That dangerous slope, and the rapid pathway down said slope...

[daniel lane]

Hi, all -

I just wanted to crow with pleasure after an experience today. Some of you may recall that a month or two ago, I put out feelers regarding hand saws. Eventually, I wound up with a referral and some outstanding advice, and I pulled the trigger on a couple of Disston D8s - one a circa 1930s 5.5pt thumbhole rip, one an early 1900s 9pt XC. I received them a day or two ago, and not only were they both were very well restored and sharpened, but using them has absolutely reinforced my move toward a more neander woodworking approach.

I had an opportunity today to get into the shop for a whole FIFTEEN MINUTES (yay!!!) and took that time to cut some ~2" square notches in a 1x12x96 pine shelf for my wood rack (so the shelf would butt against the wall, not the rack) - the first cut I made with a jigsaw, the other 3 with the XC saw. I honestly believe the XC was at least as fast - it was an incredible experience (okay, yes, both came freshly sharpened, I didn't do this myself...). Using a 1" chisel, I knocked out the rest of the notches in 10 seconds (spent another 30 paring it smooth), and in less than 5 minutes I'd modified and reinstalled the shelf. I had enough time left over to move a bunch of lumber into the new rack.

I know that the vast majority of you will probably smirk at me for this, but I can't believe how incredibly happy this whole experience made me. I've already started seriously considering just how many of my power tools I can sell to finance more hand tools. Dang this slippery slope!!! :D


daniel

[Eric Brown]

I strongly suggest you get the Anarchists Tool box by Christopher Schwarz. You can go broke fast and never get anything done because you don't have the "right" tool. Chris will tell you how to spend wisely getting a basic set of tools that can accomplish most requirements. BTW, the best tool I have is my bench. It makes the work easier and safer. Spend wisely and you will join the rest of us that enjoy non-powered handtools. Just something about them. Pure satisfaction? Maybe.


Enjoy. Eric

[Brian Kent]

Aren't the little hand-tool accomplishments awesome! They are so up close and personal.

[Mark Baldwin III]

I strongly suggest you get the Anarchists Tool box by Christopher Schwarz. You can go broke fast and never get anything done because you don't have the "right" tool.
I'll second that! I'm reading it right now and it is an excellent book. My only gripe about it is that it wasn't available before I got into this madness (Shame on you Mr. Schwarz!). I've made a few of the less expensive mistakes that he describes and my mind set has been on a path towards the ultimate meaning of what Chris is getting at in the book for a while now. I didn't have the money to make the more expensive mistakes! Should almost be mandatory reading.

[Jim Matthews]

If you're like me, you set up with handtools more quickly, but work more slowly.

Some of the top reasons to unplug your shop include;

*It costs less to work this way.
*You can park cars in the garage.
*It's easier to clean up (shavings sweep up where dust blows around).
*You don't need earprotection designed for the target range.
*You get to keep all your digits, intact.
*You'll waste less stock due to mishandling.
*You'll get some exercise, while you work.
*You can avoid the Borg stores for plywood.
*You can honestly say, "I did that."
*You'll never make one of those silhouette cutouts of a farmer leaning against a tree with your handsaw...

[Trevor Walsh]

I'll third the Schwarz ATC book, it's the read I wish I had 2 years ago.

[daniel lane]

I bought the Anarchist's Tool Chest a couple of months ago and have read it through at least twice. I took it with me to Brazil for light reading for the 12h flight! Definitely a good book. Given that I get so little shop time (family, work, etc.), I like to collect books when I can, and I think I've built a pretty good library. In addition to Chris' book(s - I have many of his), I also have and re-read quite often Jim Tolpin's New Traditional Woodworker. Definitely enjoying the slippery slope!


Aren't the little hand-tool accomplishments awesome! They are so up close and personal.

Absolutely. I had to tell my wife how pleased I was after the first cut I made with the XC saw, and she just looked at me. At least someone understands! :p

daniel

[Dale Cruea]

I am with you Daniel, I have been looking over my workshop to see what power noise makers I can rid myself of.
The had to have tools of years gone by.
I also have been looking at hand saws. I don't know enough about them to buy right now. But in the near future I hope to join all of you happy hand saw users.
Right now I am trying to understand hand planes and chisels.
Glad to hear you are pleased with your saws.

[lowell holmes]

Pictures???

[Dan Andrews]

I was already collecting antique woodworking tools and getting more and more into using them when I decided to move. The garage at my new house is much smaller than my old garage. I sold several stationary power tools I just did not have space for.

My "new" house is a fixer-upper. I am doing a lot of carpentry and still use my table saw and a few other power tools to speed the work along (out of necessity).

Howerver, I find that I am more and more frequently reaching for hand tools because they can be faster in many applications. Sometimes they are a must because there is no power equivalent.

When I am doing woodworking for pleasure I use almost exclusively hand tools. It is indeed satisfying.

