Dovetail saw decision?

[Tony Shea]

I have finally decided it's time to get me a decent dovetail saw. Issue being is that there are too many choices out there. I would love some feedback on what other's around here have experienced with their saws performance. I think I have it narrowed down to either the Lie Neilson 15tpi dovetail saw, Wenzolff 16tpi dovetail, or the Wenzolff 14tpi. But then I also have been considering the cheaper Veritas 14tpi or 20tpi saws.

Has anyone ordered anything from The Best Things (http://http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/wenzloff_saws.htm)? They have the Wenzolff 16tpi saw which sounds like a good balance between starting the cut and a speed of the cut once started.

Some explainations of TPI's and how which one I should be looking for in a dovetail saw would be of great help. It seems as though the Veritas 20tpi is a bit high after the cut has started but would be helpful in starting the cut. What are opinions of this tooth count?

I'm also open to other saw suggesitons as well. I just can't spring for the Rob Cosman saw as it is double the price of the rest. I would love to have it but am not going to any time soon.

[Rick Erickson]

Tony, all good choices. For normal dovetailing I would stay away from the high TPI saws. You want about 10 teeth in the wood during the cut and a 20tpi saw is a bit too high for normal wood thicknesses. Now if you were doing just drawer sides, etc. this would be a good option. If I had to pick from your list I would go with the Lie-Nielsen. It is a very nice saw.

[Tri Hoang]

LV dovetail saw gets good review. I love my Adria dovetail saw & would not trade it for anything else. I'm sure LN makes good saws as well as a few others.

If you are not sure about cutting them by hand, get a LV saw. There is no substitute for muscle memory. Practice, practice, practice.

With saws, the curve of diminishing return is pretty steep once you got pass $125 mark. I'd rather spend the extra cash on saw sharpening tools & learn to do it yourself. Most of the saw performance is in how it's sharpen.

[Tony Shea]

If you are not sure about cutting them by hand, get a LV saw. There is no substitute for muscle memory. Practice, practice, practice.


I feel pretty good about cutting dovetails by hand and get some decent results with my old Diston. The saw is just old and not what I want. Has a slight bow, handle gets loose, and teeth are just about unsharpenable aside from regrinding them off and putting new ones in. It's about a 15tpi saw, according to a measurement. One thing I do like is the handle. It does fit my hand very well. I'm just ready for a new saw.

What about the LN progressive toothed saw? Has anyone had any experience with this saw next to a normal toothed saw. I suppose I might have to make the trip to Warren (about an hour and a half drive) and try them out myself. This is the reason I'm leaning toward the LN saw as I can just drive myself to the showroom.

[Jonathan McCullough]

You know, if you buy a new saw and love it, as many here have done, you'll probably have to eventually, some day in the future, learn to sharpen it. I got a "buy it now" Jackson twelve-inch off of ebay, cleaned it up, and sharpened it, and even though Jackson was Disston's second line for back saws, I'll be darned if that saw didn't sail beautifully through dovetails. If you're set on getting one of those really nice saws--and by all reports all of those listed above are very nice, you might want to consider getting something that complements your Disston. When it comes time to sharpen and you can reacquaint yourself with your first saw, I'll bet you'd be glad you kept it and that you have something a little different for other applications.

[Sean Hughto]

I have a few and enjoy them all. All the nice ones are a pleasure to use. I tend to pick up my Gramercy (Tools for Working Wood) most often lately - probably just a psychic attachment because I made the kit, not because it's better than my LN (which was my first and only dt saw for many years).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2942703239_f58725f808.jpg

[Mark Stutz]

Another thumbs up for the Grammercy. I like it better than the Adria. As good as Wenzloff. The hang is a bit different and it is lighter than the others. I would consider the Grammercy a "dovetail" saw and the others "small joinery" saws. The difference...the Grammerecy is narrower than the others.

I know that wasn't on your list, but I wasn't sure if you ruled it out or forgot about it:D. The bottom line is, any of the saws mentioned in this thread are going to perform well. It's more about the aesthetics, IMO.

