French Veneer Saw

[Don Carkhuff]

Just re-read an old issue of Woodwork #14 (March/April 1992) page 34.
The title of the article is,"Tips and Tools from France."
It describes a French Veneer saw. Blade is convex and at the center, the teeth reverse directions.
Where can I buy one? Have you used one? How does it compare to others you've tried? Is it tricky to sharpen? :confused:
TIA,
Don

[Bob Smalser]

Constantines of New York used to be the country's largest veneer supplier. They are in Florida now and are smaller but still have the expertise. This is the only game I know of for a veneer saw and it works just dandy with a straight edge.

http://www.constantines.com/ProductImages/handtools/saws/VS275small.jpg

http://www.constantines.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=100&Page=2

[Leif Hanson]

Google is your friend:

French Veneer saws:

http://mikestools.com/Woodworking_Pages/Woodworking_pictures/veneer_saw.jpg

http://mikestools.com/detail.asp?product_id=840-1300+

http://www.turnaboutwood.com/TOOL%20PAGE.htm

Plus the usual suspects have the type Bob pictures, including Rockler, Woodcraft, Highland Hardware, Lee Valley...

toolsforworkingwood.com has this fellow, a little variation on the theme:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/prodimg/pz/reg/PZ-30320.gif

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=PZ-30320&Category_Code=

HTH
Leif

[Joel Moskowitz]

We stock all three kinds of veneer saw including the french - it's just not on the web site. WE get a fair number of French marquery guys who visit the shop and ask for them but I have never gotten around to putting it on line. Call if you want one. It's the only saw that really works well for lefties (like me). The teeth on the one we carry are an abomination but it doesn't matter as with all veneer saws the first thing you do when you get the saw is vevel the teeth on the side (nobody sells a sharp and ready to use veneer saw at all).

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Joel, How do you sharpen a veneer saw? Don't they have many small teeth per inch?

[Joel Moskowitz]

Alll veneers saw come from the store (my store, your store, everyone's store) the teeth are filed 60 degree triangles. Not actually rip where the leading face is square to the top of the chisel with 0 or a little negative rake. but with a veneer saw it is about 60 degrees rake. Much like a x-cut saw but square to the side of the saw like a rip.

What you do when you get the saw is file the side of the teeth to a bevel so that the at the point of the saw teeth you dont have a little 60 degree chisel you have a 60 sharp point, the veneer saw cuts like a hundreds of tiny knives, not like a rip saw - hundres of tiny chisels, or a xcut saw, scoring both sides of a curf then removing the middle.

It's not BTW that hard to do but otherwise you don't cut the veneer properly - you end up ripping it apart.

only file the side away from the stright edge that you cut against.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Thanks Joel