Replies

1. 
   joeinca | Sep 19, 2022 01:29am | #1

   Not in Atlanta, but you might consider The SawWright.
   http://www.thesawwright.com/index.html

2. 
   pantalones868 | Sep 19, 2022 03:04am | #2

   I looked up that Saw Wright- its weeks and weeks lead time and at a boutique price.
   Highland Woodworking in Atlanta -- if they don't offer sharpening service themselves they should at least know who does. Was a time when you took your stuff to be sharpened to any hardware store, they sent it out and you had it back in a couple of days! That might still exist at some ma and pa hardware stores. Most places will machine sharpen your saw only. I don't have a problem with that myself but some people think it's inferior to hand sharpening. I think sharp is sharp no matter how you get there. I will take a badly worn saw specifically to be sharpened by machine because the machine evens things up. Restoring a dinged up saw by hand can really take a long time. That shouldn't be necessary though if your saw is in good shape but just a bit dull.
   I do my own handsaw sharpening, it's not hard if you have the right equipment which you say you do. It does take a bit of time to sharpen a handsaw, like maybe an hour or so if you dont do it often. Do a practice run on a couple of not your best handsaws ,I think you'll find it easier than you think.
   Sharpening Service around here has gotten really quite expensive. Because of that I bought a rig to do my own circular saws but it's really clumsy and I don't attempt it on my best blades.
   I looked online for sharpening services and came up with a saw works near me, surprisingly near me actually, that I never knew about that offers free sharpening for the bandsaw blades you buy from them! If it wasn't for this thread I would have never known!

3. 
   john_c2 | Sep 19, 2022 04:33am | #3

   I second Matt Cianci, the Sawright. I think Badaxe might sharpen outside saws.

4. 
   jharveyb | Sep 19, 2022 03:45pm | #4

   I have to differ a bit with Pantalones. If a hand saw is unevenly sharpened, which means that the distance between teeth is uneven (usually making one whole side shorter than the other), a sharpening machine will duplicate the unevenness, as it locates the tooth it's going to sharpen from a near tooth. Long ago I had a friend, a retired trim carpenter, who had for years sharpened all the other carpenters' hand saws. He had a sharpening machine, and would use it on saws whose teeth were even. If the teeth were uneven, he would have to joint the tops of the teeth heavily, and file different amounts of metal off the tops and faces of the teeth to move the gullets to even spacing. He called the people who made the teeth uneven "saw filers" rather than "saw sharpeners".

   If you do decide to sharpen it yourself, make sure you joint it before you file the teeth.

5. 
   lauriamc | Sep 19, 2022 04:25pm | #5

   Matt Cianci also teaches all over the country, his website is usually up-to-date on where he will be teaching. I took his class at CT Valley and it was incredible.

6. 
   jfsksa | Sep 19, 2022 05:18pm | #6

   You might try calling your area woodworking stores. Woodcraft or Rockler comes to mind (I'm in Texas). Atlanta probably has others. Sometimes they have connections to guys who do sharpening. Drop off the saws, pick them up in a week or so.

7. 
   pantalones868 | Sep 19, 2022 08:06pm | #7

   There is a holder for a file that clamps ( more or less ) to the blade of the saw and is used to file the teeth even. Mine is probably 19th century as are most of my handsaws. I do it every time. I don't look to see IF it needs it, I just do it. If your sharpening service doesn't know that the teeth need to be even before the sharpening and setting procedures then your in the wrong place!

8. 
   jfsksa | Sep 19, 2022 09:32pm | #8

   Here's another idea. If you're nervous about trying it yourself, find an old beater saw and practice. (garage sales, neighbors, etc.) There's a ton of vids on youtube (start with Paul Sellers). A dovetail saw is a rip saw. Watch those. This is not cardiac surgery. And if, after trying, you just can't get it right, take it to the professional and he will fix it. You're not going to ruin the saw with a little filing.

9. 
   3steers | Sep 23, 2022 09:13am | #9

   Thanks for the input folks, I appreciate it. Bad Axe also provides sharpening services. I was hoping for local. After reading all, I am almost persuaded to practice a bit and give it a go, although I am unsure the skill set gained on a 4 1/2 pt rip saw will translate well to a 16 pt. dovetail. Kind of like the difference in clock and watch repair. We shall see. Thanks again.

10. 
    derekcohen | Sep 24, 2022 08:23pm | #10

    My article on making, sharpening and setting a dovetail saw:

    http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/MakingADovetailSaw.html

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

11. 
    PhilR | Sep 25, 2022 01:09pm | #11

    Isaac Smit at Blackburn Tools lists several references for sharpening services:
    https://www.blackburntools.com/contact-ordering/index.html

    He also has detailed instructions for doing it yourself at the same site.

12. 
    user-7886310 | Oct 30, 2022 01:29pm | #12

    Try contacting Bob Page at Loon Lake Tool Works. Sent him my saw and had it back in about a week or so. Excellent job and at a fair price.

1. 
   3steers | Nov 02, 2022 01:14pm | #13

   Thanks, I contacted him. Two back saws on the way.