Mark

[Tony Shea]

I have def considered the Gramercy version but don't know if I'd like such a light saw. But i said I don't know for a reason, never picked one up and will probably never have a chance to. I am also interested in using the DT saw to cut some small tenon cheeks and think the very small width blade of the Gramercy would prevent this function. I do like the looks of the saw though but don't think I will gamble with the purchase of it. I wouldn't rule out buying the kit someday though.

I agree that having a beater around to learn sharpening skills on is a great idea. I don't really think the Disston is a good cantidate as the teeth are really messed up in areas. There is spots in it that have missing teeth and new teeth filed in other spots, actually looks very difficult to sharpen. I will look into some time to have the teeth reground if it's at all possible or worth it. Like I said I really like the feel of the saw in hand and would be a shame to lose forever.

[David Gendron]

I do have the Gramercy and two LN... and the Gramercy is the one I use! I also think the Adria saws are great, I have a tenon saw and carcass saw and the espacialy the carcass saw, is a realy great saw!

[Bob Warfield]

Tony if you live that close to Lie Neilson by all means take a ride and try one out. This past weekend I got a chance to try their saws. I have also tried the Veritas 16 and 22, and the Cosman saw. I REALLY liked the feel of the Cosman. I just couldn't justify the $. The Veritas saws cut just as well, I know this sounds crazy but I just didn't like the look. I chose the LN progressive pitch saw. For me it was just as easy to start and actually may have cut faster.
Good Luck,
Bob Warfield

[Rick Erickson]

I know this sounds crazy but I just didn't like the look. Bob Warfield

I must be as crazy as you Bob. I don't like the look of most LV tools (and I own a few). I know looks don't change tool performance but if you are dropping that much coin on a tool you want to be happy with the appearance. Some love the look of them - but I'm in your camp.

[James Owen]

Tony,

Have bought a couple of tools from The Best Things; nice quality, at least as nice as described, quick and reasonable shipping; was very satisfied all around.

I use the LN dovetail saw, and really like it. The other saws mentioned have all gotten very good reviews, but I have no personal experience with any of them other than one LV dovetail belonging to a student in a DT class I taught a couple of weeks ago, which I thought was a very good saw.

Not sure that I really see the point of the progressive pitch saws (Yes: I know what they do and understand why they might appeal to a beginner or to someone having continuous problems getting the cut started; however, it seems to me to be more of a training/practice problem than anything else;)....a little practice with a standard pitch saw and, as our cousins across the duck pond say, "Bob's your uncle....."

[Larry LaRoque]

I just received the Veritas saws via UPS this afternoon. I was having the same trouble deciding on which DT saw to buy, Rob Crossman or LN progressive tooth saw. LV had a deal to purchase all three saws for just a little more than the LN dovetail saw. I got the 20 tpi DT(recommended for .5" and below), 14 tpi DT(recommended for .5" and above) and the 16 tpi crosscut saw. I had to run out to the shop and try out the 14 tpi DT on some .75" cherry and was very pleased with the feel of the saw. Let me say that I don't have any other to judge against as I have been using a Dozuki DT saw. I like the Japanese saw but found that the straight handle made my wrist and hand tired when cutting for awhile. Can't wait to get back to the shop and try the other two.;)

[John A. Callaway]

I can tell you I have the 14TPI veritas saw.... I like it. With a little practice... well alot of practice, building that muscle memory, I am very comfortable with it. I am planning on grabbing up the other two at some point.

I think the LV saw with its black brace is quite modern, and although I think it is a little light over the blade, once you get a kerf going, the wood might as well be butter.

