SawSharp Workshop

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Two rare saws found my sharpening vise this week, a Josiah Bakewell & Co. 14” brass-backed and split-nuts backsaw from t...
03/31/2026

Two rare saws found my sharpening vise this week, a Josiah Bakewell & Co. 14” brass-backed and split-nuts backsaw from the early 1850’s, and a Disston PHILADA (1896-1917) era No. 346 metal cutting saw. First time in 20 years’ sharpening saws I’ve ever seen these!

03/17/2026

Hey everyone, I’m teaching at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking at the end of April! Here’s the link below to enroll – – and I hope to see you there!

https://www.marcadams.com/instructor-harrell/



SawSharp
Mark Harrell, Owner
TechnoPrimitives, LLC
Founder, Bad Axe Tool Works
69 N. 28th St. E, Suite #31
Superior, WI 54880
_____________
715.586.0233
(800) 963-0325
/ Instagram
www.SawSharp.com
[email protected]

Sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. In my customer’s case today, we have a nice little 20” Disston PHILAD’A (1...
02/16/2026

Sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. In my customer’s case today, we have a nice little 20” Disston PHILAD’A (1887-1896) panel saw, 10 ppi x-cut which is in pretty good shape, save where there exists a spot in the middle of the toothline where someone appears to have taken a large file and knocked a tooth down practically to the gullet.

So there were two alternatives to tuning up this saw:

1: Take all the teeth down to the gullets and reestablish the toothline just to fix that one tooth—and in so doing, lose about half an inch of real estate on the plate. Lots of time and expense.

Or

2: Bring all the other teeth to proper joint and set and leave the missing tooth alone. Less expense and the saw still cuts great.

Guess what? One missing tooth does not make an entire toothline messed up. Watch the video as I float the saw through the cut a couple of times. I couldn’t even feel the hiccup at the missing tooth’s location.

So the takeaway is—it’s not necessary to pole-vault over mouse turds when sharpening a saw. One or even two missing teeth isn’t going to impact the action—unless you have a bad case of OCD, right?

Cheers! ~ Mark at SawSharp

I put together a five-page slide deck for your .pdf download from my website at https://www.sawsharp.com/pdf/Geometry_Ov...
02/05/2026

I put together a five-page slide deck for your .pdf download from my website athttps://www.sawsharp.com/pdf/Geometry_Overview_20260205.pdf
you may refer to when referencing rake, bevel and toothline orientation when sharpening your saw.

Have fun with this, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. I can be reached directly at [email protected].

Cheers! ~ Mark at SawSharp

Pain is just weakness leaving the body. 😊It’s an old Special Forces (or Ranger) saying, kinda like SISU is for the Finns...
02/04/2026

Pain is just weakness leaving the body. 😊It’s an old Special Forces (or Ranger) saying, kinda like SISU is for the Finns.

Want the down and dirty on saw sharpening? Willing to hit it hard for two days without the expense of a five-day course?

Then given recent requests, I have opened up two, 2-day seminars for the Month of March.

The 19-20 March date falls on a Thurs/Fri scenario for those of you wishing to take a basics class at the end of the week.

The 24-25 March class is for those of you seeking a mid-week scenario.

Go to www.SawSharp.com/training to enroll.

You just need to get to the Duluth MN / Superior, WI Twin Ports area, so I can slap a file in your hand, get you behind a vise, and then we do grass drills and pushups until the pain of learning shifts to the adrenaline rush of victory.

Here’s the itinerary:

2-Day Seminar Curriculum & Schedule:

Day 1:

AM
Is my saw worth saving?
Saw Accessory Use and Design: bench hooks and saw benches.
How to make your own saw maintenance & sharpening system.
Complete disassembly of a backsaw (including removing the back) & reassembly.
How to release a frozen fastener set.
Clean without ruining the etch.

PM
Sawtooth geometry and how to manipulate it.
Advantages of hammer sets over plier sets.
Practical Exercise: Hammer-set and joint a toothline.
Body English, stance, brush stroke and visual cues.

Day 2:

AM
Understanding the 6 ppi rip hand or panel saw
Sharpening Dry-Fire for stance, file placement and visual cues.
Maintaining consistent symmetry.
Sharpen a 6 ppi rip toothline.

PM
Understanding the 8 ppi x-cut hand or panel saw
Sharpening Dry-Fire:
Stance and placement.
Visual cues when sharpening.
Maintaining consistent symmetry.
Sharpen an 8 ppi x-cut toothline.

Cheers!
—
Mark Harrell
Founder/Owner
TechnoPrimitives, LLC
Bad Axe Tool Works / SawSharp
69 North 28th St., Suite #30 / #31
Superior, WI 54880
715-586-0233
[email protected]

SawSharp condemns fascism in the strongest possible terms. 47 and his ICE Gestapo comprises a clear and present danger t...
01/26/2026

SawSharp condemns fascism in the strongest possible terms. 47 and his ICE Gestapo comprises a clear and present danger to our Democracy and our Constitution. This is the time—RIGHT NOW— for all Americans to stand up to this wanna-be dictatorship. Make your voices heard, and may God Bless the United States of America. De Oppresso Liber! 🇺🇸🫡

I am very humbled and flattered at the amount of people who have purchased Fine Woodworking’s video they produced last s...
01/23/2026

I am very humbled and flattered at the amount of people who have purchased Fine Woodworking’s video they produced last summer of my approach with saw maintenance, smithing and sharpening.

Who here has purchased it? Send me your name and email, and I will put you down for a 10% discount on taking my advanced seminar and any of my saw maintenance services.

I’ll take your word for it—no requirement to provide proof of proof of purchase. I have been making and sharpening saws for the past 20 years, and can still count the number of dirtbags in the hand tool world on one hand.

Cheers! ~ Mark at SawSharp

SawSharp
Mark Harrell, Owner
TechnoPrimitives, LLC
Founder, Bad Axe Tool Works
69 N. 28th St. E, Suite #31
Superior, WI 54880
_____________
715.586.0233
(800) 963-0325
/ Instagram
www.SawSharp.com
[email protected]

01/14/2026

Demonstrating how an old hammer set from 1874 can achieve precision measured by the thousandth.

Save the date!I’ve been getting requests lately for a 2-day basic saw sharpening seminar, so here’s where the dust is se...
01/12/2026

Save the date!

I’ve been getting requests lately for a 2-day basic saw sharpening seminar, so here’s where the dust is settling:

Thurs/Fri 19-20 March 2026 at the SawSharp workshop here in Superior, Wisconsin.

Learning Objectives:
Saw Assessment & Maintenance
Geometry Fundamentals
Sharpening Basics
Tune-up at least one saw you brought under my oversight

I provide all equipment & files. All you need to bring is a vintage handsaw/panel saw and a vintage backsaw. If you have only one or neither, I have plenty on hand you can practice on.

$500 for the two days. I have four more seats available. Contact me at my email, [email protected].

Cheers! ~ Mark

01/09/2026

This is the antidote for whatever pi**es you off. 😃

I’m honored this month to have one of my articles on vintage backsaw maintenance included in the Winter 2025 issue of Pi...
01/09/2026

I’m honored this month to have one of my articles on vintage backsaw maintenance included in the Winter 2025 issue of Pins & Tails eMagazine from the Society of American Furniture Makers that Bob and Joyce Lang produce once a quarter.

Click on this link and enter your email for a free download: https://sapfm.org/publications/pins-and-tales

Cheers! ~ Mark at SawSharp

Address

69 North 28th Street East, Suite #31
Superior, WI
54880

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