46 BULLETIN IIS, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
should never exceed twice the gauge of the tooth, and that more set 
is needed in long saws and for softwoods than for short saws and 
hardwoods. 
The side file should be used to remove any feather edge or burr 
left in filing and to even up the set perfectly. This can be clone while 
the saw is in the vise or filing clamp. Place an 8-inch mill bastard 
file in the recess on the side file and tighten the screws holding the 
file. Be particular that the saw is held firmly in the clamp. Pass the 
center of the file lightly against the teeth until the burr is removed 
and the set evened up. Care should be taken not to use the side file 
more than is necessary to remove the feather edge and even up the 
set. The wrench may be used to lessen the set if necessary, but should 
never be used to set the teeth. This should be done only with a 
hammer upon the setting block or on any hard and slightly beveled 
surface. Notice carefully the manner in which the saw is filed when 
new, and file as nearly as possible along the same lines. 
To secure the best results, the saw should be sharpened after being 
set. If it is desired merely to swage the point of the rakers, this may 
be done with a light blow of the hammer on the extreme point of the 
raker teeth. A raker gauge, the flange of which rests on the points 
of the cutting teeth, is useful for inexperienced saw filers. The filer 
can reduce the projecting points with the file until stopped by the 
edge of the gauge. In this manner tooth after tooth can be rapidly 
and correctly reduced to an even length by any unskilled operator. 
A saw now on the market has the teeth in groups of three, the 
center one a cutting tooth and the ones on either side rakers. The 
cutting teeth are set, but the rakers are not. The saw can be used 
for any kind of timber, the teeth varying in size according to the 
work they are to do. The raker teeth are beveled to form a sharp 
point and have cutting edges, thus forming a combined raker and 
cutting tooth. This is the distinctive feature of the saw. 
In ripping, the bottom of the kerf is cut sideways. This causes 
the saw to rip faster and easier than the old-style ripsaw, which 
works chisel fashion and has to cut the wood almost square across the 
grain. The set which is given the cutting teeth assists the rakers 
very materially by cutting the kerf a little wider than the raker teeth 
and by cutting the sides of the kerf perfectly smooth. This causes 
the saw to run freely and easily. Ripping is done by cutting, instead 
of tearing, as is the ?ase with the old-style ripsaw. 
In crosscutting, the teeth cut in four different lines in the kerf. 
In this way the fibers are cut in small, short pieces and are much 
easier to break out than if they extended clear across the kerf. As 
all teeth are of the same length they loosen the sawdust clear to the 
bottom of the kerf, thus removing much friction that occurs where 
a square raker tooth is used. This style of tooth works equally well 
