Tenon Saw Question
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Hello All,
I recently purchased an old tenon saw from the 1820’s. It is 14 inches in length and is cut for 7 TPI. I had removed the handle as I noticed slight rust beneath the handle and cleaned it up and lightly coated it with oil to prevent future rusting. However, I noticed that the third brass screw did not go through the saw plate because the saw plate is cut at an angle (see picture). I was not sure if this was due to the rust eating away the saw plate or if this is how it is supposed to be (this is my first older backsaw so I am not sure about how they are made). I tried tightening the handle as it was loose when I received it but now the handle is slightly loose again and I am wondering if it is partly due to that one screw not passing through the saw plate. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated on how to keep the handle tight to the plate and if the third screw should pass through the plate and if there is a way to fix it if it is supposed to be.
My second question is if a 14 inch tenon saw should have 7 TPI as it seems to be very aggressive to me. Reading through Paul’s book (Essentials of Woodworking Hand Tools) I found that he recommended that the 14 inch tenon saw have 14 TPI. Should I file down and recut the teeth to be 14 TPI?
Thanks,
Micah
Look a the kerf in the handle. When the two holes line up, is the saw plate all the way in the kerf?
When I line the two holes up and the brass end of the saw is seated against handle, there is about a 1/4″ gap on the bottom of the handle in the kerf line between the blade and the end of the kerf.
When I do press the plate all the way in so that it is fully seated there then there is some steel in each of the screw holes when I look through the handle. Does this mean I should mark those holes and drill new ones in the plate so that when tightened the plate will be fully seated in the handle?
It depends on a couple things.
1) was the handle well attached ( no slop) when you bought it? If so, consider leaving well enough alone.
2) if you drilled holes to match the handle is there enough steel around the holes near the old hole locations? Mark the plate with a sharpie when the plate is in the desired location. Then remove the handle and see. If the old and new bolt locations are very close, consider shortening the saw plate and brass back a fraction of an inch. ( remove brass equally from both ends to keep any logo centered.)
I suspect what you may have is a replacement to the original handle, which often had just two bolts on smaller saws.
It depends on a couple things.
1) was the handle well attached ( no slop) when you bought it? If so, consider leaving well enough alone.
2) if you drilled holes to match the handle is there enough steel around the holes near the old hole locations? Mark the plate with a sharpie when the plate is in the desired location. Then remove the handle and see. If the old and new bolt locations are very close, consider shortening the saw plate and brass back a fraction of an inch. ( remove brass on the back equally from both ends to keep any logo centered.)
I suspect what you may have is a replacement to the original handle, which often had just two bolts on smaller saws.
Also, take care to get the “hang” ( angle of presentation ) at an ergonomic angle. Often that’s so the thrust of the stroke is directed approximately to the center of the tooth line.
Great, thank you for the information.
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