How to Sharpen a Hand Saw With a Grinding Machine

Keeping your handsaw sharp is important to the life of the blade, cutting quality, effort used to complete a task and your safety. You can file it by hand or use an automatic handsaw-grinding machine. Grinding so many teeth by hand is time consuming and requires knowledge, skill and experience. Use a grinding machine to sharpen a handsaw quickly and easily.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Work in a well lit area to prevent an accident or injury.

2. Check the saw blade's sharpness. They are dull if the teeth are uneven, if they grab or snag on your skin and then release when you lightly touch them with your palm, if cutting through wood takes longer than normal, if the saw won't cut properly on a line or if the teeth stick in the cut.

3. Set the saw on a jig with the teeth up and level it with a measuring device. Put the saw on the grinding machine.

4. Measure the number of points per inch on the saw blade, and set the grinding machine adjustment at this number. Make sure the correct numbers of finger points are in place and double check the adjustment number.

5. Turn on the handsaw-grinding machine and blower. Sharpen all of the teeth, and check the blade's sharpness.

6. Reset the saw in the grinding machine and sharpen the blade again if it is not sharp. It usually takes two times, but repeat the process as many times as necessary.

7. Remove the saw from the grinding machine and take it off the jig. You may need to put the blade through a setting process before you use it when you sharpen a handsaw (see Resources below).

Resources

• Visit Vintage Saws for the blade setting process.