I have sharpened a few cross cut saws with moderate success. I was
reviewing this link
http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/f...mer/sharp.html
and I note that it is stressed that one should always apply the bevel angle
c.c.w. with the saw handle to the right so that you are filing towards the
toe of the saw. Lee in his sharpening book does not explain it explicitly
but a photograph on page 151 indicates the opposite.

Take the case of a crosscut saw where the heel (grip) is to your right. Do
I file a
gullet with a tooth set away to the left and towards you to the right with
the file handle oriented 15 deg (say) left a la Lee, or do I file the
adjacent gullet with the tooth set away to the right with the file handle
oriented to the right so I am filing towards the toe? In both cases the
file handle is dropped 15 deg so that the gullet angle is maintained.


Any one have any comments?

TIA John.

John Wilson said:

I have sharpened a few cross cut saws with moderate success. I was
reviewing this link
.......snip
Any one have any comments?

I don't have the brain capacity at this moment to decipher all the
directions and position of your query, but I can offer my $.02.

The bevel of the tooth goes towards the center line of the blade.
I have never noticed that the direction of the stroke of the file made
any difference in the quality of the resulting saw cut, but I don't
cut dovetails with them.

The tooth set is important - a hand operated tooth setter is quite
handy and inexpensive - sort of...


Greg G.

John,

I got a $5.00 saw from an antique store, and sharpened it myself.
Used 2 boards to make small file marks to keep the angle the same,
tried to duplicate the bevel, etc. It worked! But I then took it to
Rockler, where they sharpened it for about $12.00 and a couple of
weeks. Conclusion: The professional can do a better job than me. But
I would consider touching it up a tad, once or twice, before I take it
in again.

And I ended up with an experienced looking saw for $17.00, that is
useful. That is cool.

John,

I got a $5.00 saw from an antique store, and sharpened it myself.
Used 2 boards to make small file marks to keep the angle the same,
tried to duplicate the bevel, etc. It worked! But I then took it to
Rockler, where they sharpened it for about $12.00 and a couple of
weeks. Conclusion: The professional can do a better job than me. But
I would consider touching it up a tad, once or twice, before I take it
in again.

And I ended up with an experienced looking saw for $17.00, that is
useful. That is cool.


Yeah, that IS cool! I have bought several nice hand saws from thrift shops.
Atkins, Disston and some nice old no-namers. I cleaned the blades well
and had them sharpened at the local saw business for $8.50 to $11,
depending on the type. Great way to go. One needs new teeth, and that
costs $17. But, I do intend to get into learning sharpening because it takes
a week to two to get them back, they send them out of town to "Daily saw
service".

--
Alex - "newbie_neander" woodworker
cravdraa_at-yahoo_dot-com
not my site: http://www.e-sword.net/