When I create a saved search through the web UI on a SH, it's replicated to other members in the cluster.
But if I create or modify a saved search directly in the config file (vi $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps/search/local/savedsearches.conf),
the modification is not visible on any member, including the host on which we modify the conf file.
But I can find the right stanza with btool.
My goal is to migrate saved searches from the current standalone SH to the new cluster.
That behavior is by design. The SHCluster only replicates changes made from Splunk Web, Splunk CLI and REST endpoints. See more details here.
http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/6.2.2/DistSearch/HowconfrepoworksinSHC#The_changes_that_...
Option for you would be to either to make changes in one SH and replicate manually to other SH node OR use CLI or REST method to add/update the search (see this http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/6.3.3/RESTREF/RESTsearchExamples#saved.2Fsearches_POST)