Handsaw setting - breaking teeth

**goodvibes** · 2nd October 2016, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by IanW

Yes, you are supposed to be able to soften over-hard saws by leaving them lying flat in the sun for several hours, because tempering is a time + heat equation. So I tried it with a super-hard saw I once had; left it lying out in the midsummer sun for a week. You could easily have fried eggs on it whenever I checked its temperature! Didn't alter the hardness one bit, every tooth I tried to set still snapped off. Mind you, I had to let it cool a bit so's I could hold it to try setting.....

I doubt that the sunshine has the horsepower to soften steel at all.

I have a passing interest in what they call "soft hammers". Can be bought off the shelf, and some blacksmith hobbyists will very slightly soften their standard hammers - just enough to stop them marking their precious anvil. Still plenty hard enough to pound out hot steel though.

Anyhoo, these processes are done at well over 1000 degrees f for several days.

**rob streeper** · 5th October 2016, 12:56 PM

These plots show the drawing temperature curves for 1074 and 1095 steels. 1074 is chemically similar to the steels used in early Disston saws. 1095 is the alloy used for many custom made saws available today.

drawing curves for 1074 and 1095 steel 100416a_Page_1.jpg

drawing curves for 1074 and 1095 steel 100416a_Page_2.jpg

I don't think that sitting in the sun, unless it's at the focus of a solar cooker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cooker), is going to achieve temperatures that will cause any change in the hardness of most saws.

**pmcgee** · 1st November 2016, 12:24 PM

Not mine, but I assume this is set by machine. Not so uncommon ... bending right from the base of the teeth ...

14908362_1278243325571768_1788979120825672199_n.jpg

**McNulty** · 1st November 2016, 12:40 PM

Hi all
My job as a young carpenter was to sharpen the saws due to young eyes, I think it's more to do with not having the saw cold than heating it up. Never sharpened a saw before 10.00am and later in winter.
The old sandvic were the worst for breakage but kept its edge the longest. I agree with setting top of the tooth as lower down puts too much stress on the tooth/ metal.
Interesting discussion re sloping gullets, I may have to do my own test on similar saws

Thanks to you lot I am renewing my saw sharpening skills and collecting old saws to do up.
Alan

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