>"Peter J. Hahn" wrote:
>> 
>> A question for you older galoots. I have been wanting to learn how to
>> sharpen my saws and I thought I would start with my
>> old Sandvik backsaw for practice - I dont use it much any more.
>> Its about 15-17 TPI (more later), and using Tom Laws primer I
>> got as far as re- setting the teeth - and I started to break a few.  I
>> realized that even when I put on my reading glasses I was
>> having a hard time seeing which way the little teeth were set its
>> hard to even count how many per inch. 

[Not an older galoot, and I've never sharpened a saw, but...]
Every Sandvik saw I've seen (all newish types) bar one have case hardened teeth.
  I'd expect these would be highly susceptible to breaking.  If this is the case
 for your saw, maybe you'd be better off practising on something else.

Jaime Metcher