Bad axe saws??

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

Anyone here have any experience with the bad axe 14" or 16" back saws? They seem to get good reviews and are on almost a 3-month back order so they are popular...but are they worth the wait?I am in the market for a dedicated x-cut saw and a tenon saw so I will not go the hybrid tooth route.Thx

[brian c miller]

I got a dovetail and a tenon saw from Mark at Bad Axe. They are very well made, track amazing, and IMHO are worth the wait.He also refurbed a saw from my grandfather and was very honest about which were worth fixing and which weren't.All that said, if you need a saw tomorrow, he might not be your guy.

[larry ciccolo]

Saturday I received my package from Bad axe > 16" tenon saw / 10" dovetail saw / 12" hybrid dovetail 7 small tenon saw.
I can tell you that I own other high end saws from other manufacturers also. The Bad Axe saws blow the others away.
They are well balanced and VERY sharp and leave an unbelievable smooth surface.
I will also tell you i have been waiting for 16 weeks but now that they are here, they were worth the wait.

[Tim Null]

I too have just received my 16" tenon, 10" dovetail and 12" hybrid saws. They are very well made, extremely sharp and cut beautifully. Mark is a great guy to work with. He always responds to e-mails promptly. He cares that you are happy. I have other high end saws and these are a cut above (sorry for the pun). When I first considered ordering, 4-6 weeks. When I placed the order, 8-10 weeks. Actual time, closer to 16 weeks. But worth the wait and Mark was always honest about where I was in line. He has just gotten so busy that he even farmed out his sharpening business to concentrate on new saws.

If you need one quick, not gonna happen. If you want a top quality say with your choice of handle and fasteners, then this is the way to go. Just be a little patient, it is worth it.

[Peter Pedisich]

Bruno,

Hi, I own a Bad Axe 10" Dovetail and a 14" Sash filed hybrid, and a Gramercy 12" Carcase saw.
The Gramercy is easier to start than the BA Sash, and leaves a slightly smoother surface than the BA, but the BA Sash is noticeably faster cutting with a much different sound which I have learned is the sound of an expertly and carefully sharpened saw. I have one other saw that sounds like a Bad Axe saw, and it's an old Disston D8 I purchased from Acharya K. here on SMC, he sharpened that saw so well it's a pleasure to use. I have watched the Tom Law video and will practice on my cheapo Keystone backsaw before trying to sharpen my Bad Axe saws!
The handles on the BA Sash and Gramercy saws are quite good, what you would expect of a premium saw, if a bit thin for me (I prefer a 1" thk handle). But I have to say the Bad Axe Dovetail saw in in another league. It is super sharp, tracks as if by thought, perfectly weighted and balanced, and has the most comfortable handle with the perfect angle, in short my favorite hand saw.

I would and will gladly wait for another saw from Mark in the future.

Pete

[Jim Barrett]

Pete,
I purchased 2 panel saws from Acharya K. Absolutely amazing!! I have never experienced such an experience of using a panel saw like the one I received from Acharya!
As far as Bad Axe saws...have not had the opportunity to use one but I am sure they are worth the wait and the $$.

Jim

[Charles Goodnight]

Yup, have the 12 inch and a 16 inch saw. I just ordered their new dovetail saw. They are really pretty amazing. Given that I just ordered the dovetail saw, I would say yes, I would not hesitate to order them again, and yes, they are worth the wait.

[Peter Scoma]

Sound like incredible saws, however, patience is not one of my virtues. Can anyone comment on how the dovetail saw compares to LN?

PJS

[Joel Goodman]

I believe it's a little longer -- 10" for the BA; the LN dovetail is 9"; while the LN rip carcass saw is 11". The BA is available with a thin plate of .015 or .018; the LN dovetail is avail thin plate .015 or regular .02.

[Dan Sheehan]

Someone already mentioned Grammercy saws. I own their dovetail saw and could not be more pleased. I bought it after trying several other premium saws (not BA admittedly).

And I have heard word of mouth reviews of their other backsaws that confirm my estimation of the brand. I can't speak about availability, but I have not heard of any significant wait time. What I like best is their generous return policy, which leads me to believe they don't see many returns, if any. They are surely a sawmaker you should consider, although I also own a Lie Nielsen xcut carcass saw and love that one too.

