Saw sharpening - bad news, good news

[Jarviser]

I decided to reshape the teeth on my R&L Dorchester tenon saw from crosscut to rip. I reviewed all my books and web articles, took my time, jointed the teeth and slowly reshaped the teeth to a new rake angle. Then had another go. Then... ...I will let you work out the bad news

The good news is that Roberts and Lee will only charge me £13 to fit a new blade, and I get to keep a giant scraper :?

Oh MikeW you make it sound so easy! I'll stick to giving them a quick rub-over sharpen in future. :roll:

 

[MikeW]

Well, Peter, sorry I led you astray.

Sometimes it is easy for someone to instill too much confidence. If I was there, I would have been glad to make it up to you by making your new blade. As well, an afternoon of instruction...

Take care, Mike

 

[dedee]

Peter,
thanks for re-enforcing my belief that saw sharpening is way harder than some make it appear.

Andy

 

[Alf]

Now you know why it's a recommendation to start with something cheap and equipped mit der bigger teef... But at least R&L have the means and inclination to fit a new blade for you. =D>

Cheers, Alf

P.S. R&L's scrapers are very good - that's one in my avatar - so it's definitely worth rescuing the unhappy blade.

 

[bugbear]

Well, small(ish) teeth are the hardest, but you'd have to do a lot of filing to wreck a blade utterly.

At the risk of reliving the pain, what did you do that is irrecoverable?

BugBear

 

[Jarviser]

At the risk of reliving the pain, what did you do that is irrecoverable?

BugBear

Irrecoverable by me that is - and I thought I could wield a file. Several teeth merged together when I got one tooth out of step sharpening the second side. (actually I was going back from rip to crosscut by this time). So I had to joint and redo. Filed the larger flats from both sides. Finished up with teeth of all different sizes. The more I jointed and tried to correct the worse it got. The regular pitch completely went. I was so embarrassed I filed the lot off to start again with a fresh set. Then realised that was too much effort. Asked R&L to cut more teeth in their factory but they said it was much cheaper to have a new blade. I assume they are machine cut and set these days.

Alf, I did start on the 50 pence Ripsaw, practiced sharpening the old Sandvik plassy handled job. Even successfully sharpened my R&L dovetail saw (mit ze powerful ge*ta*o glasses), it was the reshaping that threw me. That and the eyesight!

Mike - drop in any time!

 

[Jarviser]

Well, small(ish) teeth are the hardest, but you'd have to do a lot of filing to wreck a blade utterly.
BugBear

Yes I did a lot of filing!
Actually I just thought of an analogy in lieu of a photo.
Those of us who remember the inner city back-to-backs in the '50s (before political awareness and burglars got what they deserved) will remember how we used to cement broken milk bottles to the top of the back yard wall. Well that's what the teeth looked like by the end of the morning.

 

[Alf]

...it was the reshaping that threw me.

Yeah, it's got me a couple of times too. The only thing I've found to do is take three or four passes all from one side to get the shape right, rather than try to do it all in one shot. And taking a look from the side to see what it looks like as you go helps too.

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

Those of us who remember the inner city back-to-backs in the '50s (before political awareness and burglars got what they deserved) will remember how we used to cement broken milk bottles to the top of the back yard wall. Well that's what the teeth looked like by the end of the morning.

Ah. 3rd illustration in my "Illustration of some of the issues to be faced during teeth reshaping" picture.

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/saw_sharpen.html

BugBear

 

[Jarviser]

Ah. 3rd illustration in my "Illustration of some of the issues to be faced during teeth reshaping" picture.

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/saw_sharpen.html

BugBear

I would have been happy with teeth like that! Mine was a real dog's dinner.

Useful resources on that page, I like the pdf of saw teeth. I might have a practice on the old blade.