Saws.....what to do??

[MNice]

I know it's not many to some, but I have 4 regular size hand saws, one of which is rip.  2 smaller panel saws, both
CC, 1 large back saw for my miter box, 4 smaller back saws, 2 CC, 2 rip, and one small dovetail rip.  What would the group suggest for filing the hand saws & panel saws for general woodworking.  My WW consists of smaller projects, boxes, small cabinets, crafty stuff.  No complete kitchen cabinet jobs, or large dresser type items.

None of these are collectable, all bought at garage sales/flea markets for about $3-5 each.

Thanks for your insight!!  Jeff

[Strokes77]

Buy some files. Watch a YouTube video. And sharpen up. It's very hard to make them cut worse. Rip filing is easier as there are less angles. But really the only way I have messed up a saw, was I gave it too much set. I feel like any filing you do, even if it's not perfect, will make it cut better.

[Mike Brady]

I agree with Strokes'  comments.  Be sure to "joint" the existing teeth and then file until the flats disappear.  This will help get the teeth to equal height.  As he said, don't overset the teeth.  You do have a saw set, right?

[Admiral]

I know it's not many to some, but I have 4 regular size hand saws, one of which is rip.  2 smaller panel saws, both
CC, 1 large back saw for my miter box, 4 smaller back saws, 2 CC, 2 rip, and one small dovetail rip.  What would the group suggest for filing the hand saws & panel saws for general woodworking.  My WW consists of smaller projects, boxes, small cabinets, crafty stuff.  No complete kitchen cabinet jobs, or large dresser type items.

None of these are collectable, all bought at garage sales/flea markets for about $3-5 each.  

Thanks for your insight!!  Jeff

Nice selection of saws.  First, print out and read Pete Taran's saw filing primer, found here:

http://www.vintagesaws.com/library/primer/sharp.html

I generally file crosscut saws with a 15 deg rake and 25 deg fleam, pretty middle of the road for general use; rip saws 8 degree rake and 0 degree fleam.  No magic to these numbers.

Get good files, Issac at Blackburn Tools and LValley sell Bahco files, which are good, "green label" Nicholson can be had at the Home depot as well and are a bit cheaper but a bit less in terms of quality.  You'll need a saw vice, shop made or manufactured, set, and bast**d mill file for jointing.

Pete tells you how to make jigs to keep rake and fleam consistent, but I must say the best thing I ever got was Lee Valleys saw filing jig; Issac also sells one but I've been on his waiting list for 7 months or so as he's a one man band, so I'll wait....

Takes practice, its a sharpening skill you need if you are using handsaws.  Took me about a dozen saws to get really good at it, after a while, it gets to be fun!  Good luck

[MNice]

My bad folks......I phrased the question very poorly..

What would folks suggest as far as PPI and how many of each crosscut/rip saws are the handiest.  I have no problem converting one to the other.

thanks.

[Pedder]

I like one 9-11 tpi cc and one 6-8 tpi rip in the shop.

[ez-duzit]

Japanese saws are essential to the work I do. It doesn't take many.

[wmickley]

I have six saws : two hand saws and four backsaws, adequate for a professional woodworker. I haven't bought a saw for decades. My kit is quite similar to that in the Seaton chest. Seaton bought these saws as a group and he had a great deal of choice, so these represent the thinking of a cabinetmaker in 1796. Here is Seaton's list

Hand saw (rip) 26 inches 5 tpi

Panel saw (cross cut) 26 inches 7tpi

Tenon saw (cross cut) 19 inches 10 tpi

Sash saw (rip) 14 inches 13 tpi

Carcass saw (rip) 11 inches 14 tpi

Dovetail saw (rip) 9 inches 19 tp

The two saws noted as cross cut have only a very slight angle to the teeth. I have all back saws sharpened rip and my dovetail saw is around 15 tpi.