Jointing, Sharpening & Setting
Total Rehabilitation (the works)
Ship saws requiring work to our shop address at:
Bad Axe Tool Works, Suite 30
Attn: Mark at SawSharp
69 North 28th St. E
Superior, WI 54880 USA
Ph: 800-963-0325
- Email us through our contact page BEFORE shipping and describe what you need done.
- Once we've exchanged correspondence, prepare your saw(s) for shipment to our shop.
- Tape your name, cell, email, & shipping address & onto each sawplate.
- Keep the handle on the saw, so we can test-cut for drift.
- Email us again to let us know that you have actually posted your saw(s), so we can track your package's arrival.
Bad Axe / SawSharp Restoration Services (1-2 week turnaround)
Bad Axe founder Mark Harrell has taken over all vintage saw work from us, and is turning saws around in record time!
Just tell Mark what you need done through the form below describing what ails your saw(s)and he will respond with shipping instructions--then ship the saw to him at the address highlighted in yellow to the right.
Mark will analyze your saw(s), scope out the work, and send you an estimate for your approval prior to your completing the transaction; this is the most efficient way to establish clear expectations for the work to be done and at what price.
Something to keep in mind: Mark is more than happy to clean your sawplate, graft new wood on your handle, and completely retension your toothline, but these are all pretty straightforward procedures you can do yourself in your own workshop at a significant cost savings. Please feel free to download the .pdf file below that shows how you can do all of these things to mitigate costs before sending your saw in for tuning up.
Article: Demystifying the Traditional Backsaw. Download
Bad Axe Saw Sharpening & touch-up: $25
When you're ready to have me sharpen up your Bad Axe --just ship it back to me, and for a nominal fee of $25, I will put a fresh edge on your teeth, and will gladly retension the back if required.
Please do be sure to pack your saw carefully with all sides of the box isolating the saw within, and include your name, shipping address, cell & email.
As always, best to contact me first to let me know your saw is on its way.
Your saw will have appropriate rake, fleam and gullet to facilitate smooth action with minimal set, promoting a thin kerf based on type saw and its purpose. Unless the owner has exact specifications in mind, I will return your rip saw with an 8-degree rake, 5-degree gullet and 5-degrees of fleam (to reduce blowout on the far side of the cut). Crosscut saws will have a 15-degree rake, 5-degree gullet, and a 15-20-degrees fleam, depending on the type of wood you intend to cut. Set applies after sharpening when the cutting action requires it.
Retoothing and Sharpening (with jointing and setting) — $95
We can retooth your saw anywhere from 4 1/2 TPI to 17 TPI, rip or crosscut. Sometimes, a saw will be so badly out of joint, or the toothline so inconsistent, that retoothing will be required regardless. Therefore, this category reflects both retoothing and sharpening (with jointing and setting).
That said, we generally prefer to retooth by hand for existing pitch of the saw in question. Retoothing to a different pitch altogether plays havoc on what remains of the origianal metalsmithing temper and tension of a vintage saw established long ago.
The reason so many saws (particularly back saws) have a chip in the handle or a missing horn is because a previous owner dropped it; this most likely put a kink or bow in the sawplate, because the rib of metal (back, or spine) of the saw no longer exerts even pressure across the length of the blade. Acts of careless sawing also result in bows and kinks in the sawplate. Consequently, many old saws present a taper from toe to heel, because to straighten a bow after dropping the saw (and chipping the handle), a previous owner tapped the spine at the toe deeper into the sawplate—an inelegant correction at best. I can remove the back, judiciously hammer the kink out on my saw anvil, replace the back, equalize blade depth the way Disston (and other manufacturers) originally made the saw, and deliver a restored blade to you that cuts faster with a thinner kerf. Same technique applies for handsaws, obviously without the back. Do understand that hammering a sawplate straight often results in a 90% solution. Once badly kinked, a sawplate will always be weaker in that spot, and overhammering will result in a permanent loss of tension. Sometimes, there is a point where you just have to accept less than perfection. For sawplates with a significant buildup of rust, add another $20.
