sharpened my veritas dovetail saw and now binds 2/3rd in when cutting
jdhillon106
| Posted in Hand Tools on
Hi There,
I recently used the Paul sellers method of hand saw sharpening. The first portion of the saw cuts great but as I get into the cut and use the full length of the saw I hit what feels like a wall two thirds of the way through. It almost feels like I can’t pass one particular area of the saw. I don’t know if maybe I reduced the tooth set by accident when clamping the saw in my bench. The teeth feel and look sharp. I sharpen my tenon saw the same way and this never happens to that. I think it’s the set but thought I’d ask here before going further.
Any ideas?
Paul Seller’s video for reference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5DixEaaUo&t=954s
Replies
I'm not a saw sharpener myself but suggest you add an image of the saw from side and looking down the teeth.
I'd guess (and it's a real guess) that you may have taken a fair bit more off the front teeth thus leading to a higher tooth at the point of binding. That would cause the symptom you describe, but like I said, I'm not even a beginner saw sharpener.
I have a old Spear & Jackson dovetail saw that I had a professional resharpen.
Afterwards it cut softwood like butter, but hung up when trying to cut 3/4 maple as you describe. After trying a couple of unsuccessful fixes under the guidance of the gent that sharpened the saw, I sent the saw back. He checked the saw teeth under 10X magnification, and found one tooth that had split, delaminating along the length of the tooth, to form a partial second tooth just off the set line. Careful honing on his part fixed the problem. Look close, it only takes one tooth being out.
I think you’ll have to redo the saw’s set. I think that’s what it’s called. In other words the teeth don’t have enough flair at the point of binding. When you sharpen you’re removing steel, reducing tooth flair. You’ll need a handsaw set tool to reset it.
I sharpen my own saws and set the teeth everytime. I find being right handed that it takes some finess to keep both sides even. If I was left handed id have the same problem but in reverse. Too much cut on one side and your saw will not cut straight and may tend to bind. Improper set and your saw will not cut straight and might tend to bind. I think the sharpening process pretty much wrecks the set. So A) level the teeth,B) sharpen, then C)reset. Or D) take it to a sharpening service.
A number of ways to check the set. Darken the room and shine a light down the blade and look from behind the light. You’ll be able to check for even set. Also are the teeth “In plane”, jointed properly. Another method is use your sense of touch. It will tell you a lot about the set. Also check the blade for twist. The light test will help you see this condition. Good luck. Let us know what you find. Thanks
The set is determined by the number of teeth per inch. I wouldn't know how one could tell if the set is correct without the adjustable setting tool. But almost certainly if you sharpened the teeth you changed the set. Once was told, or read that a needle should slide the entire length of the saw between the teeth..never tried it.
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Odds are, if you just sharpened using a triangular file, that you didn't change the set.
Your saw is biting because it is sharp. It is biting at the same place, probably has more to do with your sawing motion then anything else.
Try lightening up on your grip and your downward pressure. If the only downward pressure you are applying is the weight of the saw, and it's biting, then trying lifting up very slightly so that less than the weight of the saw is on the work piece. Take a piece of scrap and pretend you're using the saw teeth to scratch a mosquito bite on the wood. That is how light your downward pressure should be on a sharp saw.
Also, make sure your hand is dropping lower and lower as you progress into your cut.
It should stop biting as you use it and it breaks in a little bit.