The Wennzloff Blog and Shaping Saw Handles

[Philly]

HI Folks
I see Mike Wenzloff and Sons have finally started blogging - the latest entry has a link to a photo gallery showing step-by-step photo's on how they shape their wonderful saw handles - all hand work and very impressive!
Here's the link....

http://wenzloffandsons.com/wordpress/20 ... k-saw-kit/

Cheers
Philly

 

[Racers]

Hi, Philly


Thanks for posting that.
He has some skill doesn't he and you can see why his waiting list is so long.


Pete

 

[Alf]

Cheers, Phil. Makes you want to go out and make a handle, doesn't it? I swiped Mike's advice on using that series of facets to create a genuinely rounded handle coupla years ago, and it makes all the difference. It's too easy to end up with an uncomfortable, boxy sort of shape otherwise.

 

[Philly]

I'm surprised he doesn't remove the majority of the waste with a router then get stuck in with the hand tools - but I guess after making thousands of saws you kinda get into the swing of things...... :lol:
Philly

 

[Alf]

It's surprisingly fast even when I tried it, so how quick Mike and his boys must be I can't imagine. It's possible the router would be more effort than it's worth.

 

[bugbear]

Cheers, Phil. Makes you want to go out and make a handle, doesn't it? I swiped Mike's advice on using that series of facets to create a genuinely rounded handle coupla years ago, and it makes all the difference.

That's identical to the sequence in carving books for doing round shapes in e.g. gothic tracery.

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

I bought the Veritas special handle router cutter whist in Toronto - still to use it

I also bought whilst in NYC the Gramercy curved saw file to go with a couple of their kits. Makes very fast work of them but used my Aurious for the finer finish. I did modify the Gramercy shape a bit to make it rounded and much more comfortable.

Gramercy (English Walnut) original shape interspersed with Wenzloffs (ABW):

Modified Gramercys:

Rod

 

[ColeyS1]

Thanks for the post Philly. You couldnt have posted it at a better time. I've got 2 handsaw handles and a tennon saw handle cut out at the moment. Was doing alot of head scratching on how i was going to shape the edges. (die grinder came into my head at one time.) Your post has answered all my questions, including the finish ! Nice one Philly :wink:

Simon

 

[Modernist]

Me too. I'm just at this stage on a Bubinga copy of a 1930's Diston dovetail handle to upgrade a Spear and Jackson.

Apologies for the blunt router but now realise I need a smoother rasp.

 

[JeremyM]

Brian,

When are you planning to cut the slot for the saw blade? I'm not too experienced at this-Ive made one to date but I think it would be wise to do this before you loose flat reference surfaces.

Jeremy

 

[Modernist]

Brian,

When are you planning to cut the slot for the saw blade? I'm not too experienced at this-Ive made one to date but I think it would be wise to do this before you loose flat reference surfaces.

Jeremy

I don't completely loose the flat surfaces so it's not a problem although I notice the masters cut it first, along with the counterbores. I cut it by clamping a dovetail blade to the bench with a spacer equal to the halfway point then pull the handle over the blade to make the slot. I then mortice out the aperture for the back with a chisel.

 

[Modernist]

Finally got it finished off today. Not in the Wensloff class but a great improvement on the S & J offering. It might not be one but it looks like a Disston and is very comfortable. The angle of the handle is completely different to the original the grip being much higher and sloping forwards.

Next the problem. Once the oil had dried I did a few test cuts. Not having any SYP to hand I used NBF (Northern Brown floorboard). As you can see all the cuts run off to the left. The pic doesn't show it very clearly on looking at the preview but they all have a curve with a radius of about 500mm. Question is it me or the saw? I think it must be the saw as I haven't had this problem before.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Probably too much set on one side :-k

Handle looks good.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Modernist]

Hi Paul, would it be best to stone that off? further inspection reveals that the blade has a bow at the edge of about half the set width (0.7mm) Any thoughts on removing that? I seem to recall you strike the back above the bow. Is that correct?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Yes, run a stone along it. Take it carefully and keep trying it so that you don't remove too much.

Not sure about how to deal with the bow - maybe Alf has some ideas :-k

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Modernist]

Incidentally I bought some new screws from WH but havn't used them as they appear to need very deep counterboring to get the larger diameter through the blade. My handle is 22mm thickness. I was concerned that if I c/bored so deep it would weaken the handle/blade joint. Are there different siozes available? As it is the screw heads are about 0.7mm below the surface of the handle. It seems a pity to leave the S & J logo showing when they really don't deserve it for such a ghastly handle on a good saw. :lol:

 

[head clansman]

hi

it either the blade is not quite straight , if so a gentle tap with a hammer on the back edge of the brass backing at one end will sort that ,or it is set to much on one side and needs resetting again + is the handle cut straight to the blade and not leading off gentle to one side , don't forget it will take you a little time to adjust yourself to a new handle as well .hc

 

[Modernist]

I've done both suggestions with some success. I stoned off some of the set, particularly on the LHS as that was the side which was leading and that cured the bias and narrowed the kerf to 0.7 on a 0.5mm blade.

I tried hitting the centre of the back on a board but that had no effect so I did as HC suggests and tapped the ends of the back with a steel hammer whilst supporting the centre of the blade on a block. A bit scary but it certainly had an effect and after a couple of attempts managed to get it quite but not perfectly straight.

 

[head clansman]

hi


do it again without supporting the centre, be brave, just a very light tap . hc

ps if it doesn't work tap the back on the heal next to the handle see what happens and experiment till it does come straight .

 

[Modernist]

Thanks it worked