Forget Plastic! *LINK*

Re: Testing my sawing

Paul Kierstead

>I am not sure what a good test is. I did one similar to what Peter Evans described some time ago (and it is still repeatable, and very clear to me) when I was working on my putting. It can make a fair difference when lining up putts.

Re: Testing my sawing

Peter Evans in Sydney

>Derek

Interesting results when using two hands:

1) I found it easier to start a cut, that is curious because I did not have another hand to guide the blade at the start, not expected,

2) I found it easier to saw accurately to a cut line than when using one hand,

3) vertical cuts were inconsistent, some fine, some going left, some right. This may be a practice matter (no marked line),

4) If I lined up the saw with a couple of squares (horizontal and vertical), took the squares away (no marked lines), placed the second hand on top of other one - then I obtained accuracy both ways. This suggests starting is critical; but also, you see the reflection the way it is supposed to be and saw to that perception (practice again I guess). I had no problem seeing the reflection using two hands, nor any problems with steady sawing.

I have big hands and had no problems with an open handled saw. The lessons for me are:

* use the reflection for guiding the saw, better than marked lines by far, even with a very old saw that has not been polished,

* sawing with 2 hands is not difficult, and may lead to greater accuracy, at any rate with a dovetail saw. On the basis of my 2 handed testing, I do not think the WWJS would be difficult to use, nor have a long learning curve.

I look forward to experiments by others.

Interpretation

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>Thanks for that Peter. Your results certainly support the rationale behind Kevin's design.

As I said before, this saw is probably going to be a boon for those with crossed laterality. For especially those that have a strong one-sided dominancy, this saw will likely confuse matters. They would be better off with a traditional one-handed dovetail saw. Of course, this is my interpretation, not necessarily a fact.

I like the idea of a toothless leading/trailing edge for a dovetail saw, as evidenced by Kevin's design. However I think that you can get the same effect by pulling the saw over the line (as in my earlier picture), and this leaves a greater cutting length. I just wonder what wear I am adding to the blade by doing this?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Woodworking used to be done with a chipped rock.

Chuck Nickerson

>Is everything else just a gizmo?

Re: Woodworking used to be done with a chipped roc

Dean J in MN

>Now that is just Reductio ad absurdum.

:-)

Re: Woodworking used to be done with a chipped roc

Dan Donaldson

>obsidian does get a really sharp edge;-)

Ducking and running ;-)

Re: Woodworking used to be done with a chipped roc

Stephen Shepherd in the State of Deseret

>No, I don't consider the Bronze Age, the Iron Age or the development of Steel to be a gizmo.

Perhaps it is my fairly traditional apprenticeship that set me in my ways. The first time I drew a saw backwards to start a cut, the master dope slapped me up the back of my head and told me to never do that again. Got the same slap for using a file or rasp in both directions. I don't use my hand to inform people that they are abusing my tools, but sometimes my tongue can inflict more impact.

I have an atatal and other paleo-tools, that I made using just stone tools and ancient techniques and appropriate materials. I have also harvested trees, split out and prepared boards and made furniture using only nineteenth century tools.

I still prefer an earlier type of hand saw, I only own one backed saw, which I never use and when I sell it I will have no backed saws. (The back might be a gizmo, he he). My dovetail saws are all with straight handles and no back. And all of my saws have nickers to start the cut.

Stephen