Handsaw Tote

[Tom Winship]

Fairly recently, someone wrote a thread with a step by step detail of making a handsaw tote. It told how to cut the groove for the blade, etc. For the life of me, I cannot find it through searching this forum. Anyone remember it?

[Zach England]

I like this method:

http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/TimHoff_MakingSawHandles.htm


There are a few others, but this is the one that has been most helpful to me.

[Marv Werner]

Tom,

Zack's link shows a good method to get the slot for the blade centered and located. Good idea if you have a spare backsaw blade laying around.

Another easy way to do it is to pencil two lines with a gap between them the thickness of the blade centered on the thickness of the tote. Mark the beginning and end point of the final slot. Then use a rip tenon saw to cut the slot. Just stay between the lines and cut sort of on one side, rotate the tote and cut a little more, rotate again and cut some more. Keep doing this until you have cut about 3/8" deep all around from start point to finish point. Now you have a kerf that will help guide the rest of the sawing of the slot. Take your time and go slow.

Marv

[Tom Winship]

Thanks guys, what would be different about cutting the kerf in the handle for a regular hand saw (vs backsaw)?

[Marv Werner]

Tim,

For a saw tote that doesn't have a "cover top", the method would be the same.

Cover top totes such as the Disston D8,s, is a whole different ballgame.

Marv

[Zach England]

when i have done this I have been building saws from kits (none of which I have yet completed) and I have had a blade the precise kerf width I need that has zero set, so I just sharpen it without setting the teeth. it's kind of slow going, but it is deadly accurate.