Sawset question

[Elijah A.]

Hey, I'm trying to learn how to sharpen my back saws. Can I use any old vintage sawset to set all of my saws from 5.5 ppi all the way to my 15ppi dovetail saw or do i need two different sawsets one large and one small?

Eli

[Elijah A.]

Lee Valley has both.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.as...43086&ap=1

Anybody use both?

[Admiral]

Lee Valley has both.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.as...43086&ap=1

Anybody use both?

LV is out of stock of both; the vendor appears to have stopped making them.  I have a Stanley 42 and a 42x, snag them somewhere.

[Timberwolf]

LV is out of stock of both; the vendor appears to have stopped making them.  I have a Stanley 42 and a 42x, snag them somewhere.

....................
I have the fine tooth LV version which is die cast metal and anodized, but years ago managed to snag the originals, which are cast bronze....much more "solid" feeling in the hand when setting teeth. I am always "on the lookout" for originals where I find them..But then, I fancy shiny brass or bronze tools..

[Nordic]

It's best to have one for each...  Setting a larger tooth saw with a set made for smaller teeth can be hard to do, and the plunger on the larger set will be too large for the smaller teeth.

A Stanley 42 for the larger and a 42X for the smaller is what I've used...

[Elijah A.]

It's best to have one for each...  Setting a larger tooth saw with a set made for smaller teeth can be hard to do, and the plunger on the larger set will be too large for the smaller teeth.

A Stanley 42 for the larger and a 42X for the smaller is what I've used...

Thanks for the response!

[Bibliophile 13]

If you have to have just one, I’d get a smaller one. A properly sharpened saw, especially a vintage one, doesn’t need a whole lot of set. For a backsaw, go with the smaller one. Eventually you may want a larger saw set, too. But my modern saw set is the smaller of the two, and it can set everything from my rip saws to my dovetail saw.

[DonSlaughter]

Hey, I'm trying to learn how to sharpen my back saws. Can I use any old vintage sawset to set all of my saws from 5.5 ppi all the way to my 15ppi dovetail saw or do i need two different sawsets one large and one small?

Eli

I've tried many different vintage saw sets and both those from Lee valley.  IMHO the Stanley 42X is the best for the backsaw. The Lee Valley is good for the larger teeth but I found it inadequate for the smaller teeth. The BEST saw set is the hammer set.  They're hard to find but worth it.  Also, Paul Sellers has a video on his site showing how to set teeth at the bench with hammer & punch.  The main thing is to don't over complicate nor over SET the teeth.  Most saws....even vintage ones are taper ground meaning the plate is thicker at the teeth and sloped to be thinner above the teeth.  Very little set is needed UNLESS you are sawing green or wet wood. When I discovered the joy of using vintage saws...and sharpening them...I OVER set my first attempts which causes the pate to wobble...not good.  I found just looking carefully at how a very small set opens the kerf enough for the blade to pass smoothly....it follows the line...and makes me smile.  Sounds like you are headed down a slippery slope that I have enjoyed sliding on for many years....good luck!  MANY of the old saw sets that you find at swap meets & garage sales are usable.
Keep us posted on you progress!

Don

[Elijah A.]

Awesome, thanks for all the info!

[Mike Brady]

The saw set that LV was selling is not being made anymore.  They were pretty iffy in quality, as the two parts that did the actual setting were not nearly hard enough to cope with saw plate steel.  I use two Stanley 42X's.  One has the hammer or plunger narrowed for teeth smaller than 12PPI.  There were two 42X's listed this week in the S&S.