'Sticking' hand saw

[Presh]

Hi All,
How can I correct a 'sticking' dovetail saw? I've recently been passed a good quality old (1940's?) Spear and Jackson dovetail saw from within the family and really want to use it. I've spent some time polishing up the blade etc and it is now pretty clean, remains sharp but sticks in the cut. It has a really solid back to it but the bade is not precisely straight when sighted parallel to the teeth and shows a slight wander from absolute true. Given that this has a really fine kerf will this be sufficient for the saw to stick. Can I oil / was the blade? Is there an enexpensive way to straighten the blade if this is the issue? Thanks

 

[Kalimna]

People with a lot more knowledge/experience than I will undoubtedly be along shortly, but have you tried a swish of candle wax on the saw plate?

Adam

 

[Presh]

First thing I tried Adam - and it works perfectly until the wax wears off! This wore off after 2-3 cuts so would be a real pain if this were the only way I could get it to work correctly.

 

[Kalimna]

Fair enough.

Adam

 

[dzj]

Paul Sellers has a video on straightening saws on Youtube.
Maybe it helps.

 

[AndyT]

While we are still waiting for the real experts, here's my two pennorth.

If the saw always stops at the same point along the cut, there could be an odd tooth that is set wider than the others and so is jamming in the cut. You could run an oil stone along the side once or twice to bring the teeth in line, or try the vice jaws & paper method discussed here recently.

While you don't want loads of set on a dovetail saw, you do need some. I think the amount you need depends on the scale of the work. If you are making tiny, shallow cuts in dry 5mm oak for drawer sides, you can get away with less set than if you were working in 25mm thick pine; so depending on the job in hand, more set might help; it sounds as if you might not have enough.

It also makes a big difference if the saw is filed rip. This is much easier to do, and dovetail cuts are rip cuts, so it's right any way. (I find that a fine rip cut saw is also great for cross grain cuts eg on tenon shoulders.)

And I agree with the use of a bit of candle from time to time.

 

[Racers]

Sounds like you haven't got enough set on the teeth did you polish all the way to the teeth?

You will probably need to sharpen and set the teeth.

Have a look on you tube for saw sharpening videos, or take it to your local saw sharpening place.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

Sticking, no matter the cause, will be helped by lubrication, more set, or both. But these are just sticking plasters.

The question is what's causing the sticking?

Here are some possibilties;

* too narrow set (rare but possible; it's possible for a DT saw to work OK with no applied set, just the burr from sharpening)
* kinked blade (plausible, but unlikely to cause sticking in thin workpieces)
* curved cut (very possible, often caused by uneven set)

BugBear

 

[Trafalgar]

Pete's right: If you 'polished up the blade' at the toothline you've likely removed most if not all the set of the teeth. You should send the saw out for sharpening and resetting. If you've not done either before, a dovetail saw is not the place to start.

 

[MIGNAL]

The chances are that you need a touch more set on the teeth. A slight wander from absolute true (which suggests it's tiny) is unlikely to cause it to jam.

 

[lurcher]

put a line on both sides of the teeth with a permanent marker then make some cuts this will show ware the ware is in the saw if it is uneven take all the set off resharpen it set it top it the resharpen it
how many tpi does the saw have if it has more than 10 tpi then filed rip from 1 side is ok any less and i would file from both sides of the plate

 

[Cheshirechappie]

First thing is to try and straighten up the blade, which might be quite easy, if you're lucky. First, check that the back is straight, or that the blade is straight where it enters the back. Bent backs are rare, but almost impossible to straighten if they are bent; hopefully yours will be straight. Then have a read of this - http://www.badaxetoolworks.com/retension-a-backsaw.php - and see if a gentle tap or two on the top of the spine will reseat the blade and straighten it up. Don't take the handle off - not necessary.

If the saw has been around for a while, it's almost certain to benefit from a bit of dentistry, though as suggested above, if you haven't sharpened a saw before, it would be well worth while getting a bit of practice in on a saw with bigger teeth, and preferably rip pattern to start with, before tackling a dovetail saw. It's a worthwhile skill to have, though - a sharp, well-set saw is a joy to use.

I'm almost sure those will cure any sticking problems, and will improve the saw's performance as well. Polishing up the blade is worth it to get smoothness, which is far more useful than shinyness, and a smear of wax will add more slickness too.

 

[mouppe]

From your description, it's sounds like it's almost certainly the set. It's a ten-minute job to set a dovetail saw, take some test cuts and adjust it if the saw is wandering to one side when cutting. I find I need to set my saws every half a dozen sharpenings or so. If the saw is wandering, you can take a fine stone or diamond plate, and brush it along the side to which the saw is wandering. Brush it once, take a test cut, and so on until it cuts straight.

If you search on youtube for "Sharpening a rip-cut saw" or "sharpening a dovetail saw" you'll find lots of helpful videos.

Just curious Cheshire Chappie, how to you sharpen your dovetail and rip-cut saws differently?

 

[Presh]

Thanks to you all for your thoughts and responses. This is really very useful and much appreciated. To answer some of the points raised, the saw has a perfectly straight back, has 16PPI and cuts straight though it starts to stick randomly at +10mm into the cut. I've no experience of a decent quality new dovetail saw so have nothing to benchmark how this one works but on reflection and reading all your comments (thanks!) it probably does need a sharpen and re-set. It's so fine that I won't attempt this myself - bound to make a hash of it. I haven't polished the set of the saw. I was very careful not to get close to the teeth and did it by hand anyway. Anyone recommend someone who you would let loose to sharpen / set a good quality saw in North Yorkshire?

 

[matthewwh]

Now that all depends on your willpower...

Fancy a trip to the seaside?

skeltonsaws.co.uk

 

[JanetsBears]

Now that all depends on your willpower...

Fancy a trip to the seaside?

skeltonsaws.co.uk

I quite fancy 'The Skelton Special 3 Saw Set' - looks like an ideal stocking filler for my wife to get me for Christmas at a bargain price of only £8.20

Oh, hang on, that's an insect on my screen, not a decimal point, the real price is £820

They do look nice though!

Chris

 

[swagman]

Is Scarborough a very expensive place to live in the U.K. #-o

10 inch $245
12 inch $275
15 inch $350

On a lighter note, I am looking forward to viewing Shanes closed handle design on the Sash Saw. With a traditional lambs tongue, it should look a real treat in Rosewood.

 

[swagman]

To answer some of the points raised, the saw has a perfectly straight back, has 16PPI and cuts straight though it starts to stick randomly at +10mm into the cut.

First thing I tried Adam - and it works perfectly until the wax wears off

A lack of set would be the most likely diagnosis.

 

[bugbear]

Does anyone have a good/easy/cheap technique for measuring the total set of a saw?

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Micrometer?