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Hand Saws |
Handsaws are sharpened using a number of tools.
Sharpening steps:
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Saw Type | Use | Rake | Fleam | Drop | Set | Comments | ||
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Range | Recom. | Range | Recom. | |||||
Rip
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Hardwoods | -10° to 5° | -5° | 0° to 6° | 0° | 5° | 50% saw blade's thickness | For dense wood with wild grain, increase fleam to 10°. For general, all-around use, set rake to 10°. |
Softwoods | 0° | 4° | For general, all-around use, set rake to 0°. | |||||
Crosscut
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Hardwoods | -12° to -30° | -15° | 10° to 45° | 10° | 10° | 50% saw blade's thickness | Generally Drop = Fleam. |
Softwoods | 20° | 20° | For soft, fibrous woods, consider fleam = 30°, rake = 45°, and increase Set. | |||||
2-Man Crosscut | (same as for Crosscut Saws) | 0.020" | ||||||
Compass | (same as for Rip Saws) | |||||||
Dovetail | (same as for Crosscut Saws) | 0.002" | For backsaws, Set should be 0.005". | |||||
Reciprocating Saw Blades | 0° | 8° | 0° | 50% saw blade's thickness | ||||
Veneer | 0° | 0° | 0° | 0 | Use a stone to de-burr, and then bevel the sides of the teeth. |
Notes & Comments![]() Another View of Filing Angles ![]() Triangular File Used vs. Saw TPI Image courtesy Tools for Working Wood Jointing: When jointing the tops of the teeth, a saw jointer makes this easier. However, you could also use one of the jigs in the recommended books below. Engler's and Lie-Nielson's books show this best. Setting:. When setting the teeth, a saw set is critical for this. If buying one, get one with a pistol-grip, and which accommodates 4-16 TPI. The saw set I use is a Stanley model 42W. It works much better than the models 42 or 432. I have not tried the Stanley model 42X, nor have I tried any of those newer ones available on eBay, so I cannot speak to their abilities. Only set the top 1/2 of the teeth. Increase Set for saws with coarse teeth. Decrease Set for saws with finer teeth. For very fine saws, the burr from the filing will probably give adequate set. Filing:. When filing the teeth, hold the blade next to a straight edge (e.g., a 2x4) to ensure consistent gullet depth. A clamp-on filing guide for the fleam makes this easier. Or use one of the jigs in the recommended books below. Engler's and Lie-Nielson's books show this best. For the triangular file, use the specified size based on the saw's teeth per inch (TPI) as shown in the lower picture to the right. Lower Rake angles make the saw's cutting more aggressive (and faster). With Fleam at 10°, a crosscut saw acts more like a modified rip saw.
Blackburn Tools' web page, Saw Tooth Geometry, has good visuals to explain Drop (which they call, Slope), Fleam, and Rake. French veneer saws have a variable rake towards the center, and only have a bevel on one side. Best to have a professional re-sharpen these. |
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