[Roy Wall]

I just received the Veritas saws via UPS this afternoon. I was having the same trouble deciding on which DT saw to buy, Rob Crossman or LN progressive tooth saw. LV had a deal to purchase all three saws for just a little more than the LN dovetail saw. I got the 20 tpi DT(recommended for .5" and below), 14 tpi DT(recommended for .5" and above) and the 16 tpi crosscut saw. I had to run out to the shop and try out the 14 tpi DT on some .75" cherry and was very pleased with the feel of the saw. Let me say that I don't have any other to judge against as I have been using a Dozuki DT saw. I like the Japanese saw but found that the straight handle made my wrist and hand tired when cutting for awhile. Can't wait to get back to the shop and try the other two.;)

Larry -

During this years KC WWing show I finally picked up the LV DT saws and gave them a test ride. I was always a bit 'put off' by the look......

The 20 tpi was first on thin stock - I couldn't believe how well it cut.
Next was the 15 tpi on both thin & thicker stock --- again, nice balance-easy starting.

SO the LV guys tell me about the '3 saw special' and (like you) I picked them ALL UP. Three very good saws for $150....a great value indeed.

I was pleasantly surprised by the ergonomics of these saws. Balance, grip, and the composite back had ample heft for me. I'm happy!

[Jim Koepke]

If you check the Vintage saws (dot com) library, you can read up on jointing saw teeth and then cutting new ones on your Disston. I have used a Disston for cutting dovetails, but it is a bit unwieldy because of the size.

One thing to consider is how your saw does even with a few bad teeth. To me that means even if you mess up the first time, it will still work and you will get better with some practice.

Norse Wood Smith has printable pages to help with your tooth spacing.

Currently I am using a Bishop #10 for cutting dovetails. The teeth were bad when it was acquired so it was jointed and recut, my first saw for making new teeth.

Recently I was able to use two of the LN saws and an older British back saw at Tool Events. My feelings were definitely mixed. My expectation was to experience sawing greatness. The reality was the performance was not much better than what my funky old Bishop can do.

One conclusion is that the feel of the handle is a very important aspect of a saw. My Bishop handle is a bit small and shaped odd. I have opened it up a bit for more comfort. The angle and grip is still a bit off. Making my own handle may be my only way to true happiness. There is a back saw plate laying around waiting for some teeth and a handle. When the time comes, that will be done.

My feeling about progressive pitch teeth is they may be of help to a beginner. However, once a person becomes accustomed to starting a saw they become like training wheels that will be hard to remove.

Norse Wood Smith has a page on tooth geometries. It makes a difference what you are cutting. I think 15 tpi is good for general dovetail work. That is what I use in mostly 3/4 inch stock. If you do a lot of thiner stock then you may want to go to a higher tpi. If you do bigger stock, then a lower tpi. Eventually you may want a few saws.

Eventually you may need to know how to sharpen them.

The hard part is picking the one to buy from all the quality choices available.

If you do get to the LN show room and can cut about 20 -50 slots with the saw to see how your hand feels when you are done, that will go a long way to let you know if that is the right saw for you or not.

jim

[Eric Brown]

One other consideration is your hand. If it is a average size then most of the before mentioned saws should feel good. If however you have large or small hands, then it would be best to first try the saw you are considering. Another option is to order a custom saw sized to fit your hand. My Medallions fit my small hands very well and they also cut great.

Eric

[Mark Stutz]

Tony,
That's exactl;y why I referred to the Grammercy as a"dovetail" saw. There may be some applications that it does not fit. One advantage of a kit is that you can adjust the hang to suit you.
If you are anywhere near me, please feel free to drop me a PM and you can come by to try it out in person.

Mark

[Sean Nagle]

I've been following this thread and the dovetail thread with some interest.

I feel a bit "out of the loop" concerning the dovetail saw discussion. About 10 years ago I discovered that a Japanese Dozuki saw was far superior to the substandard "dovetail" saws available at the time by companies like Crown. However, it seems that there are a great many boutique dovetail saws on the market now.

