Set & File: A Practical Guide to Saw Sharpening

Set & File: A Practical Guide to Saw Sharpening

In "Set & File," Matt Cianci (also known as The Saw Wright) teaches you the fundamentals of maintaining backsaws and handsaws. You'll learn how to file and joint your saws with the correct rake, fleam, and pitch to keep them sharp. The book also covers how to address saw teeth that are in good condition but dull, as well as how to repair damaged teeth.

Additionally, Matt guides you on identifying and restoring vintage saws—helping you determine whether that box lot from a yard sale is a worthwhile purchase. He also delves into basic sawsmithing, including straightening a bent blade and resetting the spine on a backsaw.

Matt was inspired to write this book because he found that none of the vintage texts on saw sharpening included macro photos to illustrate what the teeth should look like at different stages of the process. According to Matt, the drawings in these old books are often unhelpful. By using super-macro lenses to capture detailed photos of the teeth, "Set & File" makes it much easier to understand the filing process and the final goal at each stage.

With hundreds of step-by-step photos and straightforward, no-nonsense instructions, the techniques presented in this book are easy to understand and follow. Matt simplifies saw sharpening, dispelling the notion that it is complex. There are no secrets, special potions, or hard-to-find tools required. The only "specialty" tools needed are a good saw vise (for which Matt includes dimensions for a DIY version), a set of saw files, a saw set, and a few shop-made guides from scrap wood.

Once you grasp the basic principles of saw filing, you will be able to tackle a variety of saws and solve a range of saw-related issues.

This concise, often humorous book spans 88 pages of instruction. It features a gray cloth cover with 98 pt. type, #70-pound matte coated paper, and a sewn binding. Measuring 8-1/2" x 11" (and 3/8" thick), "Set & File" is designed to last just like a good saw. As with all Lost Art Press books, it is produced and printed entirely in the United States.