Highly Recommended: Saw Sharpening from TechnoPrimitives
Categories:: Chris Schwarz Blog • Sawing Techniques • Saws • Woodworking Blogs
Christopher Schwarz | Sep 23, 2008 | Comments 24
Add to favorites
Without fail, every week readers ask me where to get their saws sharpened. I’ve run into some great saw sharpeners in my day, and I’m always happy to recommend their services. Today I’d like to tell you about Mark Harrell, who has taken saw sharpening service into the digital age.
Harrell, a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Army and a long-time hand-tool enthusiast, recently opened his business and web site, called TechnoPrimitives. Harrell offers everything from filing your slightly dull saw all the way up to a complete restoration of the sawplate, teeth and tote.
He also sells vintage saws that he has restored and sharpened. You can see his current auctions (and feedback) on eBay.
I recently sent Harrell an R. Groves & Sons carcase saw that has been sitting on the bookshelf in my office for several years. I bought the saw for a very small sum online because I really liked the shape of the 19th-century handle, and I really have a thing for carcase saws.
However, like many online transactions, this one was a disappointment. The split saw nuts were stripped and unsalvageable. The sawplate was crooked like a hockey player’s nose. And the teeth were all kinds of irregular ugly, perhaps like those belonging to its 19th-century English owner. (Note to self: I seem to be beating up on the orthodonture of our British ancestors a bit too much lately.)
I liked the handle too much to simply pitch the saw. So I replaced the sawnuts with some extras we had lying around the shop and put the saw on my shelf of hopeless tools (some day I’ll offer you a tour of this sad corner of my office).
So after finding out about Harrell’s new business, I fetched the saw and shipped it off to him directly to his shop in LaCrosse, Wis. I figured that this sickly saw would be a good test of Harrell’s restoration skills. Or it would make him rethink his business plan.
The saw arrived back today, beautifully packed. The whole process from start to finish took less than a week. Though we are up against two impossible deadlines this week in the office, I sneaked off to the shop on my lunch hour to make some crosscuts.
Sweet mother of mystery. Harrell brought this hopeless saw completely back from the dead. I was expecting Harrell to declare the saw DOA and ship me back the parts, mob-style. Or that he would give it a try but the saw would end up good for rough work only.
Instead, this saw graduated from the shelf of the dammed to a prized position above my workbench. The sawplate is near-perfect. The teeth are razor sharp, perfectly formed and set. It cuts fast and tracks straight. I doubt this saw has been in this good of condition for 100 years.
If you want to see the steps he took (and some before and after photos), he set up a page here that shows the restoration process.
So how much does the service cost? Here’s the price list:
- Base cost for just jointing/setting/sharpening: $35
- Retoothing, and jointing/setting/sharpening $45
- Sawplate straightening: $25
- Handle restoration: $25
- Total Rehabilitation / The Works (all of the above): $85
Harrell did “the works” on the R. Groves & Son, but cut me a break because he didn’t repair the upper horn on the handle. My total cost: $60. I consider that price to be more than fair for the results.
If you have a dull saw that’s not earning its keep in your shop, I recommend you give Harrell’s services a try. Like me, I think you’ll be convinced. If you’ve used his services, feel free to post a comment about them below.
Who am I to argue? Just got my 100-year-old Disston #4 back from Mark (complete re-do of the saw plate). It crosscuts fast, straight, and clean. My Japanese saws are on the way out.
I sent two Disston backsaws to Mark for straightening (my son stood on a moving box containing the saws… long story) and sharpening. They came back straight as an arrow and cutting straight. Sharper than than several new LN saws and a cutting cleaner than a new Wenzloff that I own as well.
A really great service.
Chris,
I wanted to thank you for putting me in contact with Mark. I had read your blog on his service and promptly dug out my old Disston 10 in backsaw. I sent him an email and got a prompt response on a price for straightening the saw and sharpening it. I mailed it to him and got it back in a little over two weeks. It is very sharp and straight. I tried it on some poplar and it starts fast and cuts straight. Did I say it was sharp? I am very happy to get this done, I did not think anyone could straighten the sawplate. Mark did and I really like the saw. I would recommend him for anyone wanting this service.
I recently had an opportunity to work with Mark and I am extremely impressed with both his work and his communication. I sent him 4 saws, a D8 rip, a D100 Xcut, a #4 Disston back saw and a Jackson Dovetail saw. All of these saws were EBay purchases in an attempt to build my basic woodworking tool set. He took these saws and in just 4 weeks was able to turn them from auction relics to excellent, high quality, tools that can be used every day. Yesterday I finally had the chance to put some of these saws to work and I was extremely pleased with the results. I have used the rip saw, the crosscut saw and the tenon saw on some apple as well as some pine I have lying about the shop. In both woods these saws have exceeded my expectations. In fact, the rip saw far exceeded my expectations as it went through my dried white pine far faster then my previous favorite. In fact, it is just as quick for me to rip out some pine boards with this rip saw as it is to roll my bandsaw away from the wall, setting it up, and doing the saw cuts. I found staying on the cut line during these rip cuts to be extremely easy. Your work is excellent and I would have no problem recommending you to any of my friends.