How to Sharpen Saw Blades | UK Guide | 2023

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How to Sharpen Saw Blades

If you want to get the best results from your saws, you’ll need to ensure your saw blades are well maintained and sharpened on a regular basis. Even the most humble of handsaws can be maintained for years if properly cared for. Ensuring your handsaws are stored properly will go a long way in keeping your saw blades and sharp and fit for purpose, although more in-depth maintenance is often required to get the most out of your tools.

Saw Sharpening Essentials

Once saw blade teeth have become dulled from overuse, you’ll find it night on impossible to achieve clean cutting lines. You may also notice that the wood you are working with becomes tarnished with residue from your saw after attempting to make a cut. To sharpen your saw blades, you’ll need a few basis items at your disposal.

A saw set is a must if you want to realign damaged teeth. A taper file is also essential. You’ll find a wide range of taper files and saw sets on the market, with various sizes available to accommodate just about any saw model. To ensure you are using the correct tools, you’ll first need to determine the teeth per inch rating of your saw.

Preparation and Sharpening

Before you commence sharpening, you’ll first need to carry out a quick inspection of your saw. If you haven’t been properly maintaining your tools over the years, you’ll no doubt encounter some issues with corrosion. You’ll need to get rid of any rust before turning your attentions to sharpening. An easy way to remove stubborn rust from a saw blade is is to scrape over the affected area with sandpaper sheets. Always ensure you are using a fine grade to prevent damaging your saw blade.

It’s also important to inspect the alignment of your saw blade teeth. In an ideal world, all teeth should be the same height. If they’re not, you’ll need to carry out some jointing work to rectify the problem. To do this, simply clamp your saw firmly in place before using a metal fire to return all teeth to a consistent height. To ensure even cutting results, you’ll also need to properly set the teeth of your saw blade.

This is where a saw set comes in handy. At first glance, a saw set looks fairly similar to conventional pliers. Used correctly, a saw set will ensure that individual teeth are returned to a desirable position at the correct angle. This task can also be carried out manually, but you’ll need to invest considerable time to complete the job.

You can now focus on filing the saw blade teeth. Make sure you are using a file that is suitably proportioned for the size of teeth you are looking to sharpen. If your saw has teeth that are particularly fine, you’ll need to stick with a fairly small file. A saw with much larger teeth will require a larger file. When filing teeth, make sure your saw is firmly clamped in place, with the blade pointing upwards so you have easy access to the sharp edge of your tool.

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