How to Restore an Antique Back Saw

A guide on understanding hand saws, and how to properly and carefully restore a vintage backsaw for use in your workshop

Joshua Farnsworth Portrait  By Joshua Farnsworth  |  Updated Feb 04, 2022 (originally published Jul 17, 2017)

Share This Article:

 

WoodAndShop.com is supported by its audience. When you purchase through certain links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission, at no cost to you. Learn more.

In this article I’ll show you 8 steps of how to refurbish and restore a woodworking backsaw. In my above video, expert hand saw maker Tom Calisto goes into detail on refurbishing an antique Simonds back saw that I bought years ago. These steps apply to restoring a hand saw of most types.

Tom teaches classes at my school and at Roy Underhill’s The Woodwright’s School, and he is a contributing writer for both Fine Woodworking Magazine and Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Tom Calisto Traditional Hand Saw Maker And Back Saw Maker In Wood And Shop Workshop

Before he refurbished the backsaw, I asked Tom to take some time to talk about hand saw types, hand saw teeth, parts of hand saws, and what to look for and avoid when buying antique hand saws.

Row Of Dovetail Saws Which Are Backsaws

This is valuable (and rarely covered) information that I also wrote about in great detail in my hand saw buying guide (visit it here) but I’m including some very important points from it below, that more-or-less follow what Tom talks about in the video.

Tom and I filmed this free tutorial video after we finished filming the DVD “Building an 18th Century Panel Saw with Tom Calisto”, that is based on the John Kenyon hand saws that were found in Benjamin Seaton’s famous tool chest.

18Th Century Panel Hand Saw And Tools On Woodworking Workbench

Finding and restoring antique hand saws can be extremely enjoyable, affordable, and fairly simple when compared to other woodworking hand tools (like hand planes). I love the satisfaction I get from restoring neglected antique saws. In this wood hand saw article I show the steps to restore an antique hand saw.

Antique Simonds 97 Back Saw Brass Medallion And Brass Hand Saw Nuts Which Says

But first I’ll talk about different hand saw types and the five specific hand saws that you’ll need to buy to get started in traditional woodworking: dovetail saw, carcass saw, tenon saw, rip hand saw, and cross-cut hand saw.

There are 3 hand saw characteristics that are important for woodworkers to understand: (a) Hand Saw Type, (b) Hand Saw Tooth Shape, and (c) Hand Saw Tooth Count. I’ll briefly summarize these hand saw characteristics below, and also share (d) Parts of a Back Saw and Hand Saw :

Hand Saw Features to Consider

Woodworking Ripping A Board With A Rip Saw Or Hand Saw

Below I’ll briefly talk about different features to consider when buying a back saw or other type of hand saw.

A. Types of Hand Saws

I divide most traditional woodworking hand saws into three general categories: (a) Hand Saw, (b) Back Saw, and (c) Frame Saw. Below I summarize each of these three hand saw types:

Hand Saw

Henry Disston &Amp; Sons No. 16 Crosscut Panel Hand Saw Cutting A Poplar Board In A Woodworking Workbench Vise

Sometimes called “Panel Saws”, these hand saws have a handle and thin flexible metal saw plate with no rigid back or frame. Hand saws have larger teeth and are generally used for quickly rough-cutting boards to length or width. These hand saws were manufactured in very large quantities and are easy to find and usually inexpensive. The specific name of this saw type also happens to be the general name of all non-power saws: “hand saw”.

Back Saw

Lie-Nielsen Dovetail Brass Back Saw Handle

A Back Saw (also spelled Backsaw) has fine teeth and a thin metal saw plate, and is used for making precision wood cuts. A back saw has a rigid brass or steel back to keep the saw plate from bending, which provides rigidity for accurate cuts of wood joints. The smaller the backsaw teeth, the finer the cut. Historically, back saws were used primarily by joiners and cabinetmakers, and are typically more expensive than normal hand saws. 

