When small backsaws in the 6 to 10 inch range are sharpened in a saw vise, the handle interferes with the vise, as shown of the left. This would leave a significant portion of the blade unsupported and impossible to sharpen. To overcome this problem, the saw needs to be tilted in the vise, as on the right. The teeth closest to the handle get little or no sharpening, and the teeth at the toe are jointed and filed deeply to keep the teeth on a level plane. The result after a couple of filings is a saw that is noticeably tapered in width from heel to toe.