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 he teeth of
handsaws
are sharpened with
files.
You need a mill file to joint the teeth at the same height, and a
three-square (triangular) file to sharpen the edges. Additionally,
you’ll need a saw jointer to hold the mill file and a saw set to set
(bend) the teeth.
If the teeth are extremely
worn or damaged, joint them flat and even with a mill file. Then re-cut
or shape the teeth with a three-square file. Set the reshaped teeth
alternately left and right, then sharpen them with a triangular file.
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SAW
SHARPENING TOOLS
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Sharpen dovetail saws that
are used exclusively for cutting dovetails as rip saws. The saw will be
easier to start and guide, and you’ll get a smoother cut. |
Sharpening a Hand saw
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1
Clean the handsaw and inspect the teeth. Compare the lightly used teeth
near the heel of the saw with the heavily used teeth near the middle. If
the middle teeth are worn down, or any teeth are damaged, joint the
teeth with a mill file. Clamp the file in a saw jointer and run it along
the saw until there’s a small, shiny spot at the tops of all the teeth.
When this happens, all the teeth are the same height.
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2
When jointing removes more than a third of the height of the teeth,
re-cut the shapes with a three-square file. Clamp the saw between two
long scraps and align the scraps about 1⁄16 inch below the old gullets.
If you’re sharpening a rip saw, cut hooked teeth with faces 95 degrees
from the tooth line. For a crosscut saw, cut sloped teeth with the faces
75 degrees from the tooth line. Stop cutting when the file reaches the
scraps. Inspect the teeth — they should all be pointed with no shiny
flat spots.
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3
Saw teeth are bent slightly right and left so the kerf will be wider
than the blade. This prevents the saw from binding in the cut. Bend the
teeth with a saw set, adjusting it to bend each tooth about one-third of
the blade thickness. Bend every other tooth to the right, then bend the
teeth in between to the left.
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4
After setting the teeth, sharpen them with a triangular file. File rip
saw teeth straight across, perpendicular to the saw blade. For a
crosscut saw, work at a 75 to 80 degree angle to the saw body. First
file the teeth that are set to the right, working from the left side of
the saw. Then switch sides and file the teeth that are set to the left.
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  To help maintain the
correct angle when sharpening a hand saw, make a guide block for a rip
saw and a crosscut saw. Position the guides over the saw teeth and hold
the file parallel to the guide as you work. |
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