Why Polishing Plate Sides Reduces Binding!

The Upgrade

Polishing the flat sides of a hand saw plate means smoothing the broad metal faces on each side of the tooth row. You do not touch the teeth, the spine, or the back.

The goal is tiny, controlled removal of rough spots and burrs so the plate slides through the kerf with less drag.

Typical tools are abrasive on a flat block, an abrasive stick, and a soft strop or cloth with polishing compound. Clamp the saw so the plate is steady and work lengthwise along the plate.

This is a light tune up, not a reshaping job. Do it only until the metal feels uniformly smooth; stop if you must remove more than a thin layer of metal or if the plate shows deep damage.

Why It Helps

A saw binds when something in the kerf adds resistance or grabs the plate. Plate-side roughness is one common cause.

Tiny burrs and scratches catch sawdust and pitch. Those caught particles pack in the kerf and act like a wedge.

That wedge pushes the plate into the wood and increases the force needed to move the saw. Polishing evens the plate face so wood and chips slide past with less grip.

Smooth sides cut two ways. First, they reduce friction between the plate and the wood faces inside the kerf.

Less friction means less heat, which helps on resinous woods that can gum up a hot blade. Second, smooth sides let sawdust evacuate more easily.

When chips clear faster, the saw does not have to push through a packed kerf. That lowers side pressure on the teeth and keeps the teeth cutting on their intended line.

Polishing also reduces intermittent catches. A single small burr can create a sudden tug that changes the cut direction. Removing those bumps makes cuts more consistent and easier to control.

This tune up supports good tooth geometry and correct set; it does not replace sharpening or fixing badly set teeth.

Think of polishing as improving how the saw moves in the cut, not how the teeth bite into material.

If plate-on-plate contact or seated burrs are the real issue, polishing gives clear, measurable gains. If you do not feel improvement, check teeth, set, and plate straightness next.

Polishing complements those adjustments but will not fix deep rust pits, warped plates, or wrong tooth profiles.

How to Add and Use the Technique

1. Prep the saw and workspace

Clean the plate of pitch and loose rust with a soft solvent and a brass brush. Protect the teeth by wrapping them lightly with tape or by clamping wooden blocks that cover the set.

Secure the saw in a padded vise or clamp it flat to a board so the plate cannot move while you work.

2. Choose abrasives and polish

Work in a grit progression from lower-to-mid grits up to very fine grits, then finish with a polishing compound or strop.

You can use sandpaper on a flat block, long abrasive sticks, or a fine file stone meant for metal. The goal is steady smoothing, not rapid material removal.

3. Technique step by step

• Hold the abrasive block flat to the plate so you contact only the broad face. Move the block along the plate lengthwise in long, even strokes. Keep pressure light and steady.
• Start with a lower-to-mid grit to remove high spots and burrs. Make a few passes and then feel the plate for rough patches.
• Move to a finer grit and repeat, keeping strokes long and along the grain of the plate. Clean metal dust between stages.
• Finish with a very fine grit and then rub a small amount of polishing compound on a leather strop or soft cloth and pull the plate lengthwise. This gives a low-friction sheen without changing the plate shape.
• Check progress often by feeling for catches and by making a short test cut in scrap wood after the coarse grits and again after the final polish.

4. Tips for control and safety

• Keep work limited to the flat faces only. Any contact with tooth faces can dull or nick them.
• Do not bend or flex the plate during clamping. A stable, flat plate ensures even polishing.
• Wear eye protection and wash hands after handling metal dust and compounds.
• If a plate is very thin, keep strokes lighter and reduce the number of passes. The aim is smoothness, not thinning.

5. Final checks

After polishing, verify tooth alignment and set visually and with a quick test cut. If the saw still binds, inspect for plate warps, deep pits, or tooth problems that need separate repair.

What You Will Notice

After a proper polish, the saw will feel easier to push and pull. Cuts will start smoother, with fewer sudden tugs. Sawdust will come out cleaner from the kerf and pack less often, especially in through-cuts.

On resin-rich woods you will see less pitch build up on the plate during longer cuts because lower friction produces less heat. The saw plate will run cooler to the touch after extended sawing.

You may also notice straighter cuts as side pulls drop off. These changes are practical and cumulative; each light tune up keeps the saw performing more predictably.

If you do not feel a difference after a careful polish, re-check teeth sharpness, set, and plate straightness before polishing more.

When to Skip Polishing

Do not polish if the plate shows deep rust pits or structural damage that needs repair or replacement first.

Skip polishing when the plate is already very thin or flexes easily, because removing metal can worsen the issue.

Also do not polish if the saw is binding because teeth are dull or incorrectly set; fix those problems first. Avoid polishing coated or painted blades unless you know the coating can be removed without harming the blade.

Finally, if the saw is for rough cutting where finish and smoothness do not matter, this tune up is unnecessary.

Specs and Signals

1. Grit guidance

Work through a progression from lower-to-mid grits to finer grits, and finish with a very fine grit and a polishing compound or strop.

Exact grit names vary, so use abrasives labeled for metal finishing and move to finer grades as roughness disappears.

2. Amount of material removed

Expect to remove only a very small amount of metal. The aim is to remove burrs and high spots, not to reshape the plate. If you must remove more than a thin surface layer, reconsider the saw condition.

3. How you know you need it

Signs include a steady drag while sawing, frequent packing of sawdust in the kerf, sudden tugs or pulls during the cut, and repeated pitch buildup on the plate during longer cuts.

A simple test is a short cut in scrap wood. If you feel catches or extra effort, smoothing the plate sides is a sensible first tune up.

4. Frequency

For a regularly used saw, light touch ups when you notice drag or after working with sticky woods are useful.

Heavy or resinous cutting calls for more frequent checks. If you are unsure, do a quick feel test and a short scrap cut before polishing.

The Bottom Line

Polishing plate sides is a small, low-risk upgrade that reduces binding by lowering friction and improving chip flow.

It supports sharp teeth and correct set but does not replace sharpening or plate repair. Use a grit progression, work lengthwise, protect the teeth, and stop when the plate feels uniformly smooth.

Done carefully and sparingly, this tune up makes hand sawing smoother, more consistent, and less tiring.