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Please don't try that! 1. The heat required to melt even soft solder would not do the woodwork any good at all; you might get away with it, but it's a very risky thing to do on an expensive plane. 2. You would have a hard time getting solder to 'take' on those heavily-oxidised surfaces and end...

Richard, from the pics it looks like the keen "restorer" has got stuck into it with one of those "Scotchbrite" type pads on his angle grinder. Good things for removing scale & polishing the metal, but not too good at maintaining a flat surface! Occasional small voids in a peened joint are...

Yep, I think we are basically in agreement, HH. I think the comparison of Skelton saws with Holtey planes is quite apt. The latter are superb tools that seem too precious to use for fear of diminishing their investment value (I wonder how many actually plane wood and get marked & occasionally...

Glass-blowers tongs??

HH, yes, you can remove folded backs fairly easily from most saws, though it's sometimes not "easy". Apart from corrosion, which can make them very hard to budge innitially, there does seem to be a bit of variability between how tight they were when first fitted. I haven't adjusted enough...

An important point about scrub planes for those not familiar with these very useful implements: they are generally used across the grain, not with it like 'regular' planing. Cutting across the fibres takes far less effort per kilogram of wood removed (like when using a gouge for rapid stock...

HH, I subscribe to the idea that one of the functions of the spine on backsaws is to apply a small amount of tension to the blade. I cramp the spine lightly until it is a tight fit on the plate at back & front - I strive to make it a good firm fit all along, then apply a little extra grip at...

Tom, you need to specify the length as well as the slimness of a file. The cross-section increases with length, but the extra slim and double extra-slim files in the next length up often match the fatter cross-sections in the size below (i.e., 'regular' & 'slim'). It's hard to remember which...

Tom, you are a far better saw sharpener than I if you can eyeball a consistent tooth spacing from marks 1/2" apart! I always use either a paper template, with a mark for each gullet (they are available on the web, here for e.g.), or use an existing saw as a template. You can cut new, smaller...

HH, there has been an awful lot of chatter on several forums on the poor quality of saw files over the last 10-15 years! To make a really good job of sharpeneing a saw, you want a file that cuts consistently and doesn't fade halfway along the first set of teeth on a 300mm saw. Few files do...

Something I meant to say yesterday: I have another essential "artificial aid" I use when filing teeth on any saw - a magnifying head-band. The day has long since gone when I could do even an 8tpi saw with naked eye. Very fine teeth like 24tpi & up are sill a challenge even when I can see...

Lookin' good, HH. I think you should have created a new thread for your saws - it would make it easier for anyone searching on saw-making. However, it's done now so we may as well press on with the theme... A couple of tips regarding saw files: 1. modern files tend to be all over the shop...

"What I have on hand" has very often played a major role in my design processes, HH! ;) There is a lot of rather suspect stuff written and spoken about most tools, but I reckon planes & saws get more than their fair share. Personal preference in saws has a huge amount to do with what you will...

That has to be one of the more intricate saw handles I've seen, HH! :) I do like your design aesthetic, it's sort of Japanesy in a Western way - very appealing... However, yours & my saw-making philosophies seem a little different. My couple of "gents' saws" have simple, boring turned...

If you use it enough, it will wear into your hand-shape eventually.... :D

Finally got to watch the talk & really enjoyed it! Great to hear straight talk from someone who uses their tools on a daily basis to earn a crust. It always strikes me how we all gravitate to certain sizes & types of tools to perform particular tasks, but what we each choose for any given task...

Never one to shy away from a challenge are you, HH!? But aren't these decorations going to get in the way when you fair the handles, or is that already the final shape?? cheers, Ian

Mainly decorative, HH. As I said in the above post, it's a loose copy of the Disston D9 (scroll down page). I didn't copy the original handle very closely, I tried that thumb groove you'll see on the illustrated example and found it disconcerting, so I left that off the real thing. However...

Just whim, AJ., it's a loose copy of a Disston D9 backsaw. The backless saw is a small panel saw... Been making saws for 10 years or more now, so I'm starting to get the hang of it....... :)

Yep, Allocasuarina cunninghamiana, aka "River oak". It's normally a fairly bland pale brown colour, but this old tree was heavily spalted, hence the black lines.... Cheers, Ian