Saw files

[Paul Chapman]

In anticipation of some expert guidance in saw sharpening at Philly's get-together next month, I've been out today hunting for saw files. The saws I have are 15 ppi and looking at the material I've been reading up on, what I need is a 4inch double extra slim file. I went to Buck & Ryan at Guildford and they checked with their supplier's website. The ones they have are Nicholson 4inch super slim. I've ordered some of these in the hope that they will be OK, but I must admit to being a bit baffled by saw file terminology. I'd welcome some guidance on the super slim, extra slim and double extra slim terminology and whether what I've bought will be suitable for a 15 ppi saw :? :?

On a related issue, every time I look at the saw teeth they seem to get smaller :shock: Being an ageing geezer with rapidly deteriorating eyesight does anyone have any recommendations regarding those illuminated magnifying glass thingies :shock:

Thanks in anticipation,

Paul

 

[bugbear]

The saws I have are 15 ppi

Not a good place to start your learning....

BugBear

 

[Paul Chapman]

The saws I have are 15 ppi

Not a good place to start your learning....

I take your point, BugBear, but that's what I have...........

Paul

 

[bugbear]

I...but I must admit to being a bit baffled by saw file terminology. I'd welcome some guidance on the super slim, extra slim and double extra slim terminology and whether what I've bought will be suitable for a 15 ppi saw :? :?

This page should help:

http://www.vintagesaws.com/library/primer/sharp.html

The same info (copied?) is here:
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1351

I *wish* they'd just give the dimension of the flat side of the file.

Anything anyone can add to this would be welcome:

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/saw_s ... html#files

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

The saws I have are 15 ppi

Not a good place to start your learning....

I take your point, BugBear, but that's what I have...........

Paul

...spend a fiver at the next boot fair, and get a nice 7-9 TPI cross cut hand saw.

BugBear

 

[Philly]

No need-I have quite a selection of old saws ready for sharpening. Like loads :wink: :lol:
Philly

 

[Paul Chapman]

No need-I have quite a selection of old saws ready for sharpening. Like loads :wink: :lol:
Philly

I knew it, it was a cunning plot all along for Philly to get his backlog of saw sharpening done :roll:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

Paul - if thats the one I'm thinking of in Guildford, its just at the top of the hill near the lights on the junction of the main shopping street. It was my favourite shop in Guildford many years ago - got all my origional tools in there but I don't think then it was called Buck and Ryan - spent loads of dosh from my mis-spent youth in there :roll: :roll: :wink: . Wish there was a half respectable tool shop (apart from Penny Farthing Tools, which is for 2nd hand tools) in Salisbury - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

Yes, Rob, that's the one. It used to be called Messengers until quite recently. Not a bad shop (although it stopped stocking Clifton planes recently which made me a bit cross), and the staff are very helpful and seem to know their stuff, which is good. Must stop going in there - I can't afford it :roll:

Paul

 

[engineer one]

paul, i would suggest that you think about one of those round
magnifiers with a tube round it, many modelmakers use them.
i actually use one with a normal type bulb, sold by shesto in west london
[email protected] will start the route
they seem to go from about 25 quid up to 80.

the most important thing is to get daylight bulbs if you can.

such lights are available in johnlewis for instance but i think more
expensive.

hope it helps
paul :wink:

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thanks Paul :wink:

Paul

 

[Philly]

Paul C
If you sharpen it, you can take it home! Most of the saws are Spear and Jackson, and I only paid a pound each. So fear not.
And I also have the illuminated magnifier to use when sharpening the finer saws.
Yes, Philly's workshop is the place to play :wink: :lol:
Cheers
Philly
Who is hoping we don't get dozens of wanna-be saw sharpeners turn up :lol:

 

[engineer one]

i see philly, now you're withdrawing invitations to those who
want to sharpen saws :lol:

pehaps you had better have a sale of tickets for the sharpening
part of the workshop. :twisted:

paul :wink:

 

[ike]

Hobbycraft stores stock a good range of Daylight Company magnifer lamps.

I have one of these - expensive products but they are extremely good indeed with good optical quality.

Ike

 

[Paul Chapman]

Paul C
If you sharpen it, you can take it home! Most of the saws are Spear and Jackson, and I only paid a pound each. So fear not.
And I also have the illuminated magnifier to use when sharpening the finer saws.
Yes, Philly's workshop is the place to play :wink: :lol:

WOW Philly, what an offer :shock: I was going to rummage around second-hand tools shops following BugBear's advice about starting off on saws with fewer teeth but your offer sounds a better option Many thanks - I'm really looking forward to the day :wink:

Paul

 

[bugbear]

the most important thing is to get daylight bulbs if you can.

Apart from wood finishing, I can't see a workshop requirement for colour accuracy, which is the only reason I know for wanting daylight bulbs.

What's your thinking behind this?

BugBear

 

[engineer one]

bb, two things having used them in model making, and seen one
of those EXPENSIVE american lights that is offered on one of the
shopping channels, the light is better for your eyes,
as well as making it easier to see the finer details.

years aga WOOD magazine did an article about the light you need,
the amount you need seems to double about every 10 years, so
i just think that light designed to be more nearly natural would and
is better for you.

will check my filing system and see if i can find the actual references.

think the american thing is called an OTTLIGHT, supposed to have been
ex nasa, but who knows.

paul :wink:

ps great for checking splinters :twisted: :lol:

 

[engineer one]

bb you might check the splurge at www.ottlite.com
for their ideas about why the daylight type bulb is so good.

the other excuse is of course that as we approach winter
sads (seasonally affected disorder) becomes stronger,
lack of sunlight etc, and these lights ie day light ones
seem tohelp that.particularly when you are doing fine work.

my 2p
paul :wink:

 

[Alf]

Sorry, folks - dodgy connection again or I'd have chimed in earlier. Mike Hancock should be getting in the Grobet files "soon", all being well, so with any luck at all we'll have a source of double extra slim files. Which you won't need yet, 'cos as BB says, 15 ppi isn't a good starting place. Although there's a dodge that can help a lot. And I can see I won't need to bring any saws along then; except maybe "one I did earlier" in case it's one of those days and I can't sharpen for toffee... :shock: I'll try to remember to chuck in the magnifying doodah too, in case someone else find it works for them.

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

bb you might check the splurge at www.ottlite.com
for their ideas about why the daylight type bulb is so good.

Hmm. There's lots of dirty rhetoric on that site, conflating accurate staetments to pseudo-justify unrelated conclusions.

They appear to have 2 arguments.

* quantity (people often work in low light)
* colour accuracy

I still don't see any thing scientficily defensible that says you need "accurate" lighting for non-colour-critical tasks. Just light. Light is good.

So I'll stick with my anglepoises.

BugBear