Saw-ting Out Saws

[billw]

Right, the internet has successfully confused me with a myriad of advice and explanation.

I have four backsaws waiting to be sharpened. Between them: -
1. All four have crosscut pattern teeth
2. All are either 12TPI or 13TPI
3. Three are 12" and one is 10"

From what I've read I'd class them all as carcass saws, although confusingly one says it's a tenon saw. I say confusingly because I would assume a tenon saw would be far more useful having a rip pattern since cutting tenons likely involves a lot more ripping than crosscutting.

Given their inherent similarities, it seems a bit pointless spending time sharpening them all because I'd just end up with 4 identical saws which are geared towards the same task. Those aside I have a handsaw/panel saw (probably about 7TPI) and a Veritas dovetail saw with 14TPI. At least those are different. Oh, I also have a fret saw but only because there was a rusty one in the garage that I repainted and fixed because I wanted to. I have no idea what a fret saw does.

Whilst I have read the section on saws in the Anarchist's Tool Chest, I confess I'm really still none the wiser so before I head to Ebay.....

What are the configurations of what you'd class as essential saws?

 

[MikeG.]

Yeah, they're a bit similar.

I find if useful to have a coarser saw, around 10 TPI, and a fine 16 TPI (but rip filed) saw, in addition to the basic workhorse 13/ 14 TPI. Frankly I don't bother filing them anything but for rip. In all honesty you can easily get away with having just the one saw, say 13-15 TPI, so you could sell on one or two of those saws and maybe keep an eye out for a smaller finer saw for the finest work (dovetails etc).

 

[IWW]

<What are the configurations of what you'd class as essential saws? >

Bill, what's "essential" to me would be quite unlikely to induce the same response from you.

Saw choices are very much an individual thing, but there are a couple of rules of thumb that I suggest can help you make those choices. Obviously, you want saws that feel comfortable & manageable to you for the majority of the jobs you do with them. If you are a modelmaker, your trend will be to very small saws, if you make large items, you'll want longer & wider saws. So that's your first consideration.

The number of tpi to have on any saw is always good for debate. The old rule of thumb says you should have a minimum of 4-5 teeth in the cut, so they don't dig-in too much and cause irregular cutting. But you can also have too many teeth in the cut. If the pitch is too fine for the width you are sawing, the small gullets fill with sawdust long before exiting the cut. This will slow down cutting rate & often induce wander. Whether you are a "light" or "heavy" sawyer will also have an influence.

The length of the saw should be chosen so that you can saw with a comfortable stroke, with plenty of saw exiting the cut either side to clear the gullets.

No-one I know actually measures these things, with experience, they are just calculated unconsciously when you size up the job in hand. And of course, there has to be compromise or you would need an entire chest of saws of every size & length known to man if you do a wide variety of work, as most amateurs do. So the question of what saws are essential is really a question of how much you are prepared to compromise. With practice, even an unsuitable saw can get the job done for you, though it will demand a bit more concentration & effort on your part.

Tooth configuration is another matter for endless analysis. Once you get to pitches of 15 tpi (+/-), most people would not find any practical difference between rip or crosscut pattern teeth in 99.9% of situations. At 10-12tpi, the difference can be anything from slight to marked, depending on what wood you are sawing & how critical the cut is.

A well-sharpened rip saw will outperform a poorly-sharpened crosscut on just about any cut, and rip teeth are vastly easier to learn to sharpen well, so if you are starting out with backsaws, have mostly rip teeth & learn to sharpen them well. I'd certainly convert one of your 12 inchers to rip pattern at either 10 or 12 tpi. I find that one of the most useful sizes to have, it covers a very wide range of situations well.

Struggling with blunt, poorly-set saws is the most common sawing problem I see. Few aspects of woodworking are more frustrating & disheartening than trying to make accurate, neat cuts with blunt saws. They are "edge tools" after all, yet I find so many folks who fuss over their plane blade & chisel sharpness put up with saws that are desperately in need of some dental attention.

My 2c
Cheers,