Restoration (saws and chisels)
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- This topic has 10 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by timmer.
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4 January 2015 at 7:41 pm #123046
Hello all, and Happy New Year!
For my first of two topics: restoring some tools.
I recently picked up a tool bundle on eBay consisting of some planes (2×4, 4.5,5), a few chisels, saws and a old marking gauge, and a box/case to put them in – all for £80. Which I hope isn’t too bad going(??), but they do need quite a bit of TLC.
There’s plenty of articles on restoring planes, but I am a bit stuck with the saws and chisels. There’s a tenon saw, and a dovetail saw. The tenon seems to have cross cut profile and the dovetail a rip profile. Unfortunately the dovetail saw seems off square when tested with a ruler. Is it a lemon or can it be straightened? If so, how do I do this? I intend to clean the saws with wire wool / sandpaper unless there’s a better way someone could advise me on.
Now the chisels. 2x 1 inch and a 3/8. One of them needs a new handle. I saw Paul S’s clip on making a new handle (looks doable), but how do a attach the chisel to it once I’ve made the handle? Any help appreciated!
Many thanks!Happy New Year!
I’m not an expert, but I have restored a couple of saws and found that wet’n’dry paper coupled with liberal applications of wd40 was quite effective for rust. Some people seem to rate a product called evapo-rust for removing rust, but I haven’t tried that myself. I have used some hammerite rust removal gel, but that leaves a coating on the saw which needs to be removed afterwards.
I’m not clear what you mean about the dovetail saw not being square, could it be that the saw is deliberately tapered/canted? See this link http://blog.lostartpress.com/2014/01/20/the-advantages-of-saws-with-tapered-or-canted-blades/
4 January 2015 at 9:22 pm #123049Hi there and thanks for the response.
Out of interest, what grade of wet’n’dry did you go to? I have as fine as 600. Is that enough?
Re the straightness. Sorry I probably wasn’t clear enough… I mean the saw doesn’t seems straight in respect to its length. To try to explain a bit without a picture: if you sawed the full length of the blade, it would be curved – if you imagine an extreme case it’d be like cutting a round corner (it’s nowhere near that bad, but you get the idea).
I should also mention the saw handles are a bit lose. Again I have no idea how to fix that – presumably take it apart and try to fashion a wedge and then re-set it. At least that’s the plan.
5 January 2015 at 1:02 am #123061I know some people take the bend out of a saw blade by hammering – I’m just not sure which side they hammer and exactly where. That’s something I really need to know. If the bend is in the brass back, then I’d simply try to bend it the other way and eyeball it to straightness.
Concerning the handles being loose, I have used small pieces of aluminum cans as shims around the handle bolts. I have a couple saws where the bolts don’t fit the holes in the blade properly, so I added the shims to tighten it up.
I followed similar advice to that presented in this thread:
I.e. starting with 220 grit and working up through the grades – be prepared to clean up lots of rusty gunk afterwards – I generally work outside with lots of rags on standby.
For straightening, I again have a thread to suggest: https://woodworkingmasterclasses.com/discussions/topic/saw-straightening-success-and-how-i-did-it/
As I mentioned in my reply to the thread, this worked perfectly for me.
P.s. you got the tools for a good price, cheapest I’ve bought a number 4 for was £5, but that was a real ruster, better condition ones are £10+ Number 5’s and 4.5s generally seem to be in the £15-£20 range.
5 January 2015 at 12:42 pm #123083Thanks a lot, Timmer! I’ll check those out. the tips on straightening look v interesting. I think it’s just a confidence thing to try it. My dovetail saw has a brass strip across the top (which is surely deigned to prevent it bending!) but I’ll try this none-the-lee
thanks a lot
Is the brass back straight? Check that first I guess. Worst case scenario is having to remove the blade from the back to straighten it, then put it back in afterwards. I’ve seen some you tube videos on it, I’ll see if I can find them again.
You might be able to just overhang the brass back so it isn’t on the mdf, and get away with straightening that way, probably worth trying that first (i once broke a dovetail saw blade that was very thin when I was removing it because I didn’t have a vise that could clamp the entire blade properly)
I’ve also has some luck straightening saws using a hammer and “anvil”. In my casual internet readings on the subject I did find some suggestions that backsaw could be adjusted somewhat by moving the back in relation to the saw plate. This ended up being very true for my dovetail saw. I think the back was straight, and some of the bend in the saw plate was caused by thin steel getting “bunched up” in the back which caused the blade to get floppy. (think a taught rope vs. a loose rope). I realize that my explanation makes no sense really… But before hammering on the plate too much, place the saw plate in a vice and very gently tap the back of the saw toward the heel and see how that effects the blades curve, tap it back and see what happens, maybe tap it down some to make sure it’s seated fully. Obviously all this is assuming the back is straight.
I am no expert, and was going to refrain from posting this, as I don’t want to cloud the answers given with speculations based on one saw from someone who doesn’t know what they are doing…. But I think it is worth noting that there are some more complicated dynamics going on with the backsaw.
I just found this link http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?65104-Slightly-bent-back-saw-fixable
6 January 2015 at 10:16 pm #123151For cleaning rust and gunk off of saw plates, I first use a razor blade and scrape as much rust off as I can ( don’t gouge or dig into the saw plate ). Then I start with 220 wet / dry and go through to 600 grit using either Simple Green or Zep Glass Cleaner then wipe off and I use a old hair dryer to dry the plate or any metal I am working on. If I want a slight polish ( I like Patina ) I use Autosol polish with tin foil and buff, sounds crazy but it does a good job.
If I have a slight bend I just bend in the opposite direction and so far it works. I won’t buy a really curvy or kinked saw plate.
Steve
9 January 2015 at 9:41 am #123273Thanks a lot guys. This is really helpful.
@timmer, yes I think the brass back is bent. I had a look last night and I think this is due to the way it’s been stored (it has come from a carpenter’s tool case why you slide the front of the saw into a slot, then the back goes under a toggle to hold it). I think someone’s bent it taking it in and out.
I don’t have a real anvil but will try using some thick worktop placed on my concrete floor.
@dwaugh that is something I’d not considered – thanks.
@smassiesr, I’ve heard of AutoSol (will try to get some) but never heard of polishing with tinfoil(!). Got to try it.
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