Lie Nielsen Open House was a blast!

[Tony Shea]

Just went to the Lie Nielsen Open House yesterday and what a blast it was. This is the first hand tool or even power tool event that I've ever been to. And being that it was a Hand Tool Event more specifically made it that much more interesting IMO. There were demonstrations all over the place with the likes of Kevin Drake (Glen-Drake tools), Stefanie Rocknak (an amazing wood Carver), Lie Nielsen employees, and many more very interesting demonstrations. The Kevin Drake demonstration was probably my favorite as he was just an incredibly down to earth guy that is willing to teach you whatever he knows. He let my try out everything he has to offer and explained very well the reasoning he has behind all his designs. And he's able to do this in a very humble fashion. The most innovative tool he has and is coming out very soon is the Wild-West Joinery Saw (basically a two handed dovetail saw with an interesting tooth geometry). If you get a minute I would highly reccomend checking this beast out as everything he touts about it, it does to the T. Especially when used in conjunction with his kerf starters and offset guide. Very neat design.

I was also able to pick myself up a 3/8" mortise chisel, a scraper set, and the wonderful 16" Tenon saw with 11ppi and .020" saw plate. This saw decision was due to Deneb Puchalski talking to me about the differences in their tenon saws and explaining to me why the larger 16" with thinner saw plate was his reccomendation. He set me up with some marked out tenons and few different saws to try. I was amazed at the difference only a few thousandths of an inch on the saw plate combined with the extra tooth per inch creates. The 16incher just breazed through the stock and tracked amazing straight. Unfortunatly I wasn't able to walk out with the saw as there was none in stock. The wait will be well worth it.

Anyways, before I ramble on too long I just wanted to share with everyone how nice of an event this was and am happy I took the time to attend it. It is about time that they put on an event in their and my home state. I am always hearing of events in all these other states but never seems as though they put them on here. But finally I was able to attend one thanks to the kind folks at Lie Nielsen.

[Jim Koepke]

There were demonstrations all over the place with the likes of Kevin Drake (Glen-Drake tools), Stefanie Rocknak (an amazing wood Carver), Lie Nielsen employees, and many more very interesting demonstrations. The Kevin Drake demonstration was probably my favorite as he was just an incredibly down to earth guy that is willing to teach you whatever he knows. He let my try out everything he has to offer and explained very well the reasoning he has behind all his designs. And he's able to do this in a very humble fashion.

Because of him and a few others like him, my wife and I were considering settling in Fort Bragg, CA for our retirement years. Alas, too many things did not fall into place right and we are in Southern Washington instead.

Ron Hock is also in Fort Bragg as is the College of the Redwoods. There are a lot of great things there for such a small isolated settlement.

jim

[Chris Griggs]

Did Deneb happen to talk about why their other tenon saws have thicker plates than most. Their other tenon saws are .032" thick while I believe most of their competitors tenon saw are .025". I have their 14" crosscut and while its a great saw, sometimes I wonder if a thinner plate would be smoother. Other then strength, does anyone out there know if their is any advantage to a thicker saw plate. I'm sure I'm over analyzing this, but just curious what folks think.

[David Colafranceschi]

I'm personally not convinced that a thinner plate is better. I cut some pretty skinny pins on my dovetails and if my saw was a few thou skinnier than how much would it benefit me? I understand the notion of skinnier saw plate having less 'drag'. I guess I look at from a practical point of view, having the saw laying on the workbench getting banged around I would rather have a beffier plate. I just wonder if it is just gimmicky to get people to buy more saws. I am still amazed at how few tools the greats had in the 17th and 18th century and were able to produce masterpieces. Now loving tools, if someone could convince me otherwise I just may order another one..:-)

[David Weaver]

More of a difference in feel than results for the thin plate. If you can cut to one side of a line, you can cut to a side of a line.

The older backsaws from disston seem to all be in the mid .020s in terms of thickness - including the littler #4s that I've seen. When they're sharpened, they cut plenty fast and plenty fine.

[Tony Shea]

I'm personally not convinced that a thinner plate is better. I cut some pretty skinny pins on my dovetails and if my saw was a few thou skinnier than how much would it benefit me? I understand the notion of skinnier saw plate having less 'drag'. I guess I look at from a practical point of view, having the saw laying on the workbench getting banged around I would rather have a beffier plate. I just wonder if it is just gimmicky to get people to buy more saws. I am still amazed at how few tools the greats had in the 17th and 18th century and were able to produce masterpieces. Now loving tools, if someone could convince me otherwise I just may order another one..:-)


I personally thought it was kinda gimicky to begin with as well until I actually experienced the difference in feel first hand with three different LN tenon saws at their store. Denab was very persistant that I try them out side by side as he felt strongly that the thinner saw plate tenon saw was the way to go. Kinda thought it was a sales pitch. He set me up with some hardwood and marked out me a tenon with the Tightmark gauge and I was completely sold the minute that 16" started flying through the cuts. It tracked as well as the thicker versions and cut much smoother (in feel) to me. No longer do I think this saw is a gimmick.

As for durability, I think this saw should hold up just as well as any other thicker saw. If your buying a LN saw chances are you are going to take care of it. And I also think that whatever you end up creasing the thin plate saw with will do the same amount of damage to the thicker saw, we're only talking about .010". They are made of very nice steel and should withstand your typical abuse. IMO, you'd really have to try hard to bend up any backsaw. But maybe others are much harder on their high-end tools than I.

[David Colafranceschi]

I personally thought it was kinda gimicky to begin with as well until I actually experienced the difference in feel first hand with three different LN tenon saws at their store. Denab was very persistant that I try them out side by side as he felt strongly that the thinner saw plate tenon saw was the way to go. Kinda thought it was a sales pitch. He set me up with some hardwood and marked out me a tenon with the Tightmark gauge and I was completely sold the minute that 16" started flying through the cuts. It tracked as well as the thicker versions and cut much smoother (in feel) to me. No longer do I think this saw is a gimmick.

As for durability, I think this saw should hold up just as well as any other thicker saw. If your buying a LN saw chances are you are going to take care of it. And I also think that whatever you end up creasing the thin plate saw with will do the same amount of damage to the thicker saw, we're only talking about .010". They are made of very nice steel and should withstand your typical abuse. IMO, you'd really have to try hard to bend up any backsaw. But maybe others are much harder on their high-end tools than I.


I have nine of their saws. I'm still not convinced that equal saws, sharpened equally and one with a thinner saw plate will make that much of a difference. It's not a point of taking care of them but if you use them they will invariably get banged around-it's woodworking. Chances are, thinner plate will kink easier. From using these saws for years now-they bend and kink quite often, all it takes is to be off your game for a minute to make that happen. You are cutting tenons with this saw, I'm still not convinced that a thinner saw plate is advantageous. When Deneb comes back my way I will make him bring them all but unless it is 100% better than what I already have I am reluctant to make any change.