878 



THE FARMERS HANDBOOK. 



Sharpening the Saw. 



Before being sharpened, all saws should be run over from handle to tip» 

 with a flat file, an old mill-saw file being the best for the purpose. This is^ 

 done by holding the saw by the handle, laying the file along the tips of the 

 teeth, and running it down the tips. The effect is to bring all the teeth to a 

 uniform height and remove any unevenness such as may have been caused by 

 several teeth striking a nail and having the tips taken off. The rip, hand,, 

 or panel saws should have a slight belly in the centre, but a tenon-saw. should 

 qe straight. 



Fig. 21— The Correct Use of the Saw. 



Starting the stroke. 



The teeth now being all of one height, we shall start to sharpen with a 

 triangular file. This, be it admitted, is a most difficult matter for a beginner, 

 who, if not very careful, will reduce the teeth to all shapes ami sizes and 

 leave the saw worse than it was before he touched it. The sav>- must be held 

 in an upright position in a vise of some kind. The best hold of all is 



