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How To Safely Sharpen A Hand Saw
By BOB BEACHAM
If you own a high-quality, woodworking hand saw, then you’ll want to keep it in mint condition. The best and safest method to sharpen it requires a file, vise, and lumber strips.
Sandwich the blade between two strips of lumber, and clamp them in the vise with the teeth pointing upwards. Leave the teeth plus about ¼ inch of the blade protruding.
For a rip-cut blade, file directly across the front of each tooth, keeping the file horizontal. Three or four light strokes per tooth should do — push the file, don't pull it.
If the saw is cross-cut, angle the file at 45 degrees to the blade. Check the angle of the first tooth, give it a few strokes, then repeat for alternate teeth along the blade.
When you get to the end, turn the blade around and sharpen the teeth you missed. A well-sharpened hand saw should cut through any wood, plastic, or metal with very little effort.