A dull saw is a daily punishment. This guide is the cure.
I put this together because saw sharpening has a reputation it doesn't deserve — wrapped in jargon, contradictory diagrams, and tribal lore passed around forums without ever landing in one place. It doesn't need to be that complicated. Six tools, nine steps, and a little patience at the vise is all it takes.
The Saw Sharpening: A Bench Guide is a free 8-page PDF. Not a textbook — a working reference. Download it, print it, get it dirty.
What's inside
| Tools of the Trade | Six implements — what they do, what to look for, where to find them new or secondhand |
| The Nine Steps | The complete process from assessment through test cut, for touch-ups and full reshapes |
| Tips & Troubles | Principles of the sharpening stroke, plus a troubleshooting table for the five most common problems |
| A Sharpener's Lexicon | Plain definitions of every term — rake, fleam, set, gullet, kerf, jointing, and more |
| Resources | The books, tools, and suppliers I actually use and recommend |
Covers both hand saws and backsaws, rip and crosscut geometry, with quick-reference angle tables for rake and fleam. It's the sheet I wish I'd had when I was first learning.
It's free. No catch. No email required. Just download it.
Want something to keep at the bench?
The print edition is a 5.5×8.5" saddle-stitched booklet with three additional pages not in this PDF: a Sharpening Checklist, a My Saws register, and a Notes page. Order the print version for $22 →
Questions about the guide or a saw you're working on?
Write to aaron@benchandchisel.com
