How about some hand saw recommendations

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Tom Price


>Buy a 10" Disston or Jackson backsaw on Ebay and file it rip. It will cost about a half or a third of a new saw.

- Tom

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations *LINK*

Derek Cohen (in Perth Australia)


>Stephen

You could be happy with any of these makes of saws. If you want to discuss the ins and outs of dovetail saw design with a knowledgable and friendly sawmaker who is, in my opinion, making the very best saws at this time, then contact Mike Wenzloff. Link below.

Regards from Perth

Derek


Wenzloff & Sons

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Stephen Kirk in Quakertown PA


>I've tried filing my stanley crosscut saw, with rather limited success. It cut a little better, but still really bounced around on the pull. The saw is filed crosscut. I've heard a lot of people say to "file it rip", but how do you actually go about that? I assume it's not as easy as just filing at 90 deg, is it?

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Adam Cherubini


>My advice is to turn your focus away from brands and onto teeth and your work specifically. Just finished an article on this subject that may help you.

That said different brands sharpen differently. You may find that one brand works best "out of the box" for you. But you could always ask any of these companies to custom file.

Bottom line for me is that its silly to choose a saw based on the one aspect of it that can be so easily changed.

So where does that leave you, Stephen? Read the article/figure out what you want and need. Then find a saw that meets that need. That'll be the best saw.

adam

PS after the article comes out, I'd like to see somebody here write a woodcentral article that lists and maintains all the specs on all the saws. I'd like to offer my own set-ups for my homebuilts and encourage others to do the same. I started to put together a survey of the saws and their users at Williamsburg. Maybe users would like to offer a one paragraph blurb about their work. Then when you want to buy a saw you can say simply, I'd like a Derek Cohen dovetail, and a Dean Jansa tenon, and a William Duffield cross cut or a Master Mack Headley rip saw. This would describe the entire set up for the saw sharpener or builder.

Where would I find that article

Stephen Kirk in Quakertown PA


>I'd guess in Popular Woodworking?

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Dan Donaldson


>I haven't done it, but I believe that it actually about that easy ;-)

Go east, young man...

Denis Ch�nard, Orl�ans, Ont.


>FWW had a review, and the Adria came out on top (Mike W's saws were not in that review, BTW). I have the LN saw and am happy with it, somewhat...

Nothing wrong with the saw in itself, but I've come to prefer Japanese saws. I can do more precise work than with western saws, and the pull stroke makes sense when you think of it.

The downside is that Japanese saws are more fragile in my experience, and you can't "lean on it" to do fast work.

HTH,

DC

Re: Go east, young man...

Dean J in MN


>more precise work than with western

I call foul. You can't lay that line out there without examples.

-Dean

Re: Go east, young man...

mikew


>""more precise work than with western..."

I call foul. You can't lay that line out there without examples."

I think the only issue as regards the "precision" is how fine of kerf is made. Which typically gives the nod to very thin Japanese saws. Once one is not using 12-15 thou wide finger joints, the point is moot.

The real issue is perserverance in practicing joinery. If that practice is with saw X, then saw Y simply may not produce the same work. I also believe that for some people pulling just "clicks" better than pushing, and vice versa.

Glad I live in a time where we have an entire world of choices.

Take care, Mike

who uses a pull saw a whole lot...my band saw...

I agree, and

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA


>Japanese saw are some what fragile. It's easy to bend or break a tooth on them DAMHIKT.

Mine's the

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA


>LN saw. I love mine. It takes a bit of getting use to start it, but it cuts great and feels real good in the hand too.

I'd love to try one of Mike W's one of these days...

Re: Mine's the

mikew


>Thank you for the kind words...you mean one of these?

Take care, Mike

Yep! That's just one of the many...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA


>of your saws I'd like in my till!

Now all I need is a job. :^(

We will be talking about this soon I hope...

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations *LINK*

Roy Anderson


>Everything you need to know about saw sharpening right here. See link. I've sharpened many saws using this technique. It's not hard. It requires some minimal tools and some patience. Get your E-bay saw and jump in and start sharpening.


