Cutting teeth in handsaws

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

To cut teeth on a blank handsaw I am currently marking out TPI on a short length, cutting slots using a piercing saw, transfering these slots onto blade, filing each tooth by hand using saw file.

My process is slow, and, combined with my skill level, the results are not very uniform.

How can I improve the process?

I have lots of tools including lathe(s), vertical mill, no5 fly press etc. The 'vertical' nature of the mill seems to limit its use in this application.

I would expect the best solution would be to make a triangular punch and die set for cutting on the fly press. The punch should be easy but the matching die … I don't really know how to make it. I assume the cutting surfaces of punch and die have to be quite precise. Anyone got tips on making cutting tooling for fly press?

Maybe using a very hard saw as a template would help also – even a cheap 'hard point' saw may be a good template to start from. That might help as a file template to make uniform results.

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hello jaCK,

Have a look at the Paul Sellers website where he does just that. "recutting and resizing saw teeth".

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Yes, I followed Paul Sellers – it wasn't my idea! Thanks

[Andy BoothmanParticipant @andyboothman66804]

An example of using a punch in a fly press here – **LINK**

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

So no die to support the backing edge… interesting. Much more simple,

…Another look and I see it is supported at the back. 

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 18/04/2023 13:30:02

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

If you can tilt the head on the milling-machine along the long-travel axis, you can cut across the blade blank.

The big advantage is of using your existing, conventional cutters, and ensuring uniformity of tooth shape and size.

What you can use the press for, if you don't have a proper saw-set, is setting the teeth, having made an appropriate punch and die.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I would make a guide to hold the file in a stable configuration then use some other item like an existing saw or screw thread to index the teeth. The one thing that is recognised as a bad idea, although used extensively in re-sharpening systems like tool and cutter grinders, is to index off a preceding tooth.

I remember my final year practical exam (metallurgy & material science) included a junior hacksaw blade and the question 'how is is made'.

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Posted by Nigel Graham 2 on 18/04/2023 13:45:12:

If you can tilt the head .

Not on an SX3.5

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I do understand the attraction of doing this job yourself, but have you considered the possibility of using a commercial saw sharpener.
I was in Sheffield at the time, and used East Midland Saw Services, who are geared up for exactly this job.
http://eastmidsaws.co.uk/
I took in several good quality, but badly sharpened saws, crosscut, rip, and backsaws.
The old badly formed teeth are guillotined off, and new ones cut in on a Foley machine, to whatever spec you require; I can't remember the price now, but it wasn't that expensive.
My saws ranged from a very fine brass backed dovetail saw to a 4½ TPI ripsaw

This is a random internet video, but shows the process

Foley make filing machines too, but a good saw, with correctly cut teeth, should be OK to maintain yourself
http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/foleyfiler.html

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 19/04/2023 15:12:31

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