Thread: Making Saw Handles

Originally Posted by pmcgee

Looks like you have a nice saw there - Disston #12. I'd love to see more photos of it. How long are they all?

Toby, Chippy, ...
- Do you think the #12/#9 'bubble'-style handle has to do with two-handed use?
I only have a couple of little ones 20"+21", and my other thumb doesn't fit them. Might be different on the longer saws, but it would b an interesting grip.

Cheers,
Paul

yeah the first does look like a #12, i like em

the bubble; dont know if it was specifically designed for it, (prob not, but i'd like to think so) but yeah two handed it works well, not in the convention manner though, where you place one thumb in (left for right handers), in front of the index finger (edit, duh! whatever that finger is called next to the index, the index finger of course is on the right side of the saw) and the rest of your left hand over the top of the grip (not all handles allow you to do that either, #12 for instance)..with the bubble it works well if you are using the saw vertical or perhaps sitting down and using vertical, the thumb of your other hand fits in there and gives better control and power for that type of sawing...obviously not a popular way of sawing so perhaps thats why it disappeared all that time ago..cost of course as well

i'd agree with toby, most of those handles i'd probably keep em as they are, (its another story but with some saws like that i have been known to put a bit of rope, scrunched up paper, in a couple of spots and cover with tape so they fit better, looks god awful but saves your hand from becoming fatigued) two of them i dont like much at all though, for gods sake dont change the #12 lol

Paul,
This is from Online Reference of Disston Saws -- No. 9 Handsaws

"Disston No. 9 Handsaws"

"The Disston No. 9 saw was produced from the 1840's until 1914 or so. The blade is a grade called Extra London Spring Steel, a name for carbon steel with more steps in its production than other blades. The handle is applewood and, sometime after the 1840's, featured a large hand hole for two-handed use. The saw above is from the 1880's. The handle shown to the right is from the 1840's. It was shaped entirely with hand tools."




The #12 handle varied quite a bit through the years, with some Eisenhardt pattern and some not. We are talking about the top part of the handle, not the decorative extra cut-out on the bottom.

Toby

This is related and possibly helpful.
The mysterious Disston D-8 thumbhole… – The Saw Blog

Toby

So just a quick update on the saws. The Disston and S&P saws are both 28" long monsters currently filed as 3tpi rip, my plan is to refile new teeth at 6tpi rip and 6tpi crosscut. The no name and next warrented superior saw are both 26" long and about 7tpi each and my plans are for 8tpi rip and 9 tpi crosscut, the final warranted superior saw on the left is 22" and 7tpi but I plan to refile as a 12tpi crosscut, which leaves space for one more 22"ish long saw at 10tpi rip to complete the collection.

I suppose what it really comes down to is how nicely the saws clean up. And while I will post some progress updates they are likely to be some time in the making as I still need to assemble the vice on my bench, make a saw vice and then the cleaning in between some home renovation and other projects. Still I don't think I did to badly with this set which has cost me $27 so far.

Cheers
David

Originally Posted by ch!ppy

..with the bubble it works well if you are using the saw vertical or perhaps sitting down and using vertical, the thumb of your other hand fits in there and gives better control and power for that type of sawing...obviously not a popular way of sawing so perhaps thats why it disappeared all that time ago..cost of course as well

When you said 'vertical' I had to try it again on the little saws ... and it works.
With the handle that size the thumb has to push in and kinda locks in there, but it would feel ok to saw from 45o to vertical.
Sawing flat like that would be very strange.


Mr Big - $27 - nice score!

I understand making 3tpi into 6 is 'easy' enough, but to make the other changes you will have to grind/file down past the existing teeth (I believe).

Mind you I've been looking through books because of the chipbreaker discussion:

14-1 Carpentry and Joinery. Basic Hand Tools.
Dept of Employment and Youth Affairs. 1980.
Stamped "Leeming Senior High School".
"This series of manuals, dealing with carpentry and joinery, has been produced at the initiative of the National Building and Construction Industry Training Committee comprising representatives of employers, unions, and government."

It has big, clear drawings and not masses of text. It covers measuring thickness of a timber, sharpening a carpenters pencil two ways, and driving a nail. So you get the idea of the audience for the book.

But it also covers sharpening a scraper, and jointing a saw, shaping, setting, and sharpening a crosscut and a rip saw.
The next two pages "Practical exercise" involves starting with a steel blank and marking out and filing teeth at 5mm intervals.


Cheers,
Paul.

Maybe I need some more coffee or something, S&P isn't ringing any bells...who is S&P?

Toby

And while i'm asking...what is the genesis of the term "bubble" in reference to saw handles?

Toby

Originally Posted by TobyC

And while i'm asking...what is the genesis of the term "bubble" in reference to saw handles?

Toby

Here's the genesis right here:

Originally Posted by pmcgee

Toby, Chippy, ...
- Do you think the #12/#9 'bubble'-style handle has to do with two-handed use?
Cheers,
Paul

I didn't know I was such a trend-setter.

I concur with the one in the middle and the one on the end assessment. Disston also used cherry for handles. walnut makes a nice handle as does maple. The advice to use a smooth dense hardwood is good.

Hi Toby,

S&P was a typo should have been S&J for Spear and Jackson. I must have been having a dyslexic moment.

Now I understand that for changing the tpi the work you need to do is to file/grind the existing teeth off to a completely flat profile and then cut in some new teeth from scratch at the appropriate tpi,joint the new teeth if necessary, final shaping of the teeth, set the teeth then the final sharpening (there is plenty of opinions as to the correct order of the final two). So when you break it down into each individual step it's not as complicated as it may seem, but will take some time and care.

I'm hoping that I'll get through fixing up about 1 of these saws a month over the remainder of the year and it seems like it would be worth the effort to replace 2 of the handles , but I'll do these ones last and looking back through the posts I really like the colour and contrast of the She-oak, so might try and find a decent timber merchant that is not to far away. I'll be sure to post picks as it happens


Cheers
David

I thought maybe Simonds and Peace had some side action going on there! (S&P)

Don't forget to show us some saw pictures along the way.



Toby