LV pax dovetail saw

[Stephen Reid]

Hi everyone This is my first post after lurking around for awhile lots of great knowledge here.I'm just finishing up a dresser project with 50 handcut dovetails:D.I've been using a japanese pull saw with very good results.But....... I find it uncomfortable for long use. So earlier this summer I had come across a lv pax dovetail saw at yard sale, pretty near new still in the box. Price was cheap so home it came. Out to the shop with my new tool ..to quickly find out why it was so unused. I could have made a better cut with a steak knife:eek:.I can't see any damage and i believe it is 20tpi.Short of wiping the teeth right off and retoothing at 14 or 15 tpi(something I've never done) Can this saw be made any good?Thanks Steve

[Robert Rozaieski]

With a good proper sharpening it should work fine. It was likely sharpened poorly, if at all, and likely sharpened crosscut if it was. Sharpen it up with a rip tooth and it should work just fine. Since it doesn't work anyway, it would be a good opportunity to learn to sharpen a saw ;). You certainly can't make it any worse if it's already "broken".

[Brian Ward]

I can't see any damage and i believe it is 20tpi.Short of wiping the teeth right off and retoothing at 14 or 15 tpi(something I've never done) Can this saw be made any good?

Touch up the teeth a little and wax the blade? The cheap Crown gents saw that you can get in various places works pretty decently when you do this, and it's about 20tpi.

[Stephen Reid]

Thanks for the replys, Robert you"re correct I've got nothing to lose! it is already filed rip must be just very poorly .It takes a lot of downward pressure to cut and even then just makes very very fine dust and very slow progress.Not conductive to good sawing!I thought part of the problem may be the very fine teeth as I have never used a saw this fine before. The saw has a nice weight to it and comfortable to handle , so I hope I can get it tuned up.

[george wilson]

The fine teeth will cut normally when sharpened,if you do it right.

[Graham Hughes (CA)]

For some reason Pax does a terrible job of factory sharpening; every one I've ever owned needed some touchup before it became useful. Afterwards, though, it's great (well, as great as a 20 tpi saw ever gets).