Are these saws considerably better than my Dozuki for cutting dovetails? Buying more tools has always been an attractive prospect :)

Also, I haven't heard much discussion about sharpening a dovetail saw. Is that something that you leave to the manufacturers to do for you when it's needed or is that a whole new art that has to be mastered in order to play in the dovetail big leagues ;)

[Scott MacLEOD2]

Lee Valley saws.

Less expensive yes. Cheaper no.

The quality is there the price isn't.

I also own Lie Nielsen and numerous antiques.

And I'm happy with all of them except the ones I made myself. Still developing my sharpening and setting skills. And of course I'm my own harshest critic.

Scott

ps I'm in no way tied in with Lee Valley except as a customer. Just took slight umbrage at the cheap reference.

[Larry Fox]

I have the Wenzloff DT and carcass saws (and am about to buy the tennon saw) - I consider them to be two of the best tools I have in the shop. The only knock I have on them, and this is addressed extremely easily, is that I find the handles to be a little slick. It is just a personal observation and scuffing them with some sandpaper or applying some hockey tape will easily address this. As others have said, there are a lot of nice choices out there and you likely will be happy with any of them.

If I were in the market for a saw I would look closely at the LV. By all accounts it is a very fine saw ..... sure is strange looking though.

[Sean Hughto]

I like my rip dozuki fine for cutting dts. Just as well as my Western boutiques. It's just a matter of what you get used to (or feel like using at the moment you need to cut one).

[David Weaver]

I would get two - one premium saw, ready to go. 14 or 16 tpi, shouldn't make a difference unless you do really thin drawer sides.

And then I would get an old beater that's straight, stone most of the set off of it and file some fleam into the teeth, and it will still cut fast, and leave a clean back side of the cut.

Practice sharpening and understanding sharpening in the 12-14 TPI range on the beater saw, and by the time the first one is dull, you will probably well understand sharpening.

A little bit of fleam on the teeth of a saw makes up for a lower TPI count pretty well, plus you can crosscut with the saw, too, in a pinch.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

First, it helps if you know what works for you. My first dovetail saw was a Crown with a handle shaped roughly like a broom stick. This was a disaster for me.

I then purchased a Lie Nielsen, which feels very nice in my hand and performs very well. One nice thing about this saw is that I can send it back and for $15 they will sharpen it and send it back to me.

I tried the Rob Cosman saw, and, I must say that it was the most comfortable saw in my hand.

If you can, hold the saw in your hand before purchase. I read an article regarding such saws and all of the reviewed saws were considered great saws, but, people had preferences based on how the handle felt.

I tried a Pax crosscut backsaw. I liked it and it cuts great (would not use it for dovetails), but, the point is that it felt very similar in my hand.

Finer teeth are easier to start the cut, but, they take longer to cut. The continuous changing TPI saws will be easier to start on one part and then have a more aggressive tooth on the other. Never used one so cannot comment on how well that works in practice.

Now if only I can improve my dovetails with my limited time (I signed up for a demo class with Rob Cosman, but I had to miss it because I was ill and unwilling to expose the people <sigh>).

[Tony Shea]

I like my rip dozuki fine for cutting dts. Just as well as my Western boutiques. It's just a matter of what you get used to (or feel like using at the moment you need to cut one).

I would imagine that a rip dozuki would work great for dovetails as well as the the western back saw with rip configuration. The problem is that my dozuki is a crosscut saw and sort of struggles with cutting dovetails. Most rip dovetail saws seem to be pretty expensive compared to a decent backsaw. And if they are comparable in price it seems the western would win the longevity race due to sharpening issues associated with japanese saws. But I do love my dozuki for crosscuts, specifically cutting shoulders of the tails board and tenon shoulders. It buzzes through with zero effort and leaves a really nice cut. I'm also used to the feel of the long handle and can manipulate it pretty well on crosscuts. After using my old Disston Dovetail saw on dovetails I am absolutely sold on the the western back saw style.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have never used a Japanese pull saw, some people love them, some people hate them. If you can, try one to see how it feels to you. I understand that they have very fine teeth that are more likely to break.

