I find it hard, even after many years, to carry on a conversation about "sloping gullets" with at least a little chuckle. Not at how it refers to a certain method of sharpening a hand saw mind you - its more that every time I hear the phrase "sloping gullet", I can't help but think of some sort of deformed fish...
That, and when researching the origins of this icthyological pursuit, I ran across a reference to a photo of a WWII era front-line French infantry "installation" (actually a shack the infantrymen had set up as a bar) called "L'Auberge des Gosiers en Pente" - or "The Inn of the Sloping Gullets" - that is to say, always thirsty... (from "The French in love and war: popular culture in the era of the World Wars" By Charles Rearick)
When sharpening a saw, there are several angles you are concerned with. The terms associated with these angles which are most important to this conversation include rake, fleam, and of course - slope (as shown in the graphic above -you can click on any of the images to see a larger, clearer version). I'll try not to go into too heavy technical detail on saw sharpening as that's another subject, and it's been well covered by others... as well as myself.
Someone asked me recently about what I use to protect the finish of my saws (and by proxy other tools, both hand and machine tools). The answer is straight forward, though perhaps not as simple as I initially thought… I use paste wax to help protect them from rust and also to reduce friction in their use. I also use paste wax on some of the furniture I make and restore also. I have often sensed a bit of confusion on using waxes, what they are and how they work, in conversations I've had with others. Some revile it – likely because of a bad reaction with a finish of some sort or perhaps in some cases because of unrealistic expectations.
