Sharpening Handbook

Hand Saws

Handsaws are sharpened using a number of tools.

Required

Flat, mill file
60° triangular file
Saw set tool

Optional -- wooden jigs can be made

Jointer tool
Clamp-on filing guide

Sharpening steps:

Clean & de-rust the saw blade; repair as necessary.
Joint the tops of the teeth.
Set the teeth.
File the teeth.
De-burr / Dress the teeth.
Wax the blade.

Side View

End View

Top View

Saw Type	Use	Rake		Fleam		Drop	Set	Comments
Saw Type	Use	Range	Recom.	Range	Recom.	Drop	Set	Comments
Rip	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°.
Rip	Softwoods	-10° to 5°	0°	0° to 6°	4°	5°	50% saw blade's thickness	For general, all-around use, set rake to 0°.
Crosscut	Hardwoods	-12° to -30°	-15°	10° to 45°	10°	10°	50% saw blade's thickness	Generally Drop = Fleam.
Crosscut	Softwoods	-12° to -30°	-15°	10° to 45°	20°	20°	50% saw blade's thickness	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

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.

Another View of Filing Angles

Image courtesy Tools for Working Wood

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):

Triangular File Used vs. Saw TPI

Image courtesy Tools for Working Wood

Lower Rake angles make the saw's cutting more aggresive (and faster).

With Fleam at 10°, a crosscut saw acts more like a modified rip saw.
At 45°, it requires more resharpening and is less tolerant of variable grain alignment.

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.

Recommended references (listed alphabetically, not by preference):

Art of Saw Filing, Scientifically Treated and Explained on Philosophical Principles, an ebook version of the book published in 1871 by H. W. Holly.

The Complete Guide to Sharpening a book by Leonard Lee

Disston Saw, Tool and File Manual, an ebook version of the manual published in 1939 by Disston Saw. Disston Saw were the premier handsaw makers at that time. This is a really good overview.

Elements of Saw Tooth Design, 2009. Joel Moskowitz at Tools for Working Wood published this on his blog under the title, Everything you have ever wanted to know about saw tooth design. He later added another blog posting on historical saws titled, Sherlock: The Saw Tooth Detective.

Everything you have ever wanted to know about saw tooth design. Really nice diagrams about the terms used for the process. This is another good overview.

How to Make Custom Saw Handles. Good article at Lee Valley.

How to Sharpen Every Blade in Your Workshop, a book by Don Geary

Keeping the Cutting Edge: Setting and Sharpening Hand and Power Saws, a book by Harold H. Payson

New Design Saw Set No. 42SS, a pamphlet from Stanley Tools on the Saw Sets number 42 & 43

Saw Filing and Management of Saws, an ebook version of the book published in 1901 by Robert Grimshaw. As noted on the opening page, this is "A practical treatise on filing, gumming, swaging, hammering, and the brazing of band saws, the speed, work, and power to run circular saws, etc.etc. A handy volume for all who have charge of saws as it deals with the proper shape and pitches of teeth of all kinds and gives many useful things and rules for gumming, setting, and filing."

Saw Filing--A Beginner's Primer, a web page at Vintage Saw

Saw Tooth Geometry, a web page at Blackburn Tools

Sharpening, a book by Nick Engler

Sharpening, a book by Thomas Lie-Nielsen

Getting Started with Western Saws

This video from Lee Valley is a great overview of various saw types.

About this site Remember : The goal of sharpening is to produce sharp tools, and these tools can injure you if mishandled. Safety measures should be followed to protect yourself and those in your shop. Be sure to read and follow all instructions from the manufacturer, and and utilize proper safety equipment. Never consume alcohol or anything that could impair your judgement before sharpening tools, or using sharp tools. Comments can be sent via eMail to me at SharpeningHandbook@Gmail.com.