Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What is this thing?

I just learned what this tool is used for. It's been sitting in a toolbox owned by my long deceased carpenter grandfather and I could never figure out what it is. Until now when I stumbled upon a youtube video featuring this tool. When squeezing the handle a small piston pushes against a stop. Any guesses?

A rivet setter of some type ?

It's a saw setting tool- - - - -bends the teeth to the right angle to control the width of the kerf after filing to sharpen them.

Rib spreaders….😀

^^^ this

Legit question: Wouldn't you want to set teeth first and sharpen them after?

Yep, For hand saw. Is there a long clamp type, device for holding the saw blade for sharpening too?

I got one of those things, but I didn't know what it was. Never too old to learn!

File the teeth first, then set each one to the same offset. A handsaw that's not set properly doesn't cut a straight line. Crosscut saws have a different tooth shape and set angle than rip saws.

You guys got it! Saw setter. The video I watched the guy hammered all the saw teeth flat, sharpened the teeth, and then reset the teeth to the desired angle.

Cool! I was thinking you had to start from a point of uniformity. Didn't know about the "hammer it flat" first step. Never too old to learn something.

That's why some of the best hand forged knives started out as saw blades- - - - -the quality of the alloy is incredible. Hard enough to take and hold an edge, but flexible enough not to break under stress.

Yeah it's a Kerf setting tool for saws. My grandpa had one on his workbench that us kids would play with.

I wouldn't say it would set them to the right angle. It's pretty easy to squeeze a bit to hard and break your freshly sharpened tooth right off... probably some triangle files there close at hand.
I learned all this on a boat project. Had a big slab of walnut I wanted to use for a transom. Wanted to split it and then sandwich some plywood for strength. Glue it all back and cap the top and it would still look like 1 huge slab. Couldn't find a bandsaw big enough to split it so I ordered a big ass hand saw off ebay, filed the teeth flat, put 9 TPI and set them. Took me a hell of a lot longer to get the saw right than to cut the board. I think it was like 9 minutes of sawing, but I was out to prove a point.
Then I glued 1 side upside down of the other... so to a keen eye it was all for nought.

Even without the "hammer" step, the adjustment on the tool pushes each tooth the same distance away from the body of the saw. Sharpening reduces the set somewhat, and the tool is adjusted to push each tooth the same distance from the anvil when the handle is squeezed.

Learn something everyday.
I've got one hanging on the antique wall in the barn. Often have wondered what it was for.
Thanks Morewood!

Can it be used to sharpen a chain saw?

now i kmow what ive got

I've been looking for one of those if you're interested in parting with it.