Jump to Navigation

Tool Restoration and Maintenance

Understanding Saw File Sizes

Files are sized by length and by their thickness (shorter files are naturally thinner to start with). Then, there is a variety of sizes available in each length... This is what follows after the length, e.g. a 6" 'Slim Taper'.

The common size tapered saw files you will find are 4" through 8" long, and are listed as (in order from widest to narrowest):

field_vote: 
No votes yet

Saw Filing Templates

Something I am always asked for are the saw filing templates in PDF form that I made for my backsaw project.  They're the ones that are just lines on a page showing an angle to file a saw at or lines showing ppi to aid in cutting new teeth, like in this shot:

There were a few sizes missing - I made some additional templates to cover more sizes and angles, hopefully these will help you out.

I've compiled them all into one document and put them here:

Saw filing templates

They are all in PDF format - if you plot them without scaling them to fit the page (no scaling, in other words), they should print to scale properly.

EDIT:  For those daring types, here's a pair of progressive pitch templates, one for 6 ppi - 9 ppi Toe to Heel on a 9" (22.86cm) blade similar to Lie-Nielsen and another that is 7 – 13 PPI over 14” similar to their progressive-pitch filed tenon saw...

Progressive Saw Filing Templates

Have fun filing!

Leif

field_vote: 
No votes yet

Waxing Philosophic - on Wax

 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.
 
field_vote: 
Average: 5 (1 vote)

Finding Files and Other Saw Sharpening Tips

I've been getting a few questions lately on saw files - what to get, and where to get them, mostly.  Here's some highlights from those correspondences that others might find useful.

field_vote: 
No votes yet

Oil Stone Boxes

 Here's a simple and quick litte project - so simple, I normally might not have bothered posting about it, but since I haven't been posting much lately I thought it might make for a good page or two.
field_vote: 
Average: 3.8 (4 votes)

Sloped Gullets: The Finer Points of Sharpening

Click to enlarge

 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.

field_vote: 
Average: 4.5 (2 votes)

Recommendations on Sawmakers, Restorers, and Sharpeners

Every once in a while I'm asked if I could restore or make a saw for a fellow woodworker. Unfortunately, my current employment situation allows me little time for personal endeavors (like finishing my shop!), much less that for others - so I've had to severely cut back work I do for others.

field_vote: 
Average: 5 (3 votes)

Rehabbing an 8" Disston backsaw

The smaller Disston 8" backsaws don't show up at an affordable price too often (at least for me they don't!) and when I saw this mis-labeled saw (it was advertised as a 10" saw, the seller had measured it's total length rather than blade length) on ebay some time ago I placed a lowball bid, fully not expecting to get the saw. Yet, I won - I think I got it for around $18 including shipping. Here's the saw as it arrived:

field_vote: 
No votes yet

Lily Whites are Long Gone

Any reader of this site knows I am a fan of oil stones... One of the finest quality oil stones out there are by the Norton company are known as "Lily White Washita" stones.  These are the type of stones I learned how to sharpen on - I had one of these stones for many years, and lost it through a mishap 10 or 12 years ago now - and I have missed it. They had gone out of production many years ago and were no longer available, but still command a hefty price for a vintage one on ebay and the like when you found a used one. 

field_vote: 
Average: 5 (2 votes)

Pages

Subscribe to Tool Restoration and Maintenance


by Dr. Radut.