SawSharp's 25-29 May 2026 Saw Sharpening & Maint. Seminar $500 Down Payment

Once a quarter, I'll 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 a Bad Axe backsaw inclusive with course tuition that I've helped you build to spec. You will also have sharpened at least two of your own vintage saws on your own under my oversight.

We'll spend about 20% of your time on instruction and theory, and 80% of the time with concrete, practical application. No death by PowerPoint, numbing your butt on a cafeteria chair. 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, and an opportunity to work on 3-4 of your own vintage saws you'll bring to the seminar.

Throughout the process, you'll absorb how to do the basics well under my oversight with plenty of 1-on-1 coaching. We'll graduate from coarse-toothed handsaws to fine-toothed backsaws by the end of the week, culminating with building your own Bad Axe backsaw of your choosing. It is not at all unusual for my students to have sharpened up to 3-4 of their own vintage saws during this intensive 5-day course. To sum it up, the course is actually quite 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, save a saw butchered by a previous owner, and how to keep every saw in your till tuned up and running. I encourage you take the next step after course completion and pick up a challenged old saw off eBay and breathe new life into it--pulling that off creates a sense of satisfaction that puts the DIY in self-reliance.

Administrative notes and billing for the remaining balance due: Placing your order requires a $500 down payment. Total course cost is $1500. I will bill you for the remaining $1000 balance due 30 days out from attendance.

One Bad Axe backsaw of your choosing is included in course tuition. Upgrades to your saw beyond the basic trim will be charged at course closure.

Your seminar down payment is non-refundable. That said, life happens--if you are unable to attend the seminar due to unforeseen circumstances, I will transfer your seat to another class of your choosing, or issue you a $500 credit toward any vintage saw service and/or Bad Axe saw(s) of your choosing.

I will arrange for lunch daily, which works out to $15 per meal (usually a mix between sub sandwiches and pizza with soft drinks or water, and a couple of nearby restaurants).

Come prepared to work. Bring bifocals if you need them, along with eye/face protection. I'll supply all files and will follow-up with readahead correspondence after you place your order. See you here!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 (or backsaw of your choosing) using all tools and practices covered throughout the seminar.
• End of Seminar Review
• Graduation and Closing

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Host or Publisher Mark Harrell, Founder SawSharp, Bad Axe Tool Works