I look forward to trying a BA saw sometime to form my own opinion. To be honest, the aesthetics don't thrill me, but it is a tool, and I'm more than willing to see how it performs. I don't care much about the speed or the sound it makes. I'm an amateur. But I appreciate quality.

Good luck.

[Chris Vandiver]

The Gramercy dovetail saw is a VERY good saw. If their other back saws are as good, then they're great saws. Definitely worth looking at.

[Ben Beckham]

I own the Bad Axe 10" dovetail and 14" sash (filed crosscut). I got the dovetail in Mark's mesquite handle offering, which is an awesome option. With mesquite handle and blued-steel hardware, it's not a western saw; it's an American saw. They both cut great and are worth the wait. Of course, the need to cut dovetails doesn't wait, so get a cheapie in the meantime, but definitely place the order for Mark's saws. I haven't been able to put them down. I grab the sash saw as much as my jack plane or the 3/4" chisel. I'm saving up for a pair of carcase saws and for rumors of future full size panel saws.

[Zach England]

Are you guys referring to the grammercy say that they sell as a "kit"?

I have had one of those for a few years and have never gotten around to making a handle for it.

[paul cottingham]

I own a rehabbed 26" rip saw I bought from Mark. It's sharp, tracks really well, and is a pleasure to use. I can only imagine how nice his brand saws are, and look forward to buying one.

[Brian Loran]

My 16" hybrid filing, 14" x-cut and 12" rip saws should be built around mid to the end of September. Can't wait. Anyone use his hybrid filing? I am curious how people like it over a dedicated filing.

Also, Mark is great to talk to. He responds quickly and will make sure you get the saw you need. Can't beat that kind of customer care.

[Peter Pedisich]

Brian,

The hybrid filing does very well with crosscuts with a nice light touch to ensure a smooth start. I have not used it for any tenon rip cuts yet.
I'm not exagerating when I say it is noticeably faster cutting than any of my other saws.

Yes, Mark has been very responsive and helpful, a real good guy.

Pete

[john brenton]

Definitely what Peter said about the "light touch." I use kind of a mid grade 15 tpi back saw that I decided to try the hybrid filing on and it has become my everything saw. Tenons, dovetails, miters, whatever. You can already pretty much use a 15 tpi rip for crosscutting anyways, but with the x.cut teeth it does help to score the grain for a cleaner cut.

[Dan Sheehan]

Zach, you are half a day away from owning a very nice saw indeed. The instructions with the parts, or on their site. are clear and precise. I made my handle in cherry and it was not difficult at all. You already have the critical components awaiting your customized handle fitted to your own hand. I look forward to your gloat post.

[Tony Shea]

I've been waiting for Mark's 14" x-cut saw for quite some time. He said it should be done in a week and I can't wait to see what he has created and what the buzz is about. Mark is very quick to respond to any emails you send him, within the same day or at the latest the next day, and will talk you through what saw and filing fits your work best. Can't comment on the performance yet but have had extremely good customer service so far. It's hard to believe he has the time to be so fast at responding to emails considering his work load. I have to admit that im not a patient person and I might have emailed him a bit more than neccessary. But he was certainly good for all of them.

I own all Lie Nielsen backsaws a dovetail, 16" thin plate rip tenon saw, and a 12" rip tenon saw. I absolutely love all my LN saws and wouldn't trade any of them. But I do wish the 12" had a bit thinner plate, but really is a non issue. I live in Maine therefore support my local LN when I can and have never been disapointed. Their saws are worth taking a look at and are extremely reasonably priced.

[bob blakeborough]

I have the 10 inch dovetail, 12 inch dt/small tenon and 16 inch jack saw... Absolutely amazing is an understatement! Bad Axe is Bad A$$ for sure! I love mine and will be ordering more eventually...

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

Thanks folks!

I actually have 2-saws on order but was getting impatient and looking to make sure that I made the right choice; looks like I did!

Should be another month or so but I will hang in there based on these replies.