 

Frame Saw

Mini Howarth Bowsaw Hand Saw Sitting Against A Blue Tool Chest On A Woodworking Workbench

A Frame saw (or “bow saw” or “turning saw”) uses tension to tighten a blade between two saw arms. When used with a narrow blade, a frame saw works great for cutting curves (similar to a power bandsaw) and can also be used for rough cutting boards when a larger blade is added. Frame saws come in all sorts of sizes, with small teeth for fine work to large teeth for rough-cutting.

Moravian Workbench Plans

B. Hand Saw Tooth Shape

Macro View Of Cross Cut Hand Saw Teeth

Hand saw blades are usually sharpened to two different tooth configurations, “Rip” and “Cross Cut”. That’s why you typically hear someone refer to hand saws as rip saws or crosscut saws. However, you can certainly change any saw’s tooth shape with saw sharpening tools.  There is also a hybrid hand saw tooth configuration that is in between a rip saw and a crosscut saw, called a “Sash” tooth configuration, or a sash saw, which is useful if you can only afford one hand saw…but it’s not as proficient at either ripping or cross-cutting. Here are some tooth shape diagrams:

Rip Saw Teeth

Rip Saws Teeth Of A Hand Saw Close-Up Detail

Hand saws sharpened with “Rip” teeth are called rip saws, and will  cut along the length of the board’s grain (“ripping”). The tooth is shaped like a woodworking chisel, and pushes through the wood like a chisel. This is illustrated in the above photo.

Crosscut Saw Teeth

Crosscut Saw Teeth Of A Hand Saw Close-Up Detail

Hand saws that are sharpened with “Cross Cut” teeth are called a crosscut saw, and cut across the grain (“cross cutting”). The tooth is shaped like a knife blade. It cleanly severs the wood grain, just as if you used a sharp knife. This is also illustrated in the above photo.

C. Hand Saw Tooth Count

Hand Saw Tooth Count Number Eight (8) Stamped Into Steel Hand Saw Plate

The number of saw teeth per inch (or points per inch) is another important factor in selecting a hand saw for a particular purpose. Large hand saw teeth will cut quickly through the wood, but will leave a rough surface. Small hand saw teeth will cut finely and accurately, but are not practical for cutting long lengths or widths. When dealing with normal hand saws or frame saws, “Rip” teeth are typically larger than “Cross Cut” teeth.

On a backsaw, rip and crosscut teeth can vary in size. The number of teeth per inch are usually expressed as either “points per inch” (ppi) or “teeth per inch” (tpi) and the number is usually stamped into the saw plate. However, you can change the tooth count during your sharpening. Here are examples of large (rough) and small (fine) hand saw teeth:

Lie-Nielsen Brass Back Dovetail Saw Back Saw Is One Of The Rip Saws

This photo shows a back saw called a dovetail saw. It has rip teeth filed to a tooth count of about 15 ppi.

Rip Saws Cut Down The Grain Of A Piece Of Southern Yellow Pine Lumber

This photo shows a hand saw with rip teeth filed to a tooth count of about 5 ppi.

Wood And Shop Store With Moravian Workbenches

D. Parts of a Back Saw and Parts of a Hand Saw

Parts Of A Hand Saw Diagram Showing An Antique Disston Saw That Is A Number 4 Back Saw

In the above back saw diagram you will see the different parts of a traditional backsaw. Below you will see the parts of a traditional hand saw. The obvious main difference between the two hand saw types is the back saw has a stiff metal back which keeps the saw plate stiff, and the normal hand saw has a flexible saw plate:

Parts Of A Hand Saw Diagram Showing Antique Disston Saw

Moravian Workbench Plans

Back Saw,Back Saws,Refurbish Hand Saw,Dovetail Saw,Tenon Saw,Carcass Saw.,Types Of Hand Saws,Rip Saws,Crosscut Saw,Hand,Handsaws,Hand Saw,Handsaw,Hand Saws,Rip Saw,Crosscut Saws,Restore Hand Saw,Restoring A Hand Saw,Saw Restoration

8 Steps to Restore an Antique Back Saw:

Row Of Antique Back Saw Hand Saws At A Tool Sale. Tag Says Drabble Sanderson London. $45.00.

