Hi, All,
I just picked up a Diston hand saw, about 16 inches long at a pawn shop. $4 with a cracked handle, and dull as a butter knife. I can fix the sharpness, and since the handle was a tad too small for my hand, decided to make a new one from oak. Oak is what I have handy without reaching.
I used another saw as a template, and have it rough cut with the bandsaw. What else should I watch out for? Any tips????
Thanks for any comments.
Rich.....
Sounds like a fun project.
No suggestions, but it's worth wondering: If you paid $4 at a pawn shop, what did the original ower get? And how hard up was he for the piddly amount?
On the other hand, he could have used the saw in productive work - dull though it may be - and probably earned more than he got from the pawn shop.
Now you are being logical. If he could have worked and supported himself, he would not have qualified for as much wellfare.
Logical??
Who supports themselves with a handsaw anymore? I see the point, but a handsaw is not a production tool. And it involves at least a little skill. And skills are in short supply these days.
I feel like I'm stating the obvious...
Sand those edges as smooth as you can, then use a roundover bit in your router to make the grip as comfortable as possible, and apply enough coats of varnish to fill the pores - your hands will thank you every time you use the saw.
On 5/21/2009 6:43 AM snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com spake thus:
Yes; don't use oak. You'll notice the existing handle is some kind of hardwood without large pores (beech or similar). I'd use something like that instead.
I possess a nineteenth century Disston back saw that came to me with the handle in pieces. I glued it back together and used it for a pattern. I made a new handle out of cherry wood. It is not a perfect reproduction, but it is a very good handle. I agree oak is not a good wood for the application. A lot of saws have applewood handles. LN uses maple. I think walnut would be good as well.
I was going to say the same thing earlier when I saw the OP, then I read he'd already cut out the handle from oak so I didn't want to rain on his parade. Since it's drizzling already... ;)
Consider the oak a practice handle. Pick a nice fruitwood piece of stock, of something with tight grain and small pores. If you'd done it out of Japanese oak, that would be a different story.
R
Lee Valley has just the thing for saw handles.....
I was kinda moving to the direction of the oak as a test handle. A "prototype!" I'll look around for some scraps, maybe laminate up some hardwood. I had planned to let the router have it's way with the edges, thanks for the reminder to get it smoooooooth to the touch.
Thanks for the comments.....
Now THAT is cool beans. Chalk up another one for Lee Valley.
Yes indeed! - Wish I had one for bronze and steel.
Mart> Jay Pique wrote:
Jay Pique wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@x5g2000yqk.googlegroups.com:
Darn it!! I just added another item of theirs to my wish list. Now I just have to come up with the money. :(
$65 to repair a $4 saw?
I agree that this one cool tool, but I have a financial conflict when it comes to spending this much for a machine tool accessory intended to modify only a portion of a part of a hand tool. Unless I need to go into production mode, a common round over bit and/or some sandpaper will achieve the same results., while keeping my Normite/Galoot ratio at a steady level.
Larry, Larry, you just don't understand! :-)
Mighty Clever tool from Leevalley, but I have a hard time buying a tool that will only do one job. For the money, I'd rather have 3-4 roundover bits in standard sizes.
That's the money part of the equation, where's your time factor fit in? If it saved you five minutes every time you used it, how many times would you have to use it before it "paid for itself"?
R
Can't disagree with the time savings, but woodworking for me is a hobby. I don't get extra credit for finishing early! Same with using a scraper, chisels, and hand saws. If some unwashed cretin from the
18th century can build a fine piece of furniture with what he had, then I like to see if I can come close.I do "cheat" with power tools - hey, it's a Hobby!, but I don't mind some hand filing, carving, and sanding,
On Thu, 21 May 2009 10:25:08 -0500, the infamous Morris Dovey scrawled the following:
Router? Nah. This is the perfect time to buy a Nicholson #50 cabinetmaker's rasp if you don't already own one.
Tools, man. Thinks "new tools!"
I also wouldn't use a roundover bit - although maybe my Queen Anne table edging bit.
Factory-made saw handles are in some ways too thin, as they're a constant thickness right across and this makes them a little too thin to support the palm. You can carve one for your own hands, build one up where needed, or just ignore it. As the main force is back & forth, this isn't actually a problem.
However what it does mean is that you don't want a full roundover to the edges of the handle, as a router bit cuts. What's better is something that rounds the surface of the edge, but it leaves the corners in place, at angle of maybe 120 rather than 90 or a tangent. If you do round the corners fully, you'll find that the handle does now start to feel too thin, as there's not enough edge, or flat enough edge, to locate your fingers.
Best wood IMHO is curly elm, as it avoids the short grain breakage problem. Looks great too. Maples probably good, if you're in Maple- land. Oak's OK too, as is beech (popular in Europe), but they will snap through if you drop them.
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