Crosscut Saw Fans

[FerlasDave]

So, I've done a search and there are a few crosscut saw owners on here, but I'm sure more people are interested. (I think we owners need to unite!)

I just recently finished restoring a 4 foot felling saw and thought I would share my results. I haven't fully sharpened her yet, as I'm waiting for something I can use as a cover, there is a lot of teeth on show!

Ladies and Gents, say hello to Monica!



Complete new handles hand made from Doug fir...

So, whach'all think?

 

[TeeDee]

I think that's lovely!!

 

[Big G]

She's a beast! Some teeth on her

 

[crosslandkelly]

What a saw!! That's a beaut.

 

[FerlasDave]

Yup! Also need to find some trees to take down now too

 

[mrcharly]

Unusual pattern - normally there are some raker teeth. Makes me wonder if your girl is very old. Try her with not a lot of set at first.

 

[FerlasDave]

Unusual pattern - normally there are some raker teeth. Makes me wonder if your girl is very old. Try her with not a lot of set at first.

thanks, yes, she is very old. Late 1800s from what the guy who gave it to me said. And others I've shown it to believe it was made locally too which is awesome. There is only probably 5 degrees maybe less set there anyway and she cuts lovely even though she's a little dull still. Any more ideas?

 

[Herbalist1]

Unusual pattern - normally there are some raker teeth. Makes me wonder if your girl is very old. Try her with not a lot of set at first.

Is it definitely a felling saw? As mrcharly notes all the teeth are the same. I wondered, therefore, whether it might have been a pit saw used for sawing planks. Nasty old job for the usually younger guy who had to work in the bottom of the saw pit.

 

[FerlasDave]

Is it definitely a felling saw? As mrcharly notes all the teeth are the same. I wondered, therefore, whether it might have been a pit saw used for sawing planks. Nasty old job for the usually younger guy who had to work in the bottom of the saw pit.

Im pretty sure. She is just a plain tooth design, ripping saws also have a slightly different tooth edge and grind.

 

[Herbalist1]

Just throwing out an idea. But I think you are right. Though I've seen pit saws with different tooth patterns, most often they have the handles at 90 degrees to the blade and commonly have an extended 'shaft' connecting the blade to the handle at what would be the top end. The rip saw pattern was the most usual as most of the cutting was done in one direction, on the downward pull.

If your crosscut was a locally made item, it could be that that tooth pattern was just the easiest to cut so that would make sense.

Nice saw - let us know how it performs when youve got it sharpened. If it's cutting well now I bet it will sail through the wood when it's sharp.

 

[sausage100uk]

Id say thats a bucking saw as opposed to a felling saw.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

 

[FerlasDave]

Loving the saw talk right now!

yeah, I was under the impression pit saws had 90 degree handles and an extended neck too. It seems to be about the right size for larch too which makes sense since larch plantations are massive around here since the end of WW1.

ill definitely get some pics when I use her properly. Hopefully after my birthday when the new axe arrives.

 

[mrcharly]

thanks, yes, she is very old. Late 1800s from what the guy who gave it to me said. And others I've shown it to believe it was made locally too which is awesome. There is only probably 5 degrees maybe less set there anyway and she cuts lovely even though she's a little dull still. Any more ideas?

Without raker teeth you need to be sure that the chisel edges completely clear the kerf, the whole width of the cut - hence my suggestion to try with little set.

Don't be scared to file the teeth flat, the chisel edge on the tip of the tooth is very important for a crosscut saw.

 

[FerlasDave]

I'm guessing that would be to stop the chisel edges catching and chipping?

Looks like I need to find me a setting tool.

 

[mrcharly]

It is the chisel edge that does the cutting with crosscut saws.

I've recut and set a saw (was a nice old ripsaw some butcher had run through a machine that cut the teeth to crosscut profile) by hand. I did use a proper saw file and for a hand saw they are worth getting, nothing else is narrow enough. For a saw with teeth the size of yours I think you could do it with an ordinary fine file.
You can set the teeth with pliers. Just do it carefully, keep checking.

 

[mrcharly]

Actually my brain has just caught up with my fingers. I've been talking nonsense.

It is a ripsaw that has a chisel end to the teeth, not a crosscut.

crosscuts have a sort of pyramid tip, with a cutting edge on the side of the tooth making a point, there should be enough offset that looking down your saw blade you see a 'groove' in the centre. Now, without raker teeth, there is nothing to clear out this groove. Hmm I don't know large saws and how this will work. Original comment about not too much offset is still true but you'll also have to be careful when sharpening to not create too much of a pyramid to the tooth, you want quite an acute angle so the tip is robust.

 

[nuggets]

So, I've done a search and there are a few crosscut saw owners on here, but I'm sure more people are interested. (I think we owners need to unite!)

I just recently finished restoring a 4 foot felling saw and thought I would share my results. I haven't fully sharpened her yet, as I'm waiting for something I can use as a cover, there is a lot of teeth on show!

Ladies and Gents, say hello to Monica!

Complete new handles hand made from Doug fir...

So, whach'all think?

if you cut a piece of 40mm plastic waste pipe down the length on one side it should clamp on the blade and cover the teeth !!

 

[FerlasDave]

That's a great idea nuggets! Thanks for the tip!

 

[FerlasDave]

Actually my brain has just caught up with my fingers. I've been talking nonsense.

It is a ripsaw that has a chisel end to the teeth, not a crosscut.

crosscuts have a sort of pyramid tip, with a cutting edge on the side of the tooth making a point, there should be enough offset that looking down your saw blade you see a 'groove' in the centre. Now, without raker teeth, there is nothing to clear out this groove. Hmm I don't know large saws and how this will work. Original comment about not too much offset is still true but you'll also have to be careful when sharpening to not create too much of a pyramid to the tooth, you want quite an acute angle so the tip is robust.

any have you could explain this again in laymans terms? Sorry, I'm just having trouble picturing it all.

 

[mrcharly]

Here is an excellent page with pictures.
http://www.vintagesaws.com/library/primer/sharp.html

you have to think of wood as a bundle of straws held together. Crosscut saws are for cutting across the bundle of straws, so each tooth is made with a pointed tip to slice through a straw. Rip saws are meant to cutting down the bundle of straws. If they had the profile of crosscut saws, they'd just fray the straws. Instead, each tooth is like a chisel tip and slices away the end of a straw.