[John Keeton]

I previously owned the LV dovetail saw - before the introduction of the newer models - and, for the money it would be my first choice, and probably one of the best, if not the best, value out there.

Later, I bought Rob Cosman's saw, and I think the feel and balance of the saw makes it a winner. With the Cosman saw, it is easier for me to get a good straight cut. I sold the LV simply because I really only need the one saw.

That said, I have used only these saws, and can't speak to the others.

[Andrew Gibson]

I have a Lie Nielsen Independence saw and I find it to be an excellent saw. My first "DT" saw was a straight handled saw from Sears that I have still not thought of a good use for, but I managed to cut some crude dovetails with it and it's crosscut and outlandishly widely set teeth.

I find that the more I use the Lie Nielsen saw the better it gets, I guess that is me getting better and not the saw.

I have 4 saw kits on order from Mike Wenzloff (2 back saws and 2 panel saws), hopefully they will turn out to be as nice as I hope they will.

[Derek Cohen]

[QUOTE=Tony Shea;1399716]I have finally decided it's time to get me a decent dovetail saw. Issue being is that there are too many choices out there. I would love some feedback on what other's around here have experienced with their saws performance.....

Some explainations of TPI's and how which one I should be looking for in a dovetail saw would be of great help. It seems as though the Veritas 20tpi is a bit high after the cut has started but would be helpful in starting the cut. What are opinions of this tooth count? ...QUOTE]

Hi Tony

My article/review on the Veritas 20 tpi should help explain the ins-and-outs of design and what to look for.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/TheVeritas20ppiDovetailSaw.html

Brief advice: you cannot tell how a saw will cut simply by looking at the number of teeth per inch. It is a combination of this and the shape of the tooth, per se.

Here is some eye candy:

Recent birthday (this past January) - custom Wenzloff in African Blackwood: 20 ppi and a .018" plate

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/saws/Wenzloff%20tenon%20and%20dovetail/WSdovetailsaw.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/saws/Wenzloff%20tenon%20and%20dovetail/WSdovetailsawhandle.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Colafranceschi]

I had that same saw Derek and it was a piece of junk. Sorry. Was it pretty? Yes! Couldn't cut no where near as nice as my LN saw. Bought the Cosman saw and it cuts better then all of them. I find people get all wound up on the look of the saw as apposed to how it cuts. I have cut thousands of dovetails on the LN and Cosman saw. I had the Wnz saw for a year, every time I picked it up-I put it down as quickly.

My advice. Go to a show or someones shop that has all of them. Try them all and don't get caught up on all the hype from the yuppies. Buy the one that works.

[Derek Cohen]

Well David, I cannot speak for your Wenzloff saw, but this one is a beauty! It cuts extraordinarily well. I have three of Mike's saws and they all are superior users.

Just for note, I have a bunch of others with which I can compare. Besides the 14 tpi and 20 tpi Veritas saws, I have a Lie-Nielsen 15 tpi (now about 6 years old), an original Independence Tools (from whence the LN sprung - also sharpened by Mike Wenzloff for Aussie woods), plus a couple of others, including a Eccentric Tools carcase saw (I really enjoy using joinery saws).

The Wenzloff is special. No doubt about it. Having said that, I am pretty confident that I could be happy with any one of the saws I have - it is important not to agonise over a saw. Any of the recommended makers will do the job very satisfactorally. Of course some will do it a little better, but if you did not know, then you would not care.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

I've been following this thread and the dovetail thread with some interest.

I feel a bit "out of the loop" concerning the dovetail saw discussion. About 10 years ago I discovered that a Japanese Dozuki saw was far superior to the substandard "dovetail" saws available at the time by companies like Crown. However, it seems that there are a great many boutique dovetail saws on the market now.

Are these saws considerably better than my Dozuki for cutting dovetails? Buying more tools has always been an attractive prospect :)

Also, I haven't heard much discussion about sharpening a dovetail saw. Is that something that you leave to the manufacturers to do for you when it's needed or is that a whole new art that has to be mastered in order to play in the dovetail big leagues ;)

Sean,

If the Dozuki works for you, then it may be the best saw for the job in your shop.

