Skip tooth tenon saw sharpening

[MikeG.]

At first I thought this saw was just weirdly blunt/ damaged/ whatever. However, it is too regular for that to be the case. Alternate teeth are much shorter than the adjacent ones (so, OK, it's not skip tooth). Has anyone an explanation for why the teeth on this saw are so odd? It's surely not just an optical illusion and an extreme set, is it?

 

[AndyT]

I think it's what they call "cows and calves" - alternate large and small teeth.
In other words, someone has messed up the sharpening, given up and got rid. Someone (not necessarily the same person, and maybe ignorant of the problem) offers it to the unsuspecting public on eBay.
The sharpening error is not hard to do - and common enough to have a name. Anyone who has tried to learn saw sharpening will likely have made a similar mess of at least one saw, I know I have.

 

[MikeG.]

Ah right.....it's such a common cock-up that it's even got its own name! It wouldn't take 5 minutes to sort out, and that'd be a nice saw for someone.

 

[Mike Jordan]

That's the kind of effect you get if the saw is sharpened with a worn saw file, one face not cutting well. If it is it's the worst case I've ever seen! It's possible to reshape the teeth but not that easy to do from that condition. It would be far easier to drop it in at the saw doctors for a recut.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I was told when I first sharpened saws be they handsaws or chainsaws that you will always find one side easier than the other. We tend to file harder on the side we find easiest to work. Try to keep the teeth even, do the side you find harder first - it's easier to keep them matched that way.

 

[xy mosian]

That could be a trick of the light. If you look at the images of the saw with the handle on the left then the right, it is the teeth nearest the camera which appear to be 'tallest'. To me anyway.
xy

 

[AJB Temple]

If it goes cheap it's easy to fix. Could file the teeth off and recut if necessary.

 

[--Tom--]

I’ve been watching that saw since it was listed hoping it would go unnoticed and cheap....
Plate looked nice and clean so plan was recut the teeth if needed

 

[Trevanion]

I have nothing to contribute to the sharpening discussion.

But I for some reason remember that those saws marked with an Elephant meant they were destined for India, I also think there was a kangaroo for Australia and another I can't remember. Something to do with that the colonies weren't allowed to produce their own tools if I remember rightly. Andy probably knows a lot more about it than me though.

 

[pedder]

It's surely not just an optical illusion and an extreme set, is it?

It is. When the saw was cleaned, the inner side of the teeth were not cleaned.

 

[MikeG.]

It's surely not just an optical illusion and an extreme set, is it?

It is. When the saw was cleaned, the inner side of the teeth were not cleaned.

As it's still for sale, one can only assume that it's you selling it. Good luck, it looks a lovely saw.

 

[pedder]

No, I'm not the seller.
But I have a bit of experience with old saws and their pictures.

You can see the near teeth from both sides.

Cheers Pedder

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Someone obviously thinks its a good saw.

 

[MikeG.]

Someone obviously thinks its a good saw.

Considering it went for £38, I suspect that more than one person thought it was nice. That's a lot of money for an old tenon saw.

 

[pedder]

The price isn't high for you get. That's a well made saw in a good conditon. And in my part of Europe, you don't get these things on fleas.

I look at the UK saws on ebay on a regular basis. If you finde a cheap saws in a reasonable stat, sure the seller will not ship outside UK.

Cheers
Pedder