# sargent saw vice?



## Joe in MI (Jan 20, 2012)

I'd like to rehab some old disston saws I picked up recently (to use, not for show). I've been prowling antique shops and found a Sargent 103 saw vice. Are these any good? I don't remember the price, but it seems it was in the $20-30 range. 

Thanks 

Joe


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

Hey Joe in MI. 
Check to see if the Sargent hasn't been rewelded anywhere. I've got three metal saw vices and two have been broken at least once. Otherwise, the price is OK, not great. You may find it easier to make your own out of wood - that way you can make it much longer and won't have to keep moving the saw while you sharpen. 
Joe in AZ.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

I'm with Joe in AZ, wood has a lot of advantages. Typical saw vices stand high and aren't perfectly stable, that is, they vibrate. You don't want the saw teeth to be sticking up too high above the vice and it's common to hit it with the file, which just helps dull it sooner on a metal vice. You can also make marks on the wood to help keep consistent with the angle you use with the file. Usually, the wood "vice" goes in your bench face vice. The old timer that taught me only used a file for about one and a half 26" saws, then they are done. Most of us would want to make the files last a lot longer but a sharp file makes all the difference in the end result. One stroke per tooth unless the saw has needed a lot of jointing.


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## Joe in MI (Jan 20, 2012)

Thanks for the quick replies. I think I'll pass on the Sargent and make my own. Thanks for the advice on the files, too. I'm a notorious tight-wad and would probably get frustrated using a file way past it's time.

Joe


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