Hand Tools
David Weaver
I filed the teeth far more aggressive on the small maebiki last night (to add hook). It now works fine for poplar, but could probably use a little more yet. The teeth are so big that you can adjust the hook on the top 3rd to experiment before refiling the entire tooth.
I would call it usable. For comparison, I cut about a foot of a poplar board around 10" wide (Resawing) and then did the same with the frame saw. i don't think a maebiki will ever be a good match for a frame saw in the shop of a hand tool woodworker using dry wood. I have the set on the small maebiki narrow now, so it can cut accurately, but it just seems as if the design in general may be better for wet wood when the straws of the wood don't have such stiffness.
It cost more to make the frame saw (because of the 1095 and files), though, than the purchase price (before shipping) of both maebiki.