Doubts about cut pattern / rake / fleam.

Hello all.

Recently I bought a pair of old Spear and Jackson tenon saws. They are both 14″ 10 tpi saws, with the 1940 year in the steel tenon. They were both in excelent shape and the price was amazing: 3 and 5 euros, so I bought both of them.

I’ve restored one of them for a cross cut pattern with 15º rake and 20º fleam angles. It cuts like a dream and I’m very happy with it. I’m restoring the other one now and it’s coming the time for shaping and sharpening.

I’ve thought about give this one a rip cut pattern, so I will have the rip and the cross cut performances, but I have a doubt: I sharpened for a rip cut with 0º rake angle and no fleam another saw I have with the same number of teeth per inch (10 tpi) and I found it very difficult to handle, since cutting requires too much energy and strenght. It’s is almost impossible to cut across the grain with it; I use it only for cutting with the grain but, as I say, it costs me a lot of effort, making me lose a lot of precission in the cut. I’m thinking about reshaping the teeth of this “new” restored saw for a rip cut pattern but with a little rake angle (about 8º) and giving it a little fleam, let’s say about 10º. I’ve read this wil give me a good “all purpose” saw, but I have doubts about it, since I have read Paul’s consideration about a complet rip cut pattern for saws above 8-9 tpi. I’ve read that a little rake angle (8-10º) makes the saw easier to use and permits better control.

What do you think? I’m not an expert sawyer, and it still costs me a little to saw following a line. If I sharpen this saw for a 10º fleam, will it lose capacity in rip cutting (cutting the cheeks of a big tenon, for example)? What about the rake angle? I’m far to be an expert in these things, so I your advices will be appreciated.

Thank you very much in advance.