After you’ve purchased your antique hand saw or back saw, it’s time to start breaking down the saw. But first, you’ll need to make sure you have a few simple tools and supplies:

Step 1: Gather Materials & Tools Needed for Hand Saw Restoration

Antique Simonds 97 Back Saw With Hand Saw Restoration Supplies, Including Mineral Spirits, Brasso, Steel Wool, Sandpaper, And Screwdriver

Back Saw,Back Saws,Refurbish Hand Saw,Dovetail Saw,Tenon Saw,Carcass Saw.,Types Of Hand Saws,Rip Saws,Crosscut Saw,Hand,Handsaws,Hand Saw,Handsaw,Hand Saws,Rip Saw,Crosscut Saws,Restore Hand Saw,Restoring A Hand Saw,Saw Restoration

Woodworking DVDS and Digital Videos

Browse our traditional woodworking video classes available in HD Streaming / Download and on DVD.

Step 2: Disassemble the Back Saw

Unscrewing A Brass Hand Saw Nut From An Antique Simonds 97 Back Saw On A Woodworking Workbench

Start disassembling the back saw by removing the back saw nuts and medallion. These are usually made with soft brass metal, so be careful when removing the hand saw nuts and medallion from the backsaw because you can easily strip the nut’s slot. Use a flat head screwdriver that is not too big or too small. For very old back saws, like the below dovetail saw, you will have to remove split saw nuts. For this style of saw nut, you’ll need a special split nut driver:

Loosening Split Saw Nuts On A Dovetail Saw Back Saw

Carefully unscrew the nuts, and then use a pencil or some sort of rod to push the other half of the nut out the back. From personal experience with rehabbing a lot of hand saws, it’s a good idea to keep track of which nuts belong to which holes. Over the decades, the handle holes come to be custom-shaped around the each particular saw nut. Next pull the handle off of the back saw plate. If you are restoring a back saw, make sure that you do not remove the saw plate from the saw back, as the saw plate will kink, and you will likely never be able to get it straight again.

Woodworking Dvds Wood And Shop

Woodworking DVDS and Digital Videos

Browse our traditional woodworking video classes available in HD Streaming / Download and on DVD.

Step 3: Clean & Sand the Back Saw Plate

Cleaning An Antique Simonds 97 Back Saw Plate With Mineral Spirits And Sandpaper On A Woodworking Workbench

Using 400 grit wet & dry sandpaper as an abrasive and mineral spirits as a lubricant, sand the rusted back saw plate and brass or steel saw back lengthwise. Don’t worry about sanding until you get a shiny surface, as this will just likely remove the beautiful saw etching. After wiping the rust slurry off with a towel, check for remaining rust, and continue until it’s gone.

Back Saw,Back Saws,Refurbish Hand Saw,Dovetail Saw,Tenon Saw,Carcass Saw.,Types Of Hand Saws,Rip Saws,Crosscut Saw,Hand,Handsaws,Hand Saw,Handsaw,Hand Saws,Rip Saw,Crosscut Saws,Restore Hand Saw,Restoring A Hand Saw,Saw Restoration

Woodworking DVDS and Digital Videos

Browse our traditional woodworking video classes available in HD Streaming / Download and on DVD.

Step 4: Clean the Back Saw Handle

Cleaning An Antique Simonds 97 Back Saw Handle With Mineral Spirits And Steel Wool On A Woodworking Workbench

Next move onto cleaning the back saw handle. Unless your hand saw handle is quite damaged, I would strongly encourage you to NOT sand it, as it would remove the lovely and comfortable patina finish that has built up over 100+ years. If you want a new-looking saw, then buy a new saw. I love using antique hand saws that show a lot of use. These antique hand saws were used by amazing craftsmen to build incredible furniture. These saws may just contain mystical powers that help you become a better woodworker!

