Thread: Handsaw sharpening aids. Jointers and saw sets.

I forgot that this is a very simple jointer that can be made up easily from scrap material:

Taintor jointing.png

This is from a disston "Saw, Tool and File" publication:

Saw care. Jointing.jpg

Regards
Paul

Paul,
Great idea on a little back to basics,
I’ve only ever thrown caution to the wind,no not the wind that I solo generate.
An just hope i joint the teeth square and true by just holding the saw in me mits.

Praying I don’t rip my hands to shreds in the process.

Maybe I should get or make a jointer.

Cheers Matt.

I keep intending to make something to hold the file but after you have jointed the saw the need is no longer there until next time comes round. In fact it's not hard to do with just the file and so far not a scratch.
Regards
John

While I am not aware of jointers being available today (not really an issue as you can make your own in about half an hour if you follow the design in my post above) that is not true of saw sets. There have been many styles produced over the decades and some are still available today. However, I thought a little bit of history might be appropriate, but I stress it is only a little bit. Enough perhaps to whet your appetite and start hunting around the garage sales, flea markets, online and second hand stores.

There are two fundamental types. Sets that are struck, normally with a hammer and sets that involve squeezing with a pliers type action. I am only going to mention the hammer style briefly as they are not common today and can be expensive. I should add that there are lever type saw sets too but those are primarily utilised for crosscut logging saws and I do not plan to include them here where we are talking hand saws. This is the first example, which is very simple and was made by Atkins and called the Criterion:

Atkins Criterion saw set. 1895[46411].jpg



The second one made by Disston and called the "Star" set is more sophisticated and is sought after by collectors making it expensive to acquire.

Disston Star set[46413].jpg

Personally I believe that the tooth being struck deforms the steel to an unacceptable level. However, in the golden age of saw production I suspect this was the technique used as if you were setting dozens of saws per day in the factory it was not as tiring as a plier style set would be.

This brings us to the plier style and the devices that would have been most used by the carpenters and woodworkers. In other words the consumers. Early plier saw sets were primitive and not worthy of too much comment in the context of this thread.

Possibly the Taintor was the first set that was fully adjustable for a range of tooth sizes:
Taintor saw sets.jpg

P1050895 (Medium).JPGP1050896 (Medium).JPG

The principle is good but it is a little flimsy. Simonds marketed this tool as their No.197

Disston had a couple of saw sets. The Triumph was the top of the line:

Disston Triumph Saw Set 1912.jpg

P1050898 (Medium).JPG

It should be noted that both the Taintor and the Triumph were made in three sizes to suit different tooth sizes. I won't trouble to describe their operation as I would only be repeating what you can read in the manufacturer's blurb.

This leads us on to the next style of set. from left to right , EC Stearns, Simonds and Keen Kutter:

P1050897 (Medium).JPG

From left to right,bergman, simonds, Simonds No.395 and EC Stearns:

P1050902 (Medium).JPG

Note that the lever is on the underside.This permits the tooth to be set by only moving the fingers with the hand remaining stationary as opposed to these next two where the top armis the moveable lever. Diamond Edge (trade name for Shapleigh Hardware) on the left with the other undisclosed.

P1050903 (Medium).JPG

It is not possible to operate these sets without moving the whole hand.

The next style is the pistol grip models made by Stanley. No.42 on the left, 42W in the middle and the king of them all, the No.42X on the right:

P1050894 (Medium).JPG

Stanlet Saw sets. cat No.34[46417].jpg

The first two Stanleys used a thumb wheel to adjust the set to suit the thickness of the plate. The 42X has a piston that presses firmly against the saw plate with the initial pressure and a plunger that sets the tooth and engages as the lever movement continues. It is superb. Except... that without the handle removed the pistol grip fouls the handle. So it is my preferred set when doing a restoration as almost inevitably I remove the handle.

P1050901 (Medium).JPG

In modern times the choice seems to be either the Eclipse models or even more recently the Somax No.250, which I think is a japanese or Chinese copy of the eclipse. Both sets incorporate a piston similar to the Stanley No.42X, but unfortunately, to my mind, they utilise a moving top lever. In the pic below the set on the left is an Eclipse No.77 with modified wings to suit the large teeth on a milling bandsaw. The broken Eclipse No.770 is a later model made from aluminium (the 77 is brass) and the blue set is the Somax No.250.

P1050904 (Medium).JPG


The other issue I should mention is that small teeth require a narrow plunger. Some of these come with different plungers from the factory, but often it is not too difficult to take them apart and file or grind the plunger.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive review so many models of set have not been included. If you have a particular saw set you would like to put up please feel free to do so. Lastly I would add that if you are only setting the occasional saw you can put up with an awful lot.

Regards
Paul

The term "jointer" is new to me. I started an apprenticeship in 1957 and the term used to get the teeth the same height was "topping". We learn something new every day.


Jim

This is not really anything to do with sets or jointers (or toppers if you prefer) but I turned it up when I was doing some research. It may suit somebody where their vice does not readily accept the saw vice that IanW has posted in another thread. It is freestanding but needs to be clamped against a bench or similar as the last thing you want when saw filing is unwanted movement of the saw.

Handy Andy freestanding saw vice p1[46414].PNGHandy Andy freestanding saw vice p2[46415].PNG

I would adapt it so that it would accommodate a 26" or even a 28" saw without having to shuffle it along.

Regards
Paul

Thanks Paul, a timely post post for me.
Some of the saws that I received from Matt, were obviously using the same dentist as Chad Morgan.
As I can’t afford Braces for them all, I will be looking to do some of the dental work myself.

Originally Posted by Ironwood

Thanks Paul, a timely post post for me.
Some of the saws that I received from Matt, were obviously using the same dentist as Chad Morgan.
As I can’t afford Braces for them all, I will be looking to do some of the dental work myself.

Go gently an plenty of anaesthetic an you will be fine,lol

Cheers Matt

Thanks Paul. Same thoughts as Ironwood. I am looking forward to sharpening a couple more of my saws and recently bought a Somax saw setter. My first effort had been the subject of another thread.

I had meant to include another saw set in my second post and forgot. This plier type set is similar to some of those already described, but it is unsuitable for our hand and back saws.

P1050900 (Medium).JPG

It is massive and probably weighs four times that of the sets previously described. It is intended for the large crosscut logging saws and circular saws.

Regards
Paul

An with love from Germany.



This I brought years ago, just because I’m soft with no back bone,
Made in era when we decorated tools because we could.

Ahrem,s
Good line
Germany

I’ve never actually used it, it just hangs on the wall an looks fantastic,

Maybe I should look into it a bit more!

Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Go gently an plenty of anaesthetic an you will be fine,lol

Cheers Matt

And hope for an attractive dental assistant to increase your threshold of pain and the bravery level.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Simplicity

This I brought years ago, just because I’m soft with no back bone,
Made in era when we decorated tools because we could.

Ahrem,s
Good line
Germany

I’ve never actually used it, it just hangs on the wall an looks fantastic,

Maybe I should look into it a bit more!

Cheers Matt.

Matt

Nice looking old tool. Some information below. Your set appears, I think, on p11.

Attention!

I believe it was intended for circular saws and the large crosscuts (not to be confused with a crosscut handsaw) as I saw a reference to it weighing in at around 1Kg.

I am sure it looks most impressive on the wall.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Ahrem,s
Good line
Germany

I’ve never actually used it, it just hangs on the wall an looks fantastic

I pull mine out every now and again and fondle it a bit.
399B883A-A24C-4F06-AE98-F0F0AD517013.jpg