom surfaces.

    I would still look at placing a dowel through the hole left by the bolt as it will give some strength to the grip, which has been arguably weakened by both damage and repairs. It is only the ends that need to be disguised with a matching wood. I said 1/2" before but even 1/8" is sufficient. If you have a plug cutter of a suitable size such as Graham described that would be ideal, but otherwise the "dowel maker" technique I described may still work well enough for your purpose. Just out of interest, Spear and Jackson incorporated a doweled handle in their saws with the patent dating from 1932, so not entirely novel. The following thread describes one such saw:

    Spear and Jackson No.49

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  8. #7
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    Wow...some awesome info in here.

    I used some Timbermate with coffee to stablise the rear of the handle that had been split and someone had "gunked" it with a glue. The only reason I did it was because of the shoddy effort with the glue.

    I also mixed in some hobby wood glue into the Timbermate. I don't expect it to hold, but did provide a smoother surface and better look than the effort before hand. It is a "test" saw being my first attempt to I am not overly worried about it.

    If I was trying to do an absolute stunning restoration like the guys above....I wouldn't use it

    Disclaimer: absolute amateur...listen to the guys above

  9. #8
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    Graham

    I had also meant to add that the repair to the horn on your Reagan handle worked very well. You seemed to have blended the colour well and really the only giveaway is the glue line: For that you have to be looking for it.

    Regards
    paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  10. #9
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    Thanks for the ideas to everyone. As this saw will not be a user, I think I'll try some timber mate with coloring added. A couple of questions about that:

    1) Does anyone know if timber mate will lighten up in color after drying?
    2) Does wood stain mix well with timber mate?

    Regards,
    Dave

  11. #10
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    I took a few photos of the handle. It's been solidly glued and clamped (for about 10 days -- I was on vacation) on the grip, bottom (I mistakenly said in the original post it was lamb's tongue -- clearly it's not), the center through the medallion hole, and under the top horn. I know it's not exactly a collector's item, but I figure it's a good saw on which to practice a restoration. The blade is pretty straight and in decent condition, with a very clear etch and an intact nib. I have all 3 split nuts in nice usable condition, and Paul, I got the medallion for slightly less than asking price -- thanks again.

    Regards,
    Dave

    IMG_1700.jpg

    IMG_1701.jpg

    IMG_1702.jpg

    IMG_1703.jpg


    If you look inside the hole, you can see the remainder of the rod that was sent through in an earlier fix. I ended up accidentally breaking the top section of the handle (a bit below the top horn) when trying to get this out. It glued OK though, and I'm not sure how I would have gotten enough of it out otherwise.
    IMG_1704.jpg


    IMG_1705.jpg

  12. #11
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    Well, I've finished. It turned out OK, considering how it looked to begin with. The timber mate didn't really mix very well with my oil based stain, like it said it would. It did accept stain after drying to some extent, though. And like some of you said, the cracks show through. But overall, I'm pretty happy with it.

    IMG_2150.jpg

    IMG_2152.jpg

    IMG_2153.jpg

    IMG_2155.jpg

    IMG_2156.jpg

  13. #12
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    Looks pretty good from here, and plenty good enough for a user. In a year or two, when the finish wears a bit & has a few dings & scratches, you won't notice the 'flaws'...

    Cheers,
    IW

  14. #13
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    Like Ian said.
    You have done a fantastic job.
    It’s a user an give it a while you hardly notice the repairs.
    Cheers Matt

  15. #14
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    Dave

    That has come up well with a good, warm, golden hue entirely in keeping with it's age. Good one.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  16. #15
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    Dave,

    I'm with the others in praising you for a very good job,
    not only on the saw but its handle as well.

    Regards

    Graham.

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