Joel's Blog

Saw Filing - Poorly

08/10/2007

I remember when I filed my first saw. I was making my portable workbench in preparation for a woodworking show in 2002. Saw Filing - Poorly 4

I milled all the wood by hand, and then cut it all by hand. It was the biggest all-hand tools project I had ever done. At some point I noticed my saws were really really dull, so I had to sharpen them. I had a rather flimsy saw vice (since then I have upgraded several times) and a copy of Ron Herman's DVD(no longer in print). I got the files from work, and I went at it.
I did a really crappy job - uneven teeth and everything - but the saws still cut better than they had ever had.
Flash forward to now. Until we are fully up to speed, a few of the lads and I take turns setting and sharpening our dovetail saws, doing a few at a time. It's a 19ppi saw and I can barely see the teeth. I can hammer set a saw in 8 minutes - I'll get faster with practice - and filing a new saw is pretty fast and easy.
I get asked all the time about saw sharpening services. Basically there aren't any in New York City for handsaws, so I always recommend getting a file and trying one's hand. It's tedious, but really satisfying to spend 20 minutes sharpening and then trying out the saw. Just a word of advice: when you first start out sharpening, don't look too closely at the teeth until AFTER you try sawing with the saw. Oh, and don't practice on a really fine, favorite backsaw first.
PS - The saw in the picture is the first saw I ever bought years ago. It's in my toolbox and with the move I have set up shop again and needed to touch up the saw.

Add a Comment

Comments are closed.

Last

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the blog's author and guests and in no way reflect the views of Tools for Working Wood.

Newer Entries...
	Split Nut Screwdriver - 11/05/2007
	Where is My Iron Ore? - 10/28/2007
	Norris Saw Collecting - 10/21/2007
	My Tool Box Part 2 - 10/15/2007
	My Tool Box - 09/29/2007
	Look at This! Look at That! - 09/05/2007
	How to Use a Marking or Mortise Gauge - 08/25/2007
	Sharpening your way to better woodworking - 08/18/2007
	Saw Filing - Poorly - 08/10/2007
	Postscript - 08/02/2007
	Move update - 07/28/2007
	Where is My Knife? - 07/26/2007
	Change - The End of an Era. - 07/21/2007
	We Are Movin' On Up - Out To Brooklyn!! - 07/18/2007
	Being Neighborly - 07/18/2007

Hours: M-F 9:00-5:00, closed Sat,Sun
Our Guarantee & Return Policy
Shipping and Sales Tax Info
Privacy Policy
Holiday Calendar

Contact Us: Email: support@toolsforworkingwood.com
Phone: 800-426-4613 or 718-499-5877
Visit Us in Brooklyn: Directions to Our Showroom
© 1999-2019 toolsforworkingwood.com
Powered by 01 Inc. Coded entirely in NYC