For a while, I thought pull saws were the answer to my sawing needs. The kerf is thin and leaves a very smooth surface.
My problem was that the saws would often break or bend a tooth on a knot or in woods that causes binding. Long cuts were almost impossible to get straight or square for me. I still have a few pull saws and use them in certain situations.

As far as western saws available today, there are almost too many great saws available to be able to make a decision on which one to buy. That is my reason for suggesting people try as many as they can before they buy.

My opinion is just my opinion. Learning about saw sharpening and how to sharpen a saw is an important part of using saws. When you purchase a new saw, it will likely serve you many years before it needs sharpening.

This is where the learning about saw sharpening comes in before you make the purchase. My experience with saw sharpening has helped me by being able to experiment with different tpi, set, fleam and rake angles.

I saw one post showing off his "eye candy" with one following saying it was not a good saw. My first question on that was the second saw filed for rip cut like a dovetail saw should be or was it filed crosscut? Two saws may look identical until the teeth are looked at closely.

A saw filed for rip cuts can make a crosscut. Depending on the tpi, it may be a bit rough.

A saw filed for crosscut will be a pain in the backside to use for making a rip cut. Dovetails are primarily cutting rip.

Some folks advocate putting just a little fleam on the teeth to make for a smoother cut or to make the exit side of the cut a little cleaner. If you work from the outside going in on dovetails, no one will see the hidden part of the cut. More than a few degrees of fleam will slow the cutting until too much fleam will make the saw a pain for cutting dovetails. Too much fleam on a crosscut saw will cause the saw to wear overly fast.

An important factor in sawing is how many teeth per inch. The more teeth the finer the cut and easier to start. The more teeth, the slower the cut since the teeth are smaller.

Next on the learning curve about saw sharpening would be the rake. This is the angle on the front edge of the tooth in relation a straight line through the base of all the teeth. It is expressed in how many degrees less than 90° the tooth angles out from the tooth base line. At least that is my explanation to myself. That could change in a few minutes.

If you can imaging a straight line of the saw making a cut, the teeth have to be angled into the cut. If we look at the teeth where they meet the wood, if the angle is less than 90°, they would slide over the wood being cut. Since the rake is from the base of the tooth, this would be considered negative rake. It is like dragging a plane backwards on a surface.

(Some of the sites listed earlier in this thread have pictures and explanations of all of these terms.)

The more the teeth are angled into the wood, the more the rake. Usually a good middle point is about 8°. Too much rake and the teeth dive into the wood and cutting will come to a stop. Too little and the teeth will drag more than cut.

Finally is the set. This is what keeps a saw from binding in the kerf. My feeling on this is to start with as little as possible. It is always easy to ad set. It is a lot of work to remove set. The wood I use most is pine. It tends to "grow" in the cut if the wood has much resin left. This causes me to have to give a touch more set to my saws. A well dried woods like maple or oak have not "grown" on me when cutting. A fine set can be used for these woods.

See, there is a lot of reasons to buy a few more saws!:D

Fleam and gullet slopes are other aspects of saw sharpening. They are not a as important as the above for dovetail saws. For crosscutting saws, they become very important.

Also important is to use the correct size file for the tooth count and to use a quality file.

jim

[Sean Nagle]

This is where the learning about saw sharpening comes in before you make the purchase. My experience with saw sharpening has helped me by being able to experiment with different tpi, set, fleam and rake angles.

Jim, thanks for all the great information. I checked out the link to beginning saw sharpening referenced earlier in the thread. If it's worthwhile to learn about saws through sharpening, maybe it would make sense to pickup sharpening tools and play around with the crappy old Crown saw I have. As you say, that might help me better understand what I need for my kind of work. What sharpening tools does one need to get started? What are good sources?