Saw Sharpening for Beginners

Re:sharpening

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI


>I notice you are in Quakertown PA. How far is that from the 5 Barns picnic that is occuring this Saturday? I can file the saw if you are there Saturday. I will have some of my own there for you to inspect and try out prior to any commitment ;)

OCT PW

Adam Cherubini,NJ

Re:sharpening

Stephen Kirk in Quakertown, PA


>I'm pretty close Moses (I know Bill), but I won't be able to make it this weekend. Too many other things in life to keep me busy.

Thanks for the offer!

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Tom Price


>Pete Taran's instructions are great and were what I used when I started sharpening my own saws. Filing a small backsaw to a rip tooth pattern is pretty easy because the teeth are relatively small, the saw plate is thin and you are filing straight across so it is easier to keep the file oriented to the blade. I've done it several times with very satisfactory results. A plus is the slight irregularity induced by hand filing. This makes for a sweet starting saw. I urge you to try, you will have to sharpen a new saw eventually anyway so you might as well get an older one, learn to do it and save some cash.

- Tom

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Deirdre Saoirse Moen


>There's several very good small makers.

Mike Wenzloff is probably the best known of these: http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/saws/

Lief makes saws (and other things), but is currently off building a new shop: http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/

Tim Hoffman (Spruce Mill) makes saws every once in a while. He's particularly fond of stair saws. He doesn't have a site, but there's a pic of my rip and crosscut (in jatoba) and stair saw (in walnut) from him. He just happened to have some ready as I was thinking about buying some.

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>Be careful what you ask for, because you may get it, in spades. :)

I've used the following with great success, in order of first use: Tyzack back saw; LV Professional Dozuki; LN straight handled dovetail; and Kanuharu rip dozuki (my current favorite). Also, Rob Lee recommends the LV rip dozuki, but I didn't try it because I'd just bought the Kaneharu. Please note that there was absolutely nothing wrong with any of these saws, I was simply curious.

Sawing dovetails is not a very demanding thing to do, zip-zip and you're done, so don't spend a lot of time on this. In fact, if you really want to learn hand sawing, try doing them with the largest saw you can find before sizing down.

Pam

Re: Go east, young man... *LINK*

Miles


>Nice point, Mike. I'm prompted to post a link to an extraordinary bit of hand sawing by a Japanese craftsman, Kintaro Yazawa.

Has anyone else seen something like this? It really is a remarkable demonstration of patience, skill, and nervelessness!

I can't post the exact URL, but the one I mean is the top right-hand corner example in the set of pictures - follow the link for more detail (I have taken the liberty of copying one of his images, I hope that's OK)

Isn't that some beautiful woodwork?

cheers

Miles

(also would love to buy a nice little dovetail saw... either Adria or Wenzloff ... decisions, decisions :-)




Kintaro Yazawa's joint work

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Vlad


>I would strongly suggest that you learn to sharpen a saw. Since you want a DT saw filing it rip is no big deal. Actually it's aquite easy. Just take an afternoon, or less, and practice. I think Pete Taran's site is quite good if I remember correctly. Sharpening tools is the fundamentals of being a hand tools user.

If you still don't want to give it a try, go for a FREUD. I have one and it's quite good. Although set is a bit much, it's enough to get you started at a good price.

I've tried Japanese saws and just don't like them.

Good luck

Vlad

Re: How about some hand saw recommendations

Ted Shuck, Centennial, CO


>Pam wrote:

"In fact, if you really want to learn hand sawing, try doing them with the largest saw you can find before sizing down."

I have not tried this myself, but this sounds like a *very* good recommendation.

Thanks,

Ted

Medallion Toolworks

Vlad


>I hope I'm not out of line here Ed.

But I have seen a saw by Medallion Toolworks (Canada) that looks very nice. Not sure of entry price but I think it's definitely worth a look. Backs are exactly the same as Adria and LN. Split nuts and a decent handle to boot.

Keep your eyes open.

V.

PS. Perhaps Ed will let me play with it so I can write a review on it...:o)