I am getting back into sharpening back saws again, but have run into a problem with them cutting to the right. I am, in my opinion, having to stone them to much. Please give me some corrective ideas. I am using an old #3 saw vice.
[OP]
Member
I am getting back into sharpening back saws again, but have run into a problem with them cutting to the right. I am, in my opinion, having to stone them to much. Please give me some corrective ideas. I am using an old #3 saw vice.
You never get the answer if you don't ask the question.
Joe
Contributor
How are you setting the teeth? What kind of saw set are you using, and what is your procedure for setting the teeth?
The type of saw vise shouldn't matter.
Rikc
[OP]
Member
Set the teeth first. Set with a horizontal squeeze set every other tooth. Then turn the saw around and set the teeth on the alternate side. Then on to sharpening.
You never get the answer if you don't ask the question.
Joe
Contributor
I find I have to flip the saw in the vise when I am halfway through. If I work both ways down the toothline the saw doesn't cut straight.
[OP]
Member
Scott,
Are you saying continue the way you are going or reach over the plate and work from the other side. I think I see what you are saying, just please clarify.
Thanks.
You never get the answer if you don't ask the question.
Joe
Contributor
My experience when filing a saw has been the teeth need to be filed from the side going with the set. To clarify, work on the teeth with the set facing away from the file handle. (at first this seemed counter intuitive to me)
Then flip the saw and readjust what ever is on the end of the file for holding your rake angle and file the teeth on the other side. Going down one side for all the teeth on a rip saw always made my saws drift to one side.
Any burr left will be removed by one slide of a stone down either side if the first bit of wood sawn doesn't do it.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
[OP]
Member
Thanks Jim, I'll do it. Your experience and knowledge is enough for me. I know others have ideas and ways to do thing,but I have respect for your knowledge. Have you still got the X3 brace?
You never get the answer if you don't ask the question.
Joe
Contributor
Sorry, I will try again. I start with the teeth up and the handle on either my left or my right. I work my way down the toothline from left to right. I am a right handed filer. Once I have half the teeth sharp, I open the vise and re-arrange the saw with the handle now at the other end of the vise, reset my filing guide, and then work down the toothline from left to right again.Originally Posted by Joe Tilson
It happens to work for me, and it works good for me, so I just go with it.
As Jim has pointed out, any burr left behind on the teeth should be making the kerf (temporarily) wider - the burrs should not be in the gullets where you can't stone them away. I also do rip saws Jim's way, half the teeth from each side. When I file a rip saw all from the same side of the plate, all the burrs are on the opposite side of the plate and the saw will drift in its cut. For me.
HTH.
Member
I suppose this would make sense if there is any slight fleam. Let's say you're out of 90 degrees even just a little bit, and file all teeth from one side with a few degrees of fleam. That would be a possible explanation, it seems.
But I'm just guessing. I'll try your method myself next time I sharpen.
Contributor
Yes, thank you, it gets used often and has a fine place to rest with its brethren:
Brace Storage.jpg
My experience, like most folks, is from doing. My saw filing knowledge came from > http://www.vintagesaws.com
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
[OP]
Member
Scott,
That's what I thought you were saying. Just wanted to be sure.
Thanks a lot.
I'm having to relearn. Haven't sharpened saws in many years. I've collected a lot of them and decided to get serious about cleaning them up. Figured at 74 I'd better get with it.
Best wishes to you and yours.
You never get the answer if you don't ask the question.
Joe
Contributor
Joe, if you are taking the trouble to be sure the saw cuts straight before you sharpen the next one, you are going to do fine. Do let us know what works for you, I am not getting any younger and my shoulder joints seem to be on an accelerated aging cycle.
[OP]
Member
Scott,
That's what caused me to ask. They were cutting straight. I was trying to follow something Paul Sellers was doing.
I guess we could have a thread longer than any other if we got talking about shoulder pain. We would probably get kicked off the creek.
Thanks to all for your input, hope you have a great day. God bless you all!
You never get the answer if you don't ask the question.
Joe
Contributor
My right shoulder has been messed up for ~50 years from a bicycling accident. It was my reason for buying a LH Shooting Plane and sometimes sawing left handed.Scott,
[edited]
I guess we could have a thread longer than any other if we got talking about shoulder pain. We would probably get kicked off the creek.
Not sure we would get kicked off as long as we kept the conversation civil and the remedies legal.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
I've taught a lot more people to sharpen a chainsaw chain than to sharpen a hand saw (none). The universal problem they all seem to have to start with is getting teeth on opposite sides different lengths and angles. Study the teeth closely on each side to see what your differences are. They need to be the same.
I sharpen both chains and saws with one hand. Using the second hand restricts my view, and just seems awkward, although I know the vast majority do it that way. I use the little smooth end to start a stroke by placing it down in the gullet to start with. It gives me a split second of time to see exactly which is the next tooth up, and what it needs.
I place a light so a freshly sharpened tooth reflects right back towards my eyes. It makes it easy to see which tooth is next, and what it needs.
I don't have any advice on what to do to make the teeth the same, but if you study them closely, you should be able to figure out how to do it.
The file handle is important. It needs to be comfortable in your hand, and work with your thumb. My thumbs can bend back at 90 degrees, and the Oregon chainsaw file handles fit my hand perfectly, so I use them for hand saws too. I buy them by the dozen.
Last edited by Tom M King; 02-03-2022 at 11:31 AM.
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