Schwarz Sawing DVD Review

[Tim Tyler]

Shared this with another forum. Thought I would share it here too.

I purchased the new DVD “Sawing Fundamentals” with Christopher Schwarz as soon as I noticed it on the Lie-Neilsen website a couple weeks ago. I had been looking forward to this release since I first saw it mentioned as “coming soon” in a Lie-Neilsen catalog a few months back. Being on a budget has prevented me from taking real life classes, but I have been able to purchase a few videos here and there to see master woodworkers teach their craft. I started off with the Charlesworth “University” as I call it. Over several months, I bought all those DVDs and became competent with planes and chisels. Thanks David. Anyhow, that left a big gap in the sawing department. I had read a few books and magazine articles and did better, but just wasn't doing as well as the books and articles said I could. I got Chris's DVD “Forgotten Hand Tools” and it started me down the straight kerf path. The handsaw chapter was too brief for me. I wanted more. Well, I got what I wanted. A full DVD dedicated entirely to the saw and sawing. Seeing a handsaw pro at work was a revelation. Mr. Schwarz corrected some of the mistakes I was making and clearly explained different classifications of saw cuts. The verbal explanation is clear and the video photography is excellent. I can't recommend this highly enough. I still need some practice, but this DVD gave me the knowledge to vastly improve my hand sawing skills. I really feel I can now achieve the level of precision the books and articles said was possible. Thanks Chris!


Now... Can anyone show me how to get this blasted bowsaw to work?

Tim

[Andrae Covington]

Thanks for the review. I have some of his other videos and they've been pretty good.


Now... Can anyone show me how to get this blasted bowsaw to work?

I've never used one ...contemplating building one for dreaded resawing tasks... but recently there was a video clip on one of his blogs showing Mike Dunbar using a bowsaw. Might be helpful.

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Video+Bowsaw+Ergonomics+With+Mike+Dunbar.aspx

Dunbar wrote an article about bowsaws in the October 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking. And here's one by Frank Klausz:
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/Bowsaw_Basics

[Tim Tyler]

Hi Andrae,

Hadn't seen the blog video. That was something. I had seen the Klaus and Dunbar articles. Thanks!

Tim

[Zach England]

I watched that DVD and it left me wanting more. It is not that it was not good or useful, but I felt like it gave the topic short shrift. I'd especially like to see a segment about layout and marking for joinery with hand saws--obviously excluding dovetails since that can be a multi-volume DVD set on its own. I'll gladly buy volume II.

As an aside, is there a DVD that covers saw sharpening?

[Michael Horan]

Tim,

Thanks for the review. I was wondering whether to buy it. Is it still worth it to get "Forgotten Hand Tools" if you get the new Sawing DVD?

Zach,

There is a DVD called "Hand Saw Sharpening" with Tom Law. Tools for Working Wood and Lee Valley carry it. It's good, but I wish there was a little more detail on the basics. Still worth getting.

Also Thomas Lie-Nielsen did some YouTube videos on sharpening hand saws. I thought they were very good. In fact they have a whole series of videos on different tools. You can get to them through a link on the Lie-Nielsen homepage or go to YouTube and search for "Lie-Nielsen".

Thanks,

Mike

[Tim Tyler]

Hi Micheal,

I think the Forgotten hand tool DVD is still one I would want. The Sawing part was the best, but it also covers Drawboring and traditional nail construction using gimlets, hammers and cut nails. I really like the drawboring segment.

Zach,

I'm trilled I got this much. I would gladly buy part II if there were one.

Tim

[Michael Horan]

Tim,

Thanks. "Forgotten Hand Tools" goes to the top of my list.

Michael

[James Owen]

Tim,

Thanks for the review. I was wondering whether to buy it. Is it still worth it to get "Forgotten Hand Tools" if you get the new Sawing DVD?

Zach,

There is a DVD called "Hand Saw Sharpening" with Tom Law. Tools for Working Wood and Lee Valley carry it. It's good, but I wish there was a little more detail on the basics. Still worth getting.

Also Thomas Lie-Nielsen did some YouTube videos on sharpening hand saws. I thought they were very good. In fact they have a whole series of videos on different tools. You can get to them through a link on the Lie-Nielsen homepage or go to YouTube and search for "Lie-Nielsen".

Thanks,

Mike

The Tom Law DVD, combined with the Dynamite Payson book, Keeping the Cutting Edge, (also available at the LN website) gave me enough detail to get me going on saw sharpening. It may also be of use to you.

[Steve Thomas]

Is there a trailer for the new sawing DVD on you tube yet?

[Zach England]

Thanks for recommending the Tom Law DVD. Conveniently Lee Valley has free shipping now, so I ordered it.

[Andrae Covington]

Is there a trailer for the new sawing DVD on you tube yet?

If you go to the new flash gallery of DVD's on Lie Nielsen's website, you can find the sawing DVD and watch a little video clip. It shows part of his talk about second-class cuts. Obviously you will need flash installed for your browser.

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/flash/gallery/gallery.html