SawSharp 5-Day Intensive Basic/Advanced Seminar Down Payment; ($1500 total)

Once a quarter, we gather together up to 6 motivated hand tool enthusiasts who really want to master saw sharpening for an intensive 5-day saw tune-up and sharpening seminar at the Bad Axe Tool Works workshop in Superior, Wisconsin. You will even go home with two Bad Axe that I've helped you build to spec.

We spend about 1/4 of the time on instruction and theory, and 3/4 of the time with concrete, practical application. No death by PowerPoint. No pontificating on saw geek arcana to muddy the waters, and no gadgets or jigs. Instead, we cover the basics, and with file in hand, slap spring steel into one of our Acme Saw Vises and get on it, with loads of practical application under our oversight.

Throughout the process, you'll absorb how to do the basics well under our oversight. To sum it up, the course is actually just a lot like woodworking: there are those who talk about it, and those who actually do it.

Upon course completion, you'll know how to put a fresh edge on a toothline and how to keep your saws tuned up and running. Our advanced seminar will enable you to We encourage you take the next step and pick up a challenged old saw off eBay and breathe new life into it--pulling that off creates a sense of satisfaction that gives the term 'self-reliance' a far deeper meaning.

Advanced 5-Day Seminar Curriculum & Schedule:

Day 1:

Mastering tools of the trade, nomenclature, and common practices

AM

• Is my saw worth saving?
• Nomenclature: heel, toe, spine, toothline, sawback, etch,open/closed handles.
• Saw Accessory Use and Design: bench hooks and saw benches.
• Sawing technique.
• Cordless resawing with kerfing planes & frame saws.
• Sawbuilding demonstration.
• How to make your own saw maintenance & sharpening system.

PM

• Complete disassembly of a backsaw (including removing the back) & reassembly.
• How to release a frozen fastener set.
• Clean without ruining the etch.
• Using needle and taper saw files.
• Adopt proper filing safety practices.
• Sawtooth geometry and how to manipulate it.
• Advantages of hammer sets over plier sets.
• Practical Exercise: Hammer-set and joint a toothline.

Day 2:

Understanding the 8 ppi x-cut panel saw

AM

• Understanding the 8 ppi x-cut panel saw.
• Sharpening Dry-Fire:
• Stance and placement.
• Rip, hybrid and crosscut.
• Visual cues when sharpening.
• Understanding filing facets.
• File stroke patterns.
• Maintaining consistent symmetry.
• Hybrid-Filing principles.
• Filing pattern: brush, sharpen, brush.
• Sharpen an 8 ppi toothline.

PM

• Demonstration and practical exercise: Hammer-smith a kinked and/or bowed sawplate.
• 8 ppi sharpening review & 1-on-1 instruction.
• Sharpen your own 8 ppi hand or panel saw.

Day 3:

AM

• Understanding how plate gauge and pitch work together to deliver the action you want for hardwoods and softwoods.
• 6 ppi Rip-filed Handsaw Overview.
• Dry-fire the 6 ppi toothline.
• Sharpen a 6 ppi rip toothline.

PM

• Demonstration & practical exercise: Setting & Stoning the toothline for final optimized kerf based on associated plate
• gauge, ppi and wood species.
• Sharpen your own 5 ½ ppi or 6 ppi Handsaw.•6 ppi rip sharpening Review & 1-on-1.
• Sharpen your own 5 ½ or 6 ppi Handsaw.

Day 4:

AM

• Crowding the toothline to mitigate big-tooth/little-tooth syndrome in an asymmetrical toothline.
• Understanding the 11 ppi tenon saw (overview).
• Dry-Fire the 11 ppi toothline.
• Sharpen an 11 ppi toothline

PM

• Demonstration & Practical Exercise: Manipulating rake and bevel to optimize softwoods and various hardwood species.
• 11 ppi tenon saw review & 1-on-1.
• Test: Sharpen your own 5 ½ or 6 ppi Handsaw.

Day 5

AM

• Understanding the 14 ppi carcase saw (overview).
• Dry-Fire the 14 ppi toothline.
• Carcase Saw Sharpening & 1-on-1.

PM

• Graduation Exercise: Build, sharpen and test-cut your own Bad Axe 14 ppi carcase saw using all tools and practices covered throughout the seminar.
• End of Seminar Review
• Graduation and Closing