How hard can it be to make saw handle
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Well I’m having a go at making saw handle finding that it is not that easy.
So I am even more in awe of saw makers.
Here is a picture of my attempt so far.Dagenham, Essex, England
Your grain orientation looks perfect, and you have it cut out quite nicely. The shaping is the hard part, correct?
Somewhere I have a saw handle pattern…perhaps in
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Making Woodwork Aids & Devices
by Robert Wearing. I will have to look it up to see if there is any useful info.
If you have not seen it already, a far more useful resource is at wkfinetools.
-Scott Los Angeles
What at you making that out of? I have two saw handles I need to make. I’m thinking of using mahogany…
Looks good so far!
Thanks Scott I have looked at that site in the past very good.
The reason for making handle is to replace the other that was in picture which had a split in it since I acquired it many years ago.
I thought I would go for a pistol grip the wood is cherry. The saw plate a Spear & Jackson steel back 10″ long about 3″ deep. I do have some nice brass saw nuts some where. The saw nuts that came out of the original handle sheered off. So forced my hand to make handle. I have also got to re drill holes I saw plate.
I know one thing it’s hard work shaping.Dagenham, Essex, England
There was an interesting article in the Oct issue of Popular Woodworking on the “hang” angle of the handle and how that effects performance of the saw.
A too open angle on a large long saw can make sawing feel unbalanced where and open angle on a short saw feels about right.
I gets fairly complicated. Something I had never thought about before…
Located in Honeoye Falls NY USA. The Finger Lakes region of Western NY.
"If you give me 6 hours to fell a tree, I will take the first 4 to sharpen my axe" Abe Lincoln
I reading Chris Schwartz’s ATC he mentioned about the hang but said a lot of new saw have a high angle older saws tended to have a lower angle. In the end Chris said forgive the pun but don’t get too hung on it you will get use to what you are using just make sure it feels comfortable.
Dagenham, Essex, England
Starting to pair away at handle
Dagenham, Essex, England
Sanded down with a rough 80 grit abrasive. Looking good.
Start thinking about fitting plate before go any further. Hope I can saw straight.Dagenham, Essex, England
There was an interesting article in the Oct issue of Popular Woodworking on the “hang” angle of the handle and how that effects performance of the saw.
A too open angle on a large long saw can make sawing feel unbalanced where and open angle on a short saw feels about right.
It gets fairly complicated. Something I had never thought about before…
I read that article. There definitely were several interesting points made about the effects of hang angle, but I felt the article ran WAY too long at five full pages – particularly for an article so specialized.
Perhaps I just have a short attention span. 😉
-Scott Los Angeles
Sanded down with a rough 80 grit abrasive. Looking good.Start thinking about fitting plate before go any further. Hope I can saw straight.
Progress looks good. Will you round off the grip even more after fitting?
-Scott Los Angeles
Well I have finished handle did round off a little more not a lot. Had a dry run with plate. It is very comfortable com paired to some of the saws I have. It’s a shame the saw plate an old piece of junk. I have cleaned plate up a little. It will probably need a sharpen now where I have use abrasive pads on it.
I have finished In Danish oil. I will asemble tomorrow. Not to bad for first attempt. I am off work with bad back so I am not doing anything where bending down is involved. This has kept my mind off of back pain.Dagenham, Essex, England
Nice work Mark, looks great buddy. 😉
That does look pretty sweet. Good job.
-Scott Los Angeles
Well all done I can appreciate how much work goes into making a saw. I did use band saw but also used coping saw, 3/4 & 1/4 chisel, Rasps files, abrasive pads and papers and my 20 tpi dovetail saw a drill stand and drill bits flathead screw driver.
A lot of work but very rewarding.
I would say it has taken me a good day maybe more todo. Now that I have mad a handle I am going to change a few more handles.
I have couple of Disston’s Panel saws that I have never really liked the handles on to clunky. I have tried to shape them but still not that comfortable. I don’t have a small hand but I don’t have a set of bananas either holes in saws too big and index finger don’t sit right on handles too far back. My Spear & Jackson’S much more comfortable will use that as pattern very plane so I may elaborate a bit.Dagenham, Essex, England
well done mark you must be well pleased with that.
Eddy .. Liverpool, Merseyside, UK
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