First hand saw refurb/new handle

Jeff Horton

Member
Messages
4,272
Location
The Heart of Dixie
Just took some time and did some woodworking and it was like a vacation! Really enjoyed making this. Started out with a handsaw I found in a crawl space while doing an inspection on a home. It looked pretty rough as I am sure you can imagine. Very rusty! Didn't think to take a before photo.

It's a cheap saw so I figure I couldn't ruin it. Good saw to practice sharpening and handle building on. If it turned out to cut good that was just a plus! Main thing it is to be a Guinea pig.

I cleaned the blade and it wasn't pitted as bad as I expected. Took some walnut I had in the shop and here is the results. I didn't spend a lot of time on it, there are some fairly obvious flaws but it was mainly a learning exerciser and I expect this to be a user saw. It is still sharp to my surprise.

BTW I REALLY want a Spindle sander now. Can't buy one but I really want one! I have always thought they would be nice. After making this I can see where there would be essential once you got used to having one.

It amazed me how spots show up in the photos I never saw. Like that rusty spot at the back of the blade. I didn't see that till I saw the photos!


walnut_handle2.jpg


walnut_handle1.jpg
 
Nice job!

I have a few in the works myself...but had some slowdown in making backs.

Nice looking wood! You might notice more comfort by rasping down those sharp edges, but some prefer a handle as you've done. Looks good Jeff.
 
The Guinea Pig is a Beauty, Jeff. Very good first try.:thumb: (I'm with you on wanting an oscillating spindle sander, but can't yet, or the edge sander either):(
 
Nice looking wood! You might notice more comfort by rasping down those sharp edges, but some prefer a handle as you've done. Looks good Jeff.

I agree, after I use it a while I figure I will find somethings I don't like. I pretty much copied the original design. Figure that was a good starting point. I need a larger round over bit too. The grip needs a bigger radius on it so it more comfortable on the hand. All I have are shaper bits and the are to big for inside work. As I said, it's guinea pig.
 
I agree, after I use it a while I figure I will find somethings I don't like. I pretty much copied the original design. Figure that was a good starting point. I need a larger round over bit too. The grip needs a bigger radius on it so it more comfortable on the hand. All I have are shaper bits and the are to big for inside work. As I said, it's guinea pig.
I almost didn't comment, because some folks do prefer a squarer handle like that, and I've seen some of the saws that Spruce Mill makes that have that appearance. I wasn't trying to be critical, per se, but just offer a suggestion.

Here's some pics of a Disston saw I rehab'd a while back, you can see what a small bit of rasping has done to that handle. That only takes an hour or so, but does require some patience to get good results. Wenzloff is one of the greats in our time, as is Leif Hanson, IMO, I've always liked Leif's handles also.

OTOH, some folks don't care for a softer handle, but I think that's how most of the saws were, before money hungry mongers got a hold of the saw industry.

(linky pic)



I will offer these un-solicited thoughts. I have tried to learn and understand as much about saws as I can, because I just like them, I like using them, I like fettlin' with them, they're cool. But the fact that you can cut accurate joinery with them, it's facinating. The handles are something that really seperate many of the makers over the years, and the best handles tend to have come out of the Sheffield area, where toolmakers were much like modern day contractors who would work on a per-job basis, but would specialize in a niche craft. The handles of Sheffield were very ornate, some had carved elements such as the lamb's tongue, but many makers added little details, sometimes small flattened areas, but detail to craftsmanship, IMO.

As the crafts continued to die, as witnessed with the Industrial Revolution...saw making took a similar turn. Modern day manufacturing has made disposable saws with plastic handles. Sure, it took a long time to get there, but when the saw makers started to make handles on machines, and then continued to try to shorten the build process for a product, the saws looked boxy by the 40s/50s, as witnessed in my link above.

Ok...I'm on my way to build an anvil stand, maybe a vise stand as well...<g>
 
Last edited:
"fettlin' "

Now, there's a new word. Or is it a new 'old' word? I'll have to use it next time I go to the cattle auction or set down on an bench at the court house square with the local whittlers. Make me sound like I actually know wat I'm talking about. It will, fer sure. ;)
 
"fettlin' "

Now, there's a new word. Or is it a new 'old' word? I'll have to use it next time I go to the cattle auction or set down on an bench at the court house square with the local whittlers. Make me sound like I actually know wat I'm talking about. It will, fer sure. ;)
Frank,

As long as you sound like you know whatz-up, that should be good enough for the cattle auction. Don't forget your boots, I hear it gets deep at the cattle auction!:rofl:
 
I almost did not comment either, and to be honest with you, maybe I shouldn't now. Still others are being honest so here goes with my question that I hope does not infuriate anyone..

Is Walnut the right choice for a saw handle?

Most older saws that I have seen typically had Fruitwood handles on them. When I try and replace my old saw handles I look for wood such as Crab Apple or Pear which are harder than the hinges in a very hot spot!!

For what it is worth I have some Crab Apple sitting in my solar kiln and has been in there for a year or more. If you want to try some fruitwood handles just let me know and I will send you a piece of it.
 
I almost didn't comment, because some folks do prefer a squarer handle like that, ......


..........my question that I hope does not infuriate anyone..

Is Walnut the right choice for a saw handle?

:mad: :mad: Now you have done it, ticking off a moderator. :rofl:


First Alan's comment. Till today I hadn't really noticed but most of my saw handles are similar to this one. Small radius on the edges. The one I replaced on this was is very similar. My reason was because that was the round over bit I had on the router. This is the first attempt and figured I would start simple. Obviously other like more rounded and I may find I do. Great thing is I 'fix' this one if I find it needs fixing. If I scrap it, no big deal. It's a learning experience and something I had laying around.

As for Walnut Travis, I asked some hand tool users/makes on another forum and they said Walnut was a good choice. Plus finding fruit wood here is just lucking up on it. I haven't found any so it was a matter of using what I had. But some of these guys use walnut and said it was a good wood.

Last but not least, I hang out on Woodnet. I am used to be told I am wrong. :rolleyes:
 
Walnut is not native in Maine so you may be right, myself I have not seen it on a tool before...at least that I know of. Fruitwood and Ash are pretty common here, but we're old fashioned New Englanders...aint non of us like change :)

As for the Crab Apple wood, I owe a favor to some member on here. I figure Tod Evans did me a favor, the best way to repay him is to carry on the tradition and help someone else. I will warn you though, Crab Apple is some hard wood. Smoked a blade when I cut one tree into boards...and I do mean smoked it. Literally. Hardest wood I have ever put on the sawmill.
 
Vaughn, I thought of sending Tod something as "payment", but the thing is, sometimes its good for people to feel like they helped someone. I don't pretend to know Tod, but I am pretty sure that if I helped someone else, he would feel "repaid" even if an item was not sent directly to him.

We are a small, tight group of woodworkers, I cannot think of one reason why we should not help one another.
 
I have had a couple of these type of favors over at OWWM. Just a couple of weeks ago someone sent me a lower band saw guide. He wouldn't even let me pay for shipping, much less for the guide. Another member gave me the enclosure I used on the RPC. Both just said in effect "Pass it up" to some other member.
 
Top