[AT] Drag saw Blade Sharpening

Paul Waugh paul at plwaugh.com
Sun Apr 28 17:41:10 PDT 2013


Interesting.  I can barely remember granddad sharpening saws, usually
handsaws ... probably a crosscut also. I have one of his tooth setting
tools.
Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Dave Rotigel
Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 2:58 PM
To: The SEL email discussion list; Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: [AT] Drag saw Blade Sharpening

Hi All,
	Some of you know that I've been interested in drag saws for a good
bit of time now, and further that (after buying a Hercules drag saw at
Portland last year) and sawing up a 16' (30 " popular) log into many 3"
pieces the Zolfo Show in Feb. of this year, I became interested in learning
how to sharpen the drag saw blades. I've yet to find anything much on the
net re: the sharpening of drag saw blades, but much of what is "out there"
re: sharpening crosscut saws applies also to drag saws. (See:
http://www.bchw.org/Tech%20tips/Crosscut%20Sharpening.htm      one of the
best is: http://www.bchw.org/Tech%20tips/FilerDVD.htm  ) 
	There are many tools available on e-bay for sharpening a crosscut
(and therefore a drag) saw blade. One of then is for setting the teeth and
was manufactured by Buller. I located this one (
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290868176663?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.
m1497.l2649 ) in March and am very pleased with the way it works, and the
fact that it is adjustable. Three of them showed up on ebay in early March.
I'm sure that more will show up! If you decide to buy tools for sharpening
drag (crosscut) saw blades be sure it (they) are combination tools--i.e.
jointer, raker and pin gage tools. Disston and Simonds are two of the most
common. (Atkins is also a common brand, but many of the Atkins were early
and did not have the pin gage on them.) Don't worry about buying a "long"
raker. (You don't need one UNLESS you are sharpening a crosscut saw for
competition--and if so, you already know one hell of a lot more than I do
about all this and probably already own a long raker!)
	The most important thing I have learned in the last month about
sharpening drag saw blades is that the difference in height between the
cutting teeth and the raker teeth IS CRITICAL! My first attempt at
sharpening a blade was to have the rakers about .030 (~1/32) below the
cutting teeth. (The Disston literature says 1/64-1/32. The Ottawa log saw
literature says the same.) I figured that MORE had to be better than LESS,
right? NOT! Both my Hercules and a friend's Witte log saw would jam and make
the clutch slip with the rakers at that depth. (The set on the cutting teeth
did not seem to batter very much.) I changed the depth of the rakers to
~.012 (just a bit less than 1/64) and both the Hercules and the Witte cut
just fine! (I think the Ottawa may be able to push the blade with a .030
difference, but the Ottawa is a 5 HP.)
	I also found that two good saw vises help a lot when sharpening a
blade. (BIG "C" clamps and 4X4's will work as well, but the vices I bought
on ebay (See:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUGE-ANTIQUE-HENRY-DISSTON-SONS-SAW-VISE-CLAMP-FILER
-TOOL-CROSSCUT-SAW-LOGGING-/380591710610?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=S
TRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=TcdmMwgeit4h96MYIViSffpllGc%253D&orig_cvip=true
&rt=nc  ) help because you are able to tilt them when sharpening the cutting
teeth. A REAL saw vice would really be nice to have--but I don't think I
will be going into production with this project soon! If I can help anyone
with the little bit of knowledge I've accumulated over the past 6 weeks, or
so please feel free to contact me!
	Dave
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