OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

267642 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2019‑01‑13 Re: Next best to Stanley 42X
GG's

Let's not get so obsessed with early processes that we give up "modern"
conveniences like saw sets in favor of "pure" procedures like hammering small
saw teeth!  Even an Old Order Neanderthal such as myself sees this as a question
of "The craftsmanship of certainty vs. the craftsmanship of risk."

Think of the learning curve!  How many saws would you have to botch before you
could be confident that you had the precision to hammer-set small teeth
consistently?  How many to develop consistency with a "wrest"

If you "bend 'em back and forth" until you get it right, they will fatigue and
snap off.

I'm going to make like a scratched phonograph record, and repeat my advice: Go
to the Flea Markets, Yard Sales, and Estate Sales and seek out the thousands of
surviving saw sets and other tools in the wild. Buy ANY complete ones which you
encounter. Hawk your "spares" on the Porch or eBay. Keep them in circulation.

John Ruth

Recent Bios FAQ