Where can I buy some decent used saws?

[Jeff Skory]

Ok, I just finished putting some BLO on the Schwartz workbench I built, still need to drill holes in the top and build my sliding deadman. I have got a decent collection of hand planes that I have collected in the recent past - used my #7 and #4 for the bench top.

But to further my Neander journey I need to get some saws. All I own is a newer Diston bought from the borg some years back.

Where can I buy some decent used saws that have been sharpened? I will eventually learn to sharpen but would like to know what a sharp one feels like.

And what kind of price should I expect to pay?

Or would I be better off buying a few new ones from Lee Valley?

[Tony Zaffuto]

Don't have his number handy, but "google" Tom Law and give him a call. Tom always has handsaws available for sale very reasonably priced. These are not collectable saws but very much user quality and all have been refurbed & sharpened by Tom. In case anyone doesn't know of tom's reputation, he was the pre-eminent sharpener for Galoots who don't sharpen their own saws for years until he retired

[lowell holmes]

I've bought some prized saws on E-bay. I have a 10 tpi crosscut Disston that came to me sharp and properly set.
I don't know where you are, but Circle Saw in Houston will sharpen handsaws on a machine for $4.00. After you get them, they will have more set than is proper and there will be burrs left from the sharpening. A stone run down the sides of the teeth fixes that.
All that is needed afterwards is an occaisonal touch up sharpening by hand.

[Fred Krow]

Goggle "Brass City Records" Walt Q. usually has many saws available, some in excellent condition and others are "fixer uppers".


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3509/...f2186058_o.jpg

I purchased the lower saw,,,, Atkins with full blade,,, very nice condition for 1920's vintage.

Regards,
FK

[Jeff Skory]

Thanks guys. Both the Brass City Records and Tom Law seem like good leads. I'll try to make some time to contact one or both of them some time this week.

[Martin Peek]

I bought old saws from an ebay seller, azmica90405. He is a saw nut and is an expert in hand-filing. The auctions can go for a lot of money - you can also email him directly about saws and filings you want. Good luck!

[Paul Saffold]

Tom is usually at the flea market on US 340 at Harper's Ferry, WV. It is open Sat & Sun. He is often making a saw handle or sharpening one. He has a good selection of very reasonably priced reconditioned saws.

Harper's Ferry is about 1 1/2 hr from DC, in the eastern panhandle of WV.

Paul

[Phillip Pattee]

Jeff,

Check out Technoprimitives in Wisconsin http://www.technoprimitives.com/saw_...ation_services

[David Keller NC]

Another option is Pete Taran's site:

http://www.vintagesaws.com/index.htm

While the collector's saws (usually early Disstons) vanish from his site almost as soon as he puts them up, you can e-mail him and tell him what you're looking for. He's very knowledgeable, and in one sense started the current revolution in Western backsaw making that's currently raging (he started Independence Tool with Patrick Leach, which was sold to Lie Nielsen and is the basis for their backsaw line).

A couple of comments about buying saws from fleabay - you will get them a whole lot cheaper than any of the dealers, and there's a reason. You will definitely get a fine saw out of one of the auctions, but unless you're very lucky, you will also get quite a few that are pitted (and thus cannot be sharpened and set well), the plate has warps or kinks in it, the handle is loose because one or more of the saw nuts have been replaced, etc... There is usually little way to tell from the pictures what's worth bidding on and what's not. This is why it may well be worth paying a $100 premium to get one from an established dealer.

Finally, take a close, careful look at the handle on a prospective hand saw. After about 1920 or so, much of the handwork was taken out of the handle, which produced really ugly and uncomfortable results. The irony is that the steel in the saws continued to improve throughout the 1880 - 1940 time period, so a Disston from 1938 will have superb steel and an unsuitable handle.

That's one way to get a nice saw on the cheap, as the later produced saws don't interest collector's much, they're usually in better shape because the contracting trades had gone to powered saws, and they're usually not as rusty because folks had air conditioning that kept the summer humidity down. Assuming you're the tools and skills, you can re-shape the tote to your liking and have a very good performer.

Then again, you could just buy a new one from Lie Nielsen or Mike Wenzloff and be done with it.

Edit: I just realized that you didn't really specify whether you're looking for a "handsaw" (ie., a panel saw without a brass back), or a backsaw (either a dovetail, carcasse, tenon or sash saw). The dealers noted above are good sources for antique handsaws, and may also have some backsaws. However, if you're looking for a dovetail saw, you're better off buying a new one from Wenzloff, LN, LV, Bad Axe, Adria, Andrew Lunn, or Medallion. The new saws are known quantities - any of the ones that I just listed are superb performers, and antique backsaw might be a good performer, or it might not, and the afore-mentioned issues with crappy handles also apply to backsaws manufactured after the 1920's by the big firms.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I'm just curious, or is it taboo here to mention the japan pull saws? I have a few old Disstons, but I rarely use them, in favor of a pull saw... And they're relatively inexpensive. More than a regular saw, but worth it IMO. It is a "modern" tool but so is a LV plane..... I say "modern" only because it's new to us. Been around for a long time over there.

[Gary Herrmann]

Jeff,

Check out Technoprimitives in Wisconsin http://www.technoprimitives.com/saw_...ation_services

I've bought from Mark. He does a great job sharpening. He's selling his own brand of saws now too.

[Richard Niemiec]

Everyone mentioned above do a great job with saws, but honestly, there were millions of Disston and Atkins saws made, and I've stocked my saw till with about 10 rip and crosscut saws with various tooth configurations, full size and panel saws, and never paid more than $10, mostly $5, at garage sales and flea markets. Took about 6 months, top. Google "disstonian institute" and learn about what medallions to look for, that's an easy guide to the older (and generally better) saws. A little mineral spirits, some razor blades and scotchbrite pads and they clean up real nice if not too far gone. Then teach yourself to sharpen, its not all that hard and the more you do it the better you get; plus you'll always have sharp saws. I'm about halfway through sharpening them (I got sidetracked on a couple of backsaws). Guys like Darryl Weir will sharpen saws if you want to know what a sharp saw is like. YMMV. RN

[Dan Andrews]

Dito Richard. A couple weeks ago I picked up 3 braces, 2 handsaws (and passed up many othrers), 2 hand drills and 2 breast drills. All this from one half day of shopping our local townwide rummage sales. The most I paid was $10. for one of the breast drills. One of the saws is a 16 inch Disston pannel saw #7 Circa 1878 - 1888. Price $1.00. Good handle and rusty, but I think restorable blade.

[Mike Brady]

Daryl Weir, who is Woodnut on eBay, is a great saw sharpener, restorer and seller. He has a spotless reputation as well. There are other good referrals here, but a saw from Daryl will be ready to use, and that is huge when buying saws. The learning curve for saw sharpening is deceptively steep.

[Jeff Skory]

Hey thanks everyone for the good suggestions. Work has reared its head to interfere with my woodworking so I won't be able to contact anyone this week. And I do plan on eventually hitting up some garage sales, etc. to buy some treasures and then learn to sharpen them. I think that part will be fun and satisfying.