Thread: Saw making hammers

In the old material around 'Saws' sometimes means circular saws, sometimes the large logging saws, and sometimes handsaws (bandsaws even).

There's a youtube video on hammering and checking a long xcut saw.

I'll see if I can refind it.

Cheers,
Paul

Here is an interesting patent for a rather unique saw tensioning hammer;
http://www.google.com/patents/US693060
It also describes current tensioning practise for 1901.

In the process of straightening, leveling, and tensioning saw-blades, especially bandsaws, wherein much skill and judgment are involved, the apparatus and tools at present in use comprise a steel-faced anvil, a leveling-block, a bench, supporting-rollers for the blade, a stretcher-roller, hammers, both doghead and cross-face, back gage, and-leveling straight-edge. These are used by supporting the saw on the rollers and bench, leveling it on the block, testingit with the straightedge to find the lumps, bends, ridges, and twists, hammering with the cross-face hammer to remove these, testing it to find the fast,-loose, and stiff spots or places, and hammering with the dog face or tensioning hammer to remove such spots or places. In the use of these hammers great care must be taken to hammer both sidesof the saw alike to prevent driving the saw through or dishing it. The saw must be perfectly flat on both sides.
image.jpg

I was thinking of this video ... hammering to straighten at the 19:00 mark

Originally Posted by hiroller

Here is an interesting patent for a rather unique saw tensioning hammer;
http://www.google.com/patents/US693060
It also describes current tensioning practise for 1901.

In the process of straightening, leveling, and tensioning saw-blades, especially bandsaws, wherein much skill and judgment are involved, the apparatus and tools at present in use comprise a steel-faced anvil, a leveling-block, a bench, supporting-rollers for the blade, a stretcher-roller, hammers, both doghead and cross-face, back gage, and-leveling straight-edge. These are used by supporting the saw on the rollers and bench, leveling it on the block, testingit with the straightedge to find the lumps, bends, ridges, and twists, hammering with the cross-face hammer to remove these, testing it to find the fast,-loose, and stiff spots or places, and hammering with the dog face or tensioning hammer to remove such spots or places. In the use of these hammers great care must be taken to hammer both sidesof the saw alike to prevent driving the saw through or dishing it. The saw must be perfectly flat on both sides.
image.jpg

That's really interesting thanks. Reminiscent of a blacksmith's spring swage. http://piehtoolco.com/contents/en-us/d1260.html

This is a page taken from "The Handyman's Guide" by Paul N Hasluck (first published in 1903)...




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kees, for out of straight saws, I have always used any hammer available that's a little over a pound and polished the face (1 1/2 pounds is nice). Most hammers should be hard enough if they are decent quality.

The hard part to find is a good anvil. I've got a 125 pound soderfors or soderfors type that makes hammering a lot easier. I've sanded the top so that the surface is smooth and non-marking on the saw.

I also looked at the technique smalser employs, but I've never had luck with it, possibly because I'm using an anvil instead of wood background. I've always struck on the part that's convex. The hammer bends in the direction I'm hammering toward. IIRC, smalser may have suggested what's happening is the opposite.

I am just too cheap to find a saw maker's hammer, i only hammer saws when they need it and don't produce them. Being able to hammer out warp is super handy, though. Literally only takes a minute or two.

You just need to experiment with it. I use fairly light strikes and pull the saw across the anvil near the end as I'm doing it so that I can bias the saw plate to make sure it's against the anvil firmly and get even strikes.

This must have been the best accumulation of information about this subject I have ever seen. Now I must start digging in the shed to find some old saw blades.