New hand saws

[Jim_Rogers]

Quite some time ago, while I was visiting with Jack Sobon he mentioned to me that he had lost his handsaw sharpener man.
This elderly man had be sharpening Jack's handsaws for many years, and it was his time to go to the great saw sharpening spot in heaven.....rest in peace and thanks for the many years of great service.......

Without a saw sharpener on hand, Jack had to find a new saw to use for his timber framing projects.

He told me he tried many different "new" handsaws and finally found one that he liked very much.

It is a Stanley SharpTooth handsaw.

The specs are: it is 26" long, with 11TPI (tips per inch) or 12 point.
It is for all wood types and is considered a "Fine Finish Saw".

It can be used as a cross cut saw as well as a rip saw.



Jack had mentioned to me that these are at times hard to find, and he suggested we stock a few of them for anyone who can't seem to find them in their local stores....

We have a couple on hand now if anyone should need one.....

Jim Rogers

[moonhill]

For pine I would go for the 8 or 9 TPI saws.  Stanley makes down to the 8 TPI but are hard to find.  I keep a fresh one in my box, the used one graduate to different location for misc. use.  What TPI are you stocking, Jim?

Tim

[Jim_Rogers]

Just the 11 as shown above.
But if you want us to look for you for another one like you use we can try and find them around here.....
Just let me know...

Jim Rogers

[moonhill]

No need to look for me, Jim.  I thought if someone was going to buy a new saw they may want an option.  It is my opinion the 11tpi are too fine and the 8 or 9's are better at least for soft wood.  I don't use enough hard wood to offer an opinion on that.  I mistakenly bought a 12 tpi saw and it was just plain old too slow. 

Tim

[thedeeredude]

Tom Law makes a dvd on sharpening handsaws, sure worth a look.  Old handsaws can be had for under 5 bucks and most often the steel is unequaled.  Henry Disston got his first saws in hardware stores by demonstration, he walked in the store, talked to the owner, took one of his saws bent the tip of the blade to the handle, it didn't break or bend and the rest is history.  For anyone interested just google handsaw sharpening or tom law sharpening dvd. 

[Dave Shepard]

That is the same hand saw I use, and they are great. I asked at the hardware store about the 8 tpi, as that is what Jack recommended for the workshop, but they couldn't seem to get them. I'll have to badger them again. ;D The 11 tpi will cut a rough sawn pine 2x4 in about 4-5 pushes.

[shinnlinger]

I took a Heartwood school sharpening course a while back and sharpened a rip saw.  It was a 30 minute experience that wasn't much fun, but it was effective.  A crosscut saw though is a whole other deal and even the Heartwood school sends those out.

[Raphael]

A crosscut saw though is a whole other deal and even the Heartwood school sends those out.

Any idea where they send them?
Last saw I sent out cuts circles.

[moonhill]

Raphael, are you talking about the Stanley sharp saw or a traditional saw?  I sent out a hand saw once and it came back cutting like you say, circles.  I picked up a book on sharpening and never looked back.  The book came from Lee Valley, I lent it out and never saw it after that, the fellow skipped town.   

Tim

[Jim_Rogers]

I found this on another site and he shows a hand saw that sings....

http://flash.unctv.org/woodwrightss/wws_2607.html

[Radar67]

That was a captivating video by Roy Underhill. I'll have to watch it again later to better grasp some of his words. Awesome.

[Jim_Rogers]

He does talk pretty fast in that one, and he quotes lots of good books.....

[Mad Professor]

A crosscut saw though is a whole other deal and even the Heartwood school sends those out.

Any idea where they send them?
Last saw I sent out cuts circles.

We have a local lumber dealer that sends crosscut saws out weekly for sharpening service. 

I picked a number of Disstons at a tag sale for 15 bucks: both fine and coarse crosscuts, a large miter saw, and a ripsaw. They sharpened them all for $30 and for less than $50 I have a fine set of saws.

[Raphael]

One of our local lumber yards does the same thing.
Unfortunately the fellow they originally sent them to is no longer with us and the one who took over the business is a disaster.  My old Diston CC saws all cut curves to the left and the both circle saws he sharpened go right, he (or someone at the lumber yard) also wrote over the etched side of the handsaw blades in permanent marker.

I wound up buying a reasonably priced replacable blade Ryoba (Japanese double edged handsaw) and it's stayed sharp and true through the entire house build.

One issue I have with newer western style saws is the flat stock handles.

[thedeeredude]

Here's a couple of websites showing how to sharpen.

http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/node/87

http://www.vintagesaws.com/library/primer/sharp.html

[zopi]

I have developed the habit of buying every half decent saw I come across if I can afford it at the time...Found an old Victory a couple months ago...didn't know what it was until I derusted it and could make out the etching...I've picked up a pretty nice set of saws..

I am about to buy myself a set of Ryoba and Dozuki for my little portable shop that will accompany me on the ship.

[FrankLad]

Mr. Jim - Thanks a bunch for sharing that Roy Underhill video!

Planning to order a couple of his books* from Amazon soon.  Good stuff!


(* As well as the David Pye book he referenced.)

[TW]

It is not difficult at all to sharpen a handsaw.
Just learn how to sharpen and then some practice and that's it!

Bob Smalser has written a good tutorial but I cannot remember where I found it on Internet.

I was 15 when my father taught be how to sharpen and in the 12 years that has passed since then I have sharpened a lot of saws, both rip and crosscut. From 4 1/2 to 12 teeth per inch.

For log house work I use a 28" Henry Disston & Sons number 7. Made before 1928 according to a source on Internet. I re-toothed it myself and set the teeth and sharpened it and it cuts like a dream in softwood. Better than any new saw I have ever put my hands on. The blade is much stiffer than modern saw-blades.

[krusty]

I am surprised Jack moved to such new technology!

You can get those Stanley saws up here in Canuckistan at your local HD and I saw quite a few on the shelf the other day.

But why not take the time to learn to sharpen properly? It does not take much...saw vice, set, and a proper file and my D8's can cut in record time properly set and filed. Links provided above show how.

It is like not understanding how to sharpen a chisel ;)

[Raphael]

It is like not understanding how to sharpen a chisel ;)

, that I can do in my sleep.  Seems I have to sharpen one every time I go to use one of Dad's bench chisels.
One of the joys of a damp basement workshop.

[DouginUtah]

Bob Smalser has written a good tutorial but I cannot remember where I found it on internet.

Putting Bob Smalzer into Google I found the saw sharpening link.

After going off on a couple of tangents I ended up at this page:

http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To.htm

For sharpening or woodworking in general this site has links that could keep you busy for days.
Have a look. I think you will be impressed.

[thedeeredude]

Heres some more links for sharpening saws.  Bob Smalser used to be a member here, I think he posted a couple times and never came back.  He still frequents woodnet hand tools forum.

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/bSmalser/z_art/nlOldSaw/nlOldSaw1.asp

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/bSmalser/index.asp

If you do want to send out your saw, PM me, I know of a couple guys who's names I could give ya.  Word of advice, if you want your saw sharpened, look for someone who hand files.  Foley/belsaw made a machine filer and some guys use them on saws.  It works ok, but can make you hate handsaws real quick.

Ah, here is Bob's profile.  Last active July 2007.  https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=3625

[Raphael]

My neighbour has a Foley/belsaw machine that's supposed to do that, he says it's good for circular saw blades but it falls short when it comes to handsaws.