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Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge

Abingdon, VA – Tree Cutting & Portable Sawmill

Japanese saw question

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Japanese saw question

#1

Japanese saw question

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>Note:I was lost and earlier misposted in the middle of something unrelated....

I have a "Gent's saw" which I use for handy cuts on small stuff, for example cutting a dowel, and I also use it in a small home made miter box, again for cutting small stuff, for example small moldings. It's getting dull, and there are things I never liked about it(grabby teeth, coarse cut). I am thinking about replacing it with a Japanese pull stroke saw that would cut faster and easier(I hope).

What type of Japanese saw would be a good replacement for the tasks of a Gent's saw? Something from Japan Woodworker catalog preferred, but not essential. It needs to be tall enough to the spline to use in a small miter box(1 1/2 to 2") and fine enough teeth to make a finish cut. Can I buy just a blade and mount it in my own handle that could be bigger than those spindly ratten affairs?(I have no idea how they mount)

Thanks in advance...

Re: Japanese saw question

#2

"Spindly Rattan Affairs"...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>Hey, Bill -

This here's one of dem 'spindly rattan affairs", blade removed to reveal the secrets of its attachment:






This is one of those Toshio Odate dozukis. There's a slot bored down the end of the handle, and the blade has a notch midway down the spline. When installed, the notch lines up with a set screw, which holds the whole works together.

Can't make a recommendation on saws, though. I'm not generally happy with the flex in the blade with this one, and that's as far as my experience with Japanese saws goes...

Re: Japanese saw question

#3

Re: Japanese saw question *LINK*

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Here's the one I use. It's a nice saw, hard to flush cut something deep in a panel, does a decent job on dovetails (it will never replace my LN thgough). For trimming dovetails or pins/dowels I use a Japanese flush cut saw, very flexable with no set.


Japanese gent saw... kinda

Re: Japanese saw question

#4

Re: Japanese saw question *LINK*

Ray DuBose, Memphis TN

>This is the saw I use and I really enjoy it. Nice clean cuts. The only problem I have with it is how it's set in the handle. Most of the Dozuki Saws have a short tang that fits in the handle and is held in place by a screw. This one has a long tapered Tang and it tends to come out of the handle when I'm sawing. They say to fix it to hold it in your hand with the blade facing up and hit it on the bottem of the handle (Acctually it's the same movement you use when setting a blade back in a tsuka on a katana or other japanese style sword) Only it's not holding in the handle. The company started selling replacement handles and I'm tempted to order one to see if that fixes the problem. May be just something I have to live with.


http://http://japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=01.117.02&dept_id=11809

Re: Japanese saw question

#5

Re: Japanese saw question

Wiley Horne--Glendora CA

>Hey Ray,

Nice saw! But don't put up with that handle. Here's what you can do. Number one, call up JWW and tell 'em the saw came with a loose handle and you need another one. They should send you another one right away, and no nonsense about buying a replacement, either.

Number two, so your saw works right in the meantime while you're waiting on the replacement, shim the tang with shavings. Take the blade out--meaning slide the saw across the front of your bench so the handle catches on the bench front and the saw keeps going and comes loose. Then pick up some likely shavings off the shop floor, or make two or three nice new ones. Work these shavings up into the handle as far as you can, and then stick the blade back in, tightening it up just like you described in your post. It'll take the shavings with it. Do this until you get a good solid fit.

It's aggravating when a handle keeps coming loose. And if it causes you to tear a tooth off, which it eventually may when the saw flops sideways in the cut, you'll be a lot more than annoyed. So don't put up with it. Enjoy your terrific saw!

Wiley

Re: Japanese saw question

#6

The handle...

Rich Glisson (Durham, NC)

>Bill--

I agree about the handle--there is something that I just can't stomach about the rattan stuff. I bought Lee Valley's "Professional Dozuki" replacement blade for 26 bucks and made a walnut handle. I attached the handle with 2 of the *excellent* brass rivets also sold by Lee Valley (the 8.5mm ones). I countersunk them flush with the wood and it came out beautifully. I have not used the saw enough to comment on the blade's performance.

Re: Japanese saw question

#7

the holes?

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>you were able to drill the metal in handle? I already have the wonderful rivets. Great for knife handles, sheep collars and I can't remember what all else.

Re: Japanese saw question

#8

Yep...

Rich Glisson (Durham, NC)

>...no problem to drill--it's just brass. The steel blade does not extend back very far, IIRC.

Oh, and if you can't stand the rattan, you may not be able to stand the striations in the brass caused by forming it over the blade, either. I polished the brass with successive grits of sandpaper (like 320-600-1000) and automotive polishing compound. Put some masking tape on the blade if you do that so it doesn't get scratched.

Re: Japanese saw question

#9

Re: Yep...

Fred Krow

>Rich,

Your customization sounds great, any chance for a photo?

Regards,

Fred Krow

Re: Japanese saw question

#10

Re: The handle... *LINK*

Nicholas Carey

>"I agree about the handle--there is something that I just can't stomach about the rattan stuff."

Well then...don't use it.

Tashiro's hardware�sharp japanese tools since 1887�sells blades separately from the handles and has a "spring blade holder" for a paltry $3.50, which includes instructions for manufacturing your own handle to suit. The blades Tashiro sells are the disposable Zeta blades, which run about $10-20 per blade, depending on type and size.

The Zeta blades are impulse-hardened to about Rockwell C-68 which makes them too hard to file.


Tashiro's Hardware

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