Buzz saw sharpening

I just got a old mounted buzz saw and the blade looks pretty tough, what's the best way to sharpen one of these or can you still get new ones?

You can probably find a video of someone doing it on Utube. I've found videos there of people sharping the old saws like cross cut saws. Maybe the same concepts apply to buzz saws.

Need a bit more information of what you actually have to provide an accurate response.

Generally speaking, clean it it. Maybe sandblast the rust off. Mount it. See if it is bent. Does it have any missing teeth.

If it is what I am thinking it might be, I saw my uncle just use a file to sharpen one when I was a kid. Also used a hammer on the teeth. Now that I know more about things, he may have been correcting the set in the teeth.

There are actually two ways to sharpen one. On the face or on the back, some may argue that one way or the other is right or wrong the thing to remember is if it is sharp and cuts its right, were not cutting cabinet stock. I use a file, but you may also use a 4 grinder with a new flat disk if you are careful. I sharpen the back because its much easier when the blade is mounted on the saw. Shown in pics is one I just worked on yesterday. Always push the file the way the tooth is angled. Lower the handle from flat so you edge is angled a bit. Also important is set, you need 1/8 to 3/16 set, also shown in pics.

Checking the set and how to change it. SET IS VERY important on any saw but ultra important on a buzz saw because of the imprecise manner they are operated. Check with straight edge and use a crescent to bend teeth. If you feel the need to be precise you can make or buy a set guage. I use eyeball,, once again, we are not making cabinets, cutting firewood.

One thing I remember dad saying was to tap on the blade with a hammer and listen to the sound. If the blade is cracked it has a dull sound and is junk. He knew of someone that was killed by a blade that came apart.

As mentioned, you can get a sharp edge by filing either the underside or the top. The proper way is to file the top until the gullet area is decreased too much, then you have to file, or 'gum' the gullet. Having enough gullet area is critical. I run a few old circular sawmills as well as a handful of trimmers, buzz-saws, and two shingle mills - all with circular blades, and can tell you with certainty that a sharp blade with too little gullet area will cut way worse than a dull blade with enough gullet area. For your buzz saw, however, it's probably something you won't have to worry about for a while. File into the set direction with a good, single-cut file.

Things to consider:

- Gullet Profile: Don't file any square corners into it - it needs to be a nice, consistent rounded profile. Square corners will build stress concentrations and can crack the blade. Once you've seen a large circular blade let go and send shrapnel in all direction, you learn to watch for and respect anything that might cause cracking. If you ever have the blade off the arbor, suspend it by a bar through the eye and give it a light tap with a hammer. It should 'ring'. If it gives a muffled, dead sound, there's a crack in it somewhere.

- Top Tooth Profile - Not quite flat, but definitely not a straight point. This is very often done incorrectly and leads to weak/broken teeth.

- Hook Angle: For a cross-cut buzz saw, probably very little. You often see way too much hook filed into old buzz, trim, and slasher saws.

- Outside Circumference - should be perfectly round. It will get out-of-round over time as it's filed inconsistently. The old-school method of 'jointing' to correct this is to mount the blade backwards, run it at a slower RPM, and slowly advance a find grinding stone into the back of the teeth by hand so they all true up. You're done when they're touching the stone consistently. Maybe not something you want to try if you're new to blade maintenance, however - pretty easy to lose a finger or send stone shrapnel flying into your face.

- Tooth Set - For a cross-cut buzz saw that's probably never going more than 12 to 16 in a cut, consistency is more important than excessive set distance. If a few teeth are set out wider than the rest, they'll be doing a lot more work, sucking a lot more power, and wearing a lot faster. I'm guessing that 0.020'' or so would be a good amount of set for you. Technically you shouldn't be setting with a wrench, because you're bending the tooth at the root in the gullet region and making it subject to cracking. For a simple buzz saw, however, lots of folks do it with a wrench, and unless you're running it full time you'll probably be fine. I have a few different styles of tooth setting tools, but if I was in your shoes and the only circular saw had to maintain was one buzz saw, I probably wouldn't bother to buy one.

- A lot of old buzz saws had the arbor/mandrel running in babbit. Check the state of the babbit and make sure you keep the oil to the boxes. It doesn't take long to melt the babbitt out of a box if they start running dry.

The link below is a book written by J. Miner, who wrote a pile of books on saw maintenance. He had a bit of a pompous 'Everyone is wrong but me' style of writing, but he knew his stuff and his books were acknowledged for years as the ultimate authority on saw maintenance. In particular, look at page 59 where it talk about tooth shape. The Hanchett 'Saw and Knife Fitting Manual' is actually a better book in my opinion, but harder to find an online copy of.

Ultimately I'm probably going too much into detail: For a simple buzz saw used a few hours each year, you could probably hit it with a file until it seems sharp, set the teeth by eye with a wrench, and it would do ok. Just be careful: They'll take your hand off in a blink. When you're into the saw and milling world as much as I am, you soon meet a lot of people with a few digits missing (especially true in the shingle mill world)
Miners Saw Filing Manual

I should also add: you can definitely get new blades. They're not always cheap, especially if you have to get the eye sized right custom for your saw, but they're definitely available. You can get them with carbide brazed tips, which are nice because they last ages between sharpening and you don't have to set them, but there are a few drawbacks: You have to file with a diamond file (underneath), and they can chip if they contact dirt/stones, and it takes either a lot of filing with a diamond stone or re-tipping the saw to fix.

You'll find lots of places that sell new blades by googling. If it needs to be a custom size, Scies Mercer, Simonds, or BH Payne would be good folks to call.
Mercier Saw Blades

Thanks for all the info guys I really appreciate it! I'll start in with a file this week, also where do you get new flat belts? I've got a few old ones but I'm thinking they'll be too long, can I use a old belt off a round baler?

Folks do use baler belts, but technically they're not they right type nor is their carcass strong enough for many drive applications. If I had some around and nothing else, I'd try using it. But if that doesn't work, ask around at industrial supply stores and Google conveyor manufacturers in your area - should be readily availably. I get mine from Erik's - they're a worldwide manufacturer/distributor, but they have a location right up the road from me with an old chap at the counter who's fantastic about getting me flat belts.

Is this a 3 pt buzz saw ....... or one several feet from the tractor?

It mounts on the front of the tractor

30 years ago a guy I worked with's dad sharpened saws on the side with I think a Foley belsaw machine. he sharpened one for me as a personal challenge just to see if he could. I don't if those guys are around any more

I just wanted to clarify or correct my post below about set. When I said 1/8 I was referring to the total or .060 per side which is the correct way to state it. I run a lot of set due to the way a buzz saw is fed. It provides for more error in feeding and saves pinching which heats the blade, slips the belt and the associated problems with that. You can get by with less if your feed table has no slop and you are careful how you feed it. Be careful and enjoy when its sharp amd working as it should.

Butch makes a good point, and I should correct my earlier reply as well: I said about 0.020 per side, which I run on my crosscut trim saws where the piece is clamped tight and the carriage slides on linear rails, but for and old cordwood, hand-fed buzz saw, I'd almost certainly want more set.

Take a look at the pictures of how Butch's saw is filed and the gullet shape - that's exactly what it should look like. Some folks sharpen from beneath and really hog out the gullet excessively, which makes for a weak tooth that won't hold it's set for nearly as long.

Coldwell in Terre Haute can make belts.
Give them a call. I think they take orders over the phone and mail it to you.
coldwell