[daniel lane]

Pictures???

:o Point well taken, I'll see what I can do tonight. They are really pretty.


However, I find that I am more and more frequently reaching for hand tools because they can be faster in many applications. Sometimes they are a must because there is no power equivalent. When I am doing woodworking for pleasure I use almost exclusively hand tools. It is indeed satisfying.

This is where I am - I have a fairly full machine shop, but I don't find the work as rewarding and often, as you say, there isn't a power equivalent for the task at hand. I spent some time yesterday cleaning up one side of the garage (the 'storage' side) so I could move some machinery over there and open up the workshop a bit. A few months ago I built a sawbench in the Jim Tolpin manner, and I used power tools to do it. I'm looking forward to trying to build a matching sawbench with hand tools, as an exercise to demonstrate to myself how I can do the same work with hand tools. Although the sawbench isn't first or even second on the build list (bench, hand tool cabinet), I like to think that having the ability to compare experiences building the same thing will go a long way towards helping me decide to sell off machinery.

I fully admit that I'm an aspiring neander - although I would qualify myself an intermediate woodworker, I've primarily used machines. Since deciding that it's no longer about the speed and instead about the experience, I've spent the last couple of years building up my hand tool inventory, and am now planning a workbench build. I have both of Chris Schwartz' workbench books and probably one or two others, and I'm fairly certain I've settled on a design [but that's a different thread!]. In the meantime, I often find I have no easy way to use the hand tools, since I have extremely limited work holding capabilities in the shop right now. So aside from a couple more items (e.g. mortise chisels) that I need to round out the inventory, my next serious purchase is probably going to be a large quantity of lumber. And don't worry, I do have a camera. :)


daniel

[Jim Koepke]

I've already started seriously considering just how many of my power tools I can sell to finance more hand tools. Dang this slippery slope!!!

Sounds like you have a couple of nice saws to ride with down the slope... Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaw!

If you have the time to peruse yard sales and such, you may be able to save a lot by purchasing used tools.

If the price is good buy them even if they duplicate what you have. Then you can fix them up and sell them to get a bit more money for the "special" tools you would like.


I also have been looking at hand saws. I don't know enough about them to buy right now. But in the near future I hope to join all of you happy hand saw users.

This may be the best time to buy one of those $2 yard sale saws that you will not care about. Then use it as a starter to learn saw sharpening. Just be careful, you may end up with a valuable saw that is worth a lot more than $2.

jtk

[Dan Andrews]

I second Jim's advise to buy used hand saws. One of my favorite saws is a fine toothed pannel saw that is over 100 years old. The tote is remarkably comfortable.
Another favorite is a Diston #8 rip saw with thumb hole. Also a comfortable saw and the thumb hole sure comes in handy for the longer rip jobs.

If you are buying used for under $20. bucks, don't wory about what saws you are going to need (do be concerned that it is a decent quality saw though). You will need them all. Once you learn to sharpen and set saws, you can use several saws of the same size and type with different sets and filing angles. I use half the saws I own only because I can't find the time to sharpen the others for the purposes I would like to use them.

[daniel lane]

Thanks, Jim / Dan. You guys aren't the first to suggest so, and I will definitely try, but I have to admit that I don't know where I'd find used saws around here. I think it's one of the negatives of living in a smaller town (go ahead and mock, but at ~120k people, this is a mere fraction the size of most cities in which I've lived!), but I also admit to not trying very hard. I did pick up another D8 recently that needs sharpening, but I'm loathe to do so until I have more (any!) experience doing that.

In a slightly related note (I'm OP, so this is an allowable hijack), how does one make that "sproing" sound with a handsaw blade, and does it tell you anything? I've seen it done by several people, including Roy Underhill, and I've often wondered if that was supposed to be indicative of tension or something. I ask because I find myself wondering how to assess the quality of used saws that I may find, but perhaps that is a topic for another thread...


daniel

[Dale Cruea]

Daniel,
I think you may have misspelled scientia . just joking around. No offense meant. :)
And yes I agree.

[daniel lane]

Pictures???:o Point well taken, I'll see what I can do tonight. They are really pretty.

So here are some pictures of the new hand saws. Up first is the early 1896-1917 D8, 26" 9PPI XC:
212323 212324
I loved using this saw, and I am looking forward to using it much more than just to notch a pine 1x12.

Up next is the circa 1930s D-8, 26" 5.5PPI thumbhole rip; this one has been filed progressive PPI at the tip:
212325 212326
This one I didn't get much time with other than trying it out in a piece of dressed doug fir, but it tracks true and is infinitely better than any rip saw I've used before.

Hope this appeases the photo police. :p


daniel

[daniel lane]

Daniel,
I think you may have misspelled scientia . just joking around. No offense meant. :)
And yes I agree.

Argh! I have no idea how I missed that...thanks. Although, I think Jim Matthew's given me a new signature, I should try it out. :p


daniel