Looking for a high-quality coping saw

[Aaron Wingert]

I'm in the market for a new coping saw to replace the worn-out weak-framed one that I have used for half my life. To my suprise, I've found very little online that resembles a quality product. Most of them are made by Irwin, Groz, Stanley and similar companies, and all of the saws fall at or below the $12 price point. I was thinking that Veritas, Wade Garrett or Lie-Neilsen would make something but I've found nothing online.

Looking for something with a solid frame, well made, nice wood handle. You know...Something I'd be proud to own and use, like I am with my nice planes.

Anyone know of anything or anyone that makes them?

[Harlan Barnhart]

I now how you feel. I looked for a long time until I found an old Miller Falls at a flea market. Solid, machined parts, fine wood handle ect... I now that doesn't help your search any...

[Chris Friesen]

I'm in the market for a new coping saw to replace the worn-out weak-framed one that I have used for half my life....I was thinking that Veritas, Wade Garrett or Lie-Neilsen would make something but I've found nothing online.

The one Lee Valley sells works fine for me...I'm no saw expert, but it was far superior to the cheap weak-framed one I had before.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=32914&cat=1,42884,42902

[harry strasil]

I just made my own.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/copingsaw.jpg

[Richard Dooling]

Harry, do you favor any brand/type blades in particular?

[george wilson]

For many years I used a quick and dirty wooden coping saw I put together in the Musical Instrument Shop. I left it there. It was lighter weight than yours,Harry,but it worked fine,and got a lot of use,having no bandsaw.

[harry strasil]

Whatever the Hdwe store carries, small 1/2 horse town.

LOL, preferably sharp ones.

[harry strasil]

I cut the coping saw blades up to fit my Neander Bandsaw Too. FWIW

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/scrollsaw.jpg

It does a real good job on some of the wee dovetails I sometimes cut in 1/4 material.

[Casey Gooding]

Aaron,
I like this one:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1274&filter=coping%20saw
It's the Olson saw that TFWW also sells. It's good quality and the blade is adjustable 360 degrees (I think, maybe only 180).
It's inexpensive, but works really well. Pick up a pack of their blades while your at it.

[Aaron Wingert]

The one Lee Valley sells works fine for me...I'm no saw expert, but it was far superior to the cheap weak-framed one I had before.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=32914&cat=1,42884,42902

Thank you Chris, I looked all over their site and nothing came up before I came here to ask. I'll be ordering this tomorrow. German made...They usually make good stuff and I've been happy with my other Veritas tools.

Thanks to everyone, I appreciate the links and seeing the true NEander coping saw and bandsaw is amazing. :D

[Danny Thompson]

The Olsen model sold by TFWW and Rockler. It looks to be less expensive at TFWW, and more blade options are available.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=MS-COPE.XX&Category_Code=

or step up to their bowsaw:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=GT-BOWSAW12&Category_Code=

[Frank Drew]

The English brand Eclipse is a decent saw; I've had mine for decades, probably, so I'm not entirely sure it's still available.

[Dominic Greco]

The Olsen model sold by TFWW and Rockler. It looks to be less expensive at TFWW, and more blade options are available.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=MS-COPE.XX&Category_Code=

or step up to their bowsaw:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=GT-BOWSAW12&Category_Code=
I know you're going to order a coping saw saw from LV, but I just thought I'd add this.

I just finished building my second TFWW 12" bowsaw and think it's the neatest thing since sliced bread. You get 3 blades with the kit and the thinnest will let you cut seriously tight circles!
http://emob188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/BowsawMKII_c.jpg

[Jim Foster]

This saw is made by one of our members. It looks very nice.

http://www.chestertoolworks.com/bowsaws.htm

[Al Navas]

Another vote for the bow saw from TFWW:

http://sandal-woodsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/tfww-5.png


It is great when removing waste between tails and dovetails, and for tight-curve work. The 12-inch blades are quite amazing, thin-kerf, and cut beautifully.

.

[James Owen]

Another vote for the bow saw!

All of the commercial coping saws that I have tried failed to keep the blade tight, so I built a bow-saw style coping saw a couple of years ago and have never looked back.

[Tom Godley]

Harry......... the bow saw is really nice -- i have to try to make one!

[Aaron Wingert]

This saw is made by one of our members. It looks very nice.

http://www.chestertoolworks.com/bowsaws.htm

Now that thing is almost too nice to actually use! Can't quite justify the price for something that lives in my tool bag...But I asked for high quality and that thing certainly is!

[Tom Godley]

The Chester Tool works site is not working correctly -- Does it list prices for the tools?

[Dave Anderson NH]

Tom, PM me off line the site is working fine as far as I know, but it has trougle with browsers other than Microsoft. I'll try to fix it soon.

[Michael Faurot]

Something else that might be useful would be a jewler's saw:
123920

[Aaron Wingert]

A little follow-up...

I ordered the Lee Valley coping saw. Pretty happy with it overall and it is a big improvement quality-wise over what I've always used. Made in Germany and everything seems well-made and fits nicely. I'd have preferred a nicer handle than the one that comes on it (ash), but it is functional and certainly not ugly. I will say that the blades they sell for it are much too course for hardwoods though, so I'll be getting some finer blades for detailed cuts.

[David Gendron]

And an other vote for the TFWW bow saw... They are amazing!

[Dave Lehnert]

Just another one to look at.

http://www.hartvilletool.com/category/1642