[David Weaver]

Jim, thanks for all the great information. I checked out the link to beginning saw sharpening referenced earlier in the thread. If it's worthwhile to learn about saws through sharpening, maybe it would make sense to pickup sharpening tools and play around with the crappy old Crown saw I have. As you say, that might help me better understand what I need for my kind of work. What sharpening tools does one need to get started? What are good sources?

You need only to read a little bit, maybe make yourself some visual aids to use during sharpening, and find two pieces of wood to sandwich your saw in a vise, especially if you have a decent machinst vise.

And, a couple of files - good western ones for saw filing, no cheap ones.

I think the best way to learn to file a saw is to just do it, and then learn what you did wrong. The key thing even with ugly teeth is to have them all be the right height. You can end up with some pretty ugly teeth that cut really well.

The biggest issue, to me, with the cheap saws, is the amount of set on the teeth. You can either stone most of it off or put the saw between two hardwood boards and slap it with a hammer (see the t-chisel video on cutting dovetails) and then stone it afterward. Well, that and the thick plates, but the cheap saws with thick plates also seem to be kind of soft, so they're still not hard to file.

[Tony Shea]

Well I finally bit the bullet today. I decided to take a ride down to Warren and check out Lie Nielson's Showroom. What a great decision that was. What a bunch of great people they have in there and a stock full of tools they want you to use on some scrap wood they got laying around. You also have the luxury of clamping the wood in some of their beautiful sturdy benches they sell. There was also a pretty girl there to take my orders. I was in heaven. Anyways, I decided to roll out of there with the LN 15ppi as this was the one I really felt comfortable with. They didn't have the progressive pitch dovetail saw for use but did have a progressive pitch Carcass saw, which I don't believe I've seen on their website. I didn't really like it as much as the standard 15ppi saw as it just wasn't a consistant feel and one that I'm not used to using. It did start slightly better I think but this isn't a big deal with a standard toothed saw with me. I originally wasn't going to be able to leave with a saw as the girl couldn't find one in stock. But they just got a box of them in that needed some quality assurance testing and she said it should ship tomorrow. Well after talking with a fellow who was at another bench testing out the same saw on a bench near me he said he has the pull to get me one out of the fresh batch as long as he tested it first. Good deal and also great to know they test each saw individually before it is sent out.

I also rolled out with a fishtail chisel, starrett dividers, T-shirt, saw case, jojoba oil, and a Stanley #7 replacement blade. All at a 10% discount for shopping directly at the store. Just like Christmas! I assure you I will be back! It's a little more fun there than the Tool Barn in Hulls Cove.

[David Weaver]

I decided to take a ride down to Warren and check out Lie Nielson's Showroom.

Lucky dog!

Best I've got local is a rockler full of plastic stuff and made in china sale specials :mad:

[Rick Erickson]

Nice score Tony. I think you will be very pleased with that saw. LN is coming to Atlanta in May. I wonder if the pretty girl will be coming :D. Of course the planes are just as easy on the eyes.

[Jim Koepke]

Nice score Tony. I think you will be very pleased with that saw. LN is coming to Atlanta in May. I wonder if the pretty girl will be coming :D. Of course the planes are just as easy on the eyes.

If it is the same woman I met, she is already married.

jim

[Jim Koepke]

Sean,

vintagesaws.com sells files. Click on the for sale saw, then select maintenance, finally click on files. There site has changed recently so it is a bit strange for me also.

I believe a lot of other places carry the same files. I have a bunch of old Nicholson's that I bought a few years ago, so I have not bought any in a while.

That and making your own saw vice will get you started.

Get a good lamp and it may be a help to get some reading glasses or magnifiers to wear.

jim

[Bob Warfield]

Congrats on the purchase. You won't be dissapointed. I wish you could have tried the progressive pitch saw too. I think it may possibly cut a little faster leaving less room for error, for me anyway.
FYI LN had severy pretty girls along at the recent Chicago show! Tom does keep good company.
Good Luck,
Bob Warfield