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I know STW will know this:
2 24 inch blades. One all peg, one peg + raker.
Which size taper file do I need?
Can it actually be sharpened or is hardpoint?
Flynn and Garlick saws have a guide on their page for their saw files.
It depends on the tpi
Can it actually be sharpened or is hardpoint?
As it happens both are hardpoint but I think it's a bit of a myth that you can't sharpen hardpoint. I'll soon find out!
Ideal opportunity to buy a pruning saw instead. Have a look for Silky and the like, ridiculously sharp hardened teeth, curved blade option helps too.
Is something wrong with me? Every time I see this thread title my brain reads it as “Bone Saw”
When a replacement blade is 2 to 3 quid why bother. Plus one for a Silky, excellent saws, made my 24 inch bow saw redundant.
When a replacement blade is 2 to 3 quid why bother.
Because lockdown.
Plus one for a Silky, excellent saws, made my 24 inch bow saw redundant.
Seem to be universally acknowledged as excellent, but bowsaw blades are a fraction of the price and I don't need to be precious about a bowsaw.
bone saw
Probably best that I don't start a new patio thread....
Because lockdown.
I think most hardware stores are still delivering stuff.
I think most hardware stores are still delivering stuff.
Well they'd have to deliver the right file so when I said because lockdown I meant to give myself something to do at home rather than because I can't source blades.
I've greased all my locks and hinges, I've deep cleaned I've serviced the garage door, I've sharpened the chainsaw and lawnmower.
Sharpening the bow saw blades is essential to my sanity. They only question is can I make it last long enough.
If its hardpoint the problem will be that the file just skates over it or it wears the file before it sharpens the blade.
As its a bow saw with low tpi. Would a diamond sharpener work. Somehing like this Clicky
Of course once you've sharpened the hardpoint of the steel will wear alot faster and you may find it was all just easier to buy a new blade.
For what its worth i fully support sharpening stuff over disposable items. I'm not trying to diss the concept.
Setting the teeth might help, even if you don't sharpen it. Gives you something to do anyway.
Setting the teeth might help
I set the teeth periodically, they close up really fast under the (infrequent) abuse it gets. But I've never sharpened 'cos I don't have a suitable file.
So I had some needle files from a job 15 years ago and I tried them.
In short, it worked.
If nothing else they took off rust/crud to achieve a nice bright sharp tooth edge. Taking material off the rakers was harder but again it seemed to work fine.
I foolishly didn't do a test cut before so no "before and after" but I tried after and the saw cut well.
I'd be interested in knowing what people mean when they say you can't sharpen hard point saws. Do they mean it wrecks the file so fast that it's not worth it?
Thanks all for all the useful comments.
Regarding Silkys - my initial candidate for a test cut was a bit of tree - access was tight so I had to choose another bit, I certainly could have got a Silky in there, but not the Bow Saw. So there's an advantage right there. I still won't be buying one. 🙂
So that was 30 minutes entertainment. WTF am I gonna do for the next three weeks?
That's great!
I think its more that the tips are very hard once thats gone you can still sharpen them but the underlying steel is much softer so it won't stay sharp. If the hard layer was still present you might have just found not much happens when you put the file to it.
If it stays sharp then you're sorted and you've lost nothing! If it doesn't hold then you atleast get a new one or one that can be sharpened!
Find other things to sharpen!
Garden tools, knives, other saws etc.
So that was 30 minutes entertainment. WTF am I gonna do for the next three weeks?
I could always post you some bow saw blades and you could sharpen then for me 😀
I could always post you some bow saw blades and you could sharpen then for me 😀
Probably unwise to admit I quite like repairing punctures. 🙂