I bought a file for sharpening the Japanese-style handsaws, and it was
dull after four uses. Does anyone
know where I could find one of these files that would prove to be more
durable?

On Jan 28, 9:12 pm, "
wrote:
I bought a file for sharpening the Japanese-style handsaws, and it was
dull after four uses. Does anyone
know where I could find one of these files that would prove to be more
durable?

Saw sharpening is tough on files.

ISTR that Tom Law only got about four saws sharpened
per file using Nicolson (sp?) and used one file per saw
if he used Chinese files.

There is an acid etching technique for resharpening
files. I don't know much about it, but there used to be
a guy doing them by mail order.

--

FF

Four uses per file is actually rather good life.
" wrote in message
ups.com...
I bought a file for sharpening the Japanese-style handsaws, and it was
dull after four uses. Does anyone
know where I could find one of these files that would prove to be more
durable?

On 29 Jan, 02:12, " wrote:
I bought a file for sharpening the Japanese-style handsaws, and it was
dull after four uses.

I'd expect a bit longer than this (maybe 8), given that the usual file
for this has four faces and a Japanese saw is usually quite short. Saw
sharpening _is_ hard on them though and files are regarded as
consumable. I don't re-sharpen my Japanese saws, but for Western saws
I mark the triangular saw file's edge after each use and only plan to
use it for one hand saw or two short backsaws.

I'm also curious as to where you even found the right files for
Japanese saws? Only well-known place I know is Lee Valley.

Does anyone
know where I could find one of these files that would prove to be more
durable?

Have you tried the Japan Woodworker in Alameda, CA?

URL to their files:

http://japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?dept_id=13082

MJ Wallace

On Jan 29, 6:55 am, "Andy Dingley" wrote:
On 29 Jan, 02:12, " wrote:

I bought a file for sharpening the Japanese-style handsaws, and it was
dull after four uses.I'd expect a bit longer than this (maybe 8), given that the usual file
for this has four faces and a Japanese saw is usually quite short. Saw
sharpening _is_ hard on them though and files are regarded as
consumable. I don't re-sharpen my Japanese saws, but for Western saws
I mark the triangular saw file's edge after each use and only plan to
use it for one hand saw or two short backsaws.

I'm also curious as to where you even found the right files for
Japanese saws? Only well-known place I know is Lee Valley.

They seem to be getting more commonly available, as are the various
replaceable-blade "pull saws"
You can't quite get them at Menards just yet, but Rockler, Woodcraft
and Berlands House of Tools
have them.

On 30 Jan, 02:25, " wrote:

They seem to be getting more commonly available, as are the various
replaceable-blade "pull saws"

Watch the cheaper saws for sharpening - they're often induction
hardened points and even thinner than usual. Those are effectively
unsharpenable.

On Jan 30, 4:48 am, "Andy Dingley" wrote:
On 30 Jan, 02:25, " wrote:

They seem to be getting more commonly available, as are the various
replaceable-blade "pull saws"

Watch the cheaper saws for sharpening - they're often induction
hardened points and even thinner than usual. Those are effectively
unsharpenable.


Really - I'v been looking for a good excuse to buy more of a
thoroughbred one anyway. Although
sharpening was effective on the cheap ones I did sharpen - at the
expense of my file, maybe.
I do like the button release on the handle of the cheapies. I've
taken several of these and cut the dull front
part of the blade away with a Dremel cutoff wheel to make really
useful keyhole saws.

On Jan 28, 9:12 pm, "
wrote:
I bought a file for sharpening the Japanese-style handsaws, and it was
dull after four uses. Does anyone
know where I could find one of these files that would prove to be more
durable?

That sounds about right, 4 uses means a thosand or more strokes on
steel near as hard as the file itself.


Daily Grind Sharpening Service