Disston #2 Dovetail Saw Back Saw

Use #0000 steel wool and mineral spirits to lightly clean the wooden saw handle. If you rub too hard, the patina will come off, so be careful. Repairing or replacing broken handles is beyond the scope of this tutorial, but Tom Calisto teaches how to make a new hand saw handle in this hand saw making DVD (Find the Streaming / Download version here). That would be a great solution for a hand saw that has a broken or ugly handle.

Step 5: Clean & Polish the Back Saw Nuts and Medallion

Polishing A Brass Antique Simonds 97 Back Saw Medallion With Bottle Of Brasso Brass Polish On The Woodworking Workbench

The most rewarding step, in my opinion, is to clean and polish the hand saw medallion and saw nuts. I personally prefer using a brass polish (like Brasso) and #0000 steel wool. I’d recommend wearing rubber gloves to do this. Within seconds lovely gold-colored brass shines through the dark hand saw medallion’s surface. After the hand saw medallion and hand saw nuts reach your preferred level of sheen, wipe them off with a clean towel or old T-shirt and set them aside.

Step 6: Wax the entire Back Saw

Waxing A Refurbished Antique Back Saw Plate From A Disassembled Simonds 97 Hand Saw.

To prevent future rust and to improve the performance of the newly refurbished back saw (or other type of hand saw), apply a coating of some mild soft wax or paste wax of some kind (here are some brands to consider) to the handle and hand saw plate. The back saw nuts and medallion are usually brass, so they won’t rust.

Step 7: Reassemble the Back Saw

Screwing A Brass Hand Saw Nut Onto An Antique Simonds 97 Back Saw On A Woodworking Workbench

Once all the rust & grime is removed and the hand saw medallion and saw nuts are polished, it’s time to reassemble the hand saw. Reassembling the hand saw is essentially repeating step one in reverse. As I mentioned above, try to put the hand saw nuts and medallions back in the specific handle holes just as they came out. It’ll make for a tighter fit. Make sure you don’t hammer the saw nuts or medallion back in their hole, or you’ll strip the hole and screw threads. Don’t under tighten or over tighten the screw nuts while attempting to “clock” (align) the screw side of the nuts.

Step 8: Sharpen the Back Saw

Sharpen A Dovetail Saw Back Saw Using A Magnifying Lamp And Veritas Saw File Guide

At this stage you can now sharpen your back saw, or other type of hand saw. You can see my hand saw sharpening tutorial here. I prefer to sharpen my backsaw after I refurbish it, so (a) I don’t dull the freshly sharpened saw teeth and (b) so I don’t cut my hands on the freshly sharpened saw teeth.

If your saw teeth are in rough shape, then retoothing them is a great option. A retoother punches perfectly shaped new teeth in the saw plate.

Woodworker Using A Foley Retoother To Cut New Teeth On A Back Saw Dovetail Saw

I use a Foley Automatic Retoother (find them on ebay here) to give me a fresh set of teeth in preparation for sharpening (see below). This is a really exciting process! Once the new teeth are punched, then the hand sharpening goes much easier. But retoothing is not mandatory. But look at these perfectly shaped teeth!

Refurbished Antique Simonds Back Saw Tenon Saw With Sharpened Hand Saw Teeth

Conclusion: The Backsaw After Refurbishing

Refurbished Antique Simonds Back Saw Tenon Saw

Here are a couple of photos of the refurbished backsaw. Again, the goal wasn’t to make the saw look new. It was to make it more functional, and give it a little facelift at the same time!

Hand Saw Etching On A Refurbished Antique Simonds Back Saw Tenon Saw

Make sure to subscribe below to be notified when my upcoming articles & videos are released. Also, please share your comments and questions below!

Simonds Brass Back Saw Medallion