Saw handle replacement

#1

Back in 2020 I started reshaping the handle on my cheapo Spear & Jackson tenon saw. I think I saw the Paul Sellers video on the subject and gave It a go. It had a very open handle, and in addition to being hideous I felt like I couldn’t control it as well as the older backsaw which I’d bought in a job lot of tools and fixed up.

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Aside from adjusting the palm part of the grip to make it more comfortable this didn’t really do anything for me, so I decided to make a new one from a piece of pear wood someone had given me. I figured with the lockdowns and good weather for back garden woodworking I would finish it in a week or two.

Anyway four years later I’ve finally finished shaping and sanding it, and here’s the finished item. I’m reasonably pleased with it and have renewed my hatred of sanding.

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9 Likes
#2

that came out looking great! what tools did you use to do the shaping?

1 Like
#3

Very nice.
The stock handle is quite possibly the ugliest, clumsiest saw handle ever made. They are always available and cheap on second hand sites because they look so horrible. So, they are great value; the saw plate and brass back are perfectly serviceable. I was particularly struck by the weight of the brass spine. It’s a very nice saw with the replacement handle installed.

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#4

For the fixed radii I drilled holes through the stock with a brace and bit, then cut out the profile with a coping saw and refined it with chisels. Then it was just a lot of carving, filing and sanding :sweat_smile:

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#5

Given how much brass is these days it’s nice to feel how heavy the back is.

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#6

You’ve done a beautiful job on this! I bought the same saw (and have two of their panel saws) having seen the same videos showing how it’s actually a pretty good saw and can be tuned up into something very nice, but it has never yet made it to the top of the project list. The stock handle really is very uncomfortable!

1 Like