Crosscut Saw Certification, Sharpening and Maintenance
Cherokee National Forest
Ocoee Ranger District
 

By Jim Holland
Blue Ridge, GA
www.threecreeksarabians.com
lanconn@threecreeksarabians.com  

The Chattahoochee and Cherokee National Forests in Georgia and Tennessee include a number of Wilderness areas, the best known being the Cohutta Wilderness in Georgia, and the Big Frog and Citico Wilderness in Tennessee.  In these areas, chain saws are not allowed, and volunteers use centuries old technology to remove trees from trails. Records indicate that crosscut saws were used for cutting as early as 1635.  Over the years, different saws and patterns were developed and saws evolved into efficient cutting tools.  Saws made by Simonds, Disston, and Atkins were the most popular....and older saws by these manufacturers are much coveted by today's modern crosscut "sawyers".  Many consider the "Simonds #503 Royal Chinook" as the best trail saw ever made, and to own one is the mark of a dedicated wilderness trail volunteer.  Crosscut saws are known as "saws that sing".

The US Forest Service has kept crosscut saw skills and knowledge alive over the years, and offers certification classes in the use and maintenance of crosscut saws to selected volunteers.

The class below was held in February, 2008 and taught by:

Carl L. Deitz
Recreation Technician
LNT Master Educator
Traditional Tool Instructor
Ocoee/Hiwassee Ranger District
Cherokee National Forest
Office 423-338-3306
cldeitz@fs.fed.us

The Lewis County Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington spends hundreds of hours clearing wilderness trails.  Their "Crosscut Saw Gallery" has some great pictures of their trail work and their saws and equipment.  View it at: http://www.pbase.com/bchw/crosscut_saw_gallery

 

 

Ocoee Ranger District Work Center

Older saws are the best, but many are rust coated and must be cleaned thoroughly with steel wool and Kerosene.

When the heavy rust is gone, the saw is smoothed with Kerosene and a finger stone.

Instructor Carl Deitz checks the cleaning operation.

This "pattern" is the final objective for a sharp saw.

"Gullets"...the area between the teeth must be clean and smooth.

Each student must build his own "Crosscut Saw Vise" prior to attending the class. The vise rotates and holds the saw in the proper position.

Instructor Carl Deitz demonstrates the proper filing angle and the use of the Crosscut Saw File.

Checking the "pattern" shape against a saw.

Measurements must be accurate to .001 inches.

"Rakers" remove the cut wood and must be set to a specific angle, shape, and height.

Cutting teeth are angled (set) .012-.015 toward the outside of the saw, alternating sides. Heat my be required on a very hard saw to set the teeth.

An accurately honed "spider guage" is used to measure cutting tooth "set".

Cutters are "set" to the outside of the plane of the saw and filed only on one side...the "inside".

A "hand anvil" and hammer are used to form the top of the cutters to the proper set.

Another view of the Ocoee RD Work Center

Demonstrating the proper use of the Jointer. Teeth must be set to equal height in a smooth curve the entire length of the saw.

Sometimes, the handle area of the saw must be ground down to allow the Long Jointer to work properly.

Patience and care are required...and sometimes consultation to get it right

Note that the teeth have been filed down signigicantly on this saw to get them all of equal height. They will now be sharped to the proper angle.

Sometimes you just need to take a break, rest your fingers and think about it!

"Swaging" a raker....forming the tip down to the angle to best remove the chips cut by the teeth.

Filing teeth is tedious

Shaping the outside of a raker tooth to the proper curvature.