LN dovetail saws

[Jeff Bartley]

Hi Folks,
I've been looking at some used LN dovetail saws and have seen a number of variants in used saws. Can anyone tell me which woods have been used for the handles over the years? I've seen curly maple, cherry, and walnut in the used market. And were these saws originally made by independence? A couple saws say 'independence' on the spine where the new saws have 'usa'.
The used prices are impressive! It steers me toward a new saw but first I need to try the LV.....
Thanks,
Jeff

[Pat Zabrocki]

Independance was used before Lie-Nielsen bought the original company and maybe a little after. Someone else will have to confirm that part. I am pretty sure that they haven't used Cherry or Walnut. I've seen thing son the bay that sadi cherry but were really some rather plain looking maple. I've also seen Walnut which was really East Indian Rosewood. There's one on the bay like that now. I know they've made curlye maple, east indian rosewood, and cocobolo. If you ask, I believe they will still do cocobolo, they just don't advertise that they will.

cheers
Pat

[Casey Gooding]

The saws were originally made by Independence tool. Lie-Nielsen bought the company and started making the saws under their own name. They still printed Independence on the spine up until fairly recently. I believe the Independence Saws were only made in Maple. Lie-Nielsen used Maple and Cocobolo (perhaps Rosewood for a time). I've heard that cocobolo is still available at an additional cost, though that's not advertised on their website. Someone on another thread said that you could still get chisel handles in cocobolo for $50/each. I don't even want to think what a saw handle would cost.

[Caleb Larru]

Someone on another thread said that you could still get chisel handles in cocobolo for $50/each.

$50 each?!?!? I just bought a new unused LN 9 chisel set with the leather tool roll with cocobolo handles from a guy that had them for a couple of years and never used them. If this is true, I got an unbelievable deal.

[Jeff Bartley]

I got a response email from Deneb at LN who reported that cocobolo is available for saw handles for an extra $50. FYI

[Fred Krow]

I have a LN dovetail saw with East Indian Rosewood, from a distance it does look like walnut.

This saw was made in a run for Woodcraft 75th Anniversary with their company name on the saw spine (back side) as well as Lie Nielsen standard logo on the front side.

It also has a white canvas saw bag, rather nice touch. Bought it on close out, last one in captivity, etc.

Regards,
FK

[David Keller NC]

There's a couple of reasons for the prices of L-N stuff on fleabay. The main reason is out-of-the-country buyers. Many countries have stiff tariffs that must be paid on new items, but none on used items, and even if the tool is sold on the 'bay as "new in the box", it's still second hand and no tariff is due, so it makes sense that the prices for second-hand L-N stuff would be pricey. In some cases, auctions end where the price for the item is actually higher than an American can get the item for directly from L-N.

Some L-N tools are also collector's items. The alternate wood tools are the most common example, but L-N made some tools intentionally as collector's items out of white bronze, or signed by Tom Lie-Nielsen, or in unusual configurations. They also produced some tools for a very short while and then discontinued them - the #9 miter plane in bronze is an example. High-condition #9s in bronze with walnut infill go for around $1000.

Finally, some dovetail saws get listed as "Lie-Nielsen", but are actually Pete Tarran's and Patrick Leach's handiwork (their partnership was named Independence Tool before it was bought by L-N). Saws that simple say "Independence Tool" on the back w/o "Lie-Nielsen" were made by this partnership, and are recognized by collectors as the initiation of the hand-made dovetail saw revolution. Before Independence Tool, the only decent backsaws you could get were antiques.

[Derek Cohen]

The $50 for Cocobolo is for a plane tote or saw handle, not for a chisel (as far as I am aware - having corresponded with Deneb over totes a few months ago).

I wrote an article on Independence and LN dovetail saws a few years ago: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/Father%20and%20Son%20%20Independence%20Tools%20and %20LieNielsen%20saws.html

The way I understand it, the Cocobolo option is limited and costly because it is difficult to work with (allergies) and difiicult to source good stock.

Regards from Perth

Derek