Gramercy or Knew concepts saw?

[Rob Dickson]

Happy holidays to all,

Well the department of war and finance has approved my latest budget and after buying my sharpening kit from Stu, I'm looking at a saw for dovetails. I have the LV Dovetail saw, but was looking for some feedback on either the Gramercy bow saw or the Knew concepts fret saw. I have as yet to cut my first dovetail and am still compiling my handtool kit...I'm looking for the saw with the most versatility. I could be completely off base with these too...maybe I should just be chiseling out my waste at the bottom of the dovetail? I'm looking at doing the School box project from The Joiner and Cabinet Maker and I suspect that I will be dong other projects of similar scale in the future (until my skills improve!)

Any input is appreciated!

[Tony Shea]

For sawing out the waste I do prefer a fret saw compared to a bow or coping saw. I like being able to set my blade down close to the bottom of the cut and cut straight across in one swoop. Many others prefer the coping saw and making one arcing cut and one cut straight across. I find the fret saw to be quicker for me as long as my blade is coarse enough. The Knew Concepts saw is really a nice fret saw and I wouldn't hesitate ordering it but it really isn't a must. I personally don't own that saw and use an old fret saw I picked up at an antique tool shop. I just haven't had the need to spend the extra $ for a fret saw. I own the Gramercy bow saw, actually built the saw, and do not really find it better for removing waste than my fret saw method. I keep the bow/turning saw around for cutting curves.

[Lloyd Robins]

How about Chester Tool Works's turning or coping saws. (No I do not work for Dave and I am not related.) His products are always the best. http://www.chestertoolworks.com/bowsaws.htm. I just couldn't spend an equal amount on the titanium fret saw when the coping saw was available. Mine is on order, so I cannot yet speak from personal experience, but from using other bow saws, it should work very well. Just a thought.

[Rob Dickson]

How about Chester Tool Works's turning or coping saws. (No I do not work for Dave and I am not related.) His products are always the best. http://www.chestertoolworks.com/bowsaws.htm. I just couldn't spend an equal amount on the titanium fret saw when the coping saw was available. Mine is on order, so I cannot yet speak from personal experience, but from using other bow saws, it should work very well. Just a thought.

Wow Lloyd...hadn't known about these saws. just to get things straight with both your comments and Tony's, with the fret saw I can start to saw out the waste directly from the bottom of my dovetail while with the Coping saw, I start at the top and come down before sawing out the bottom...correct? How about versatility? Do you use the bow saw for other chores too?

[John Coloccia]

A standard jewelers frame will get it done just as well. The other saws are great if you intend to do actual curve cutting and things like that but they are all serious overkill just for sawing dovetail waste. If you're going to spend big money on a curve cutting saw, wait until you have a use for it first so you buy the one best suited for the task. Get something cheap for dovetails.

[Randy Karst]

Rob,
The New Concepts saw seems like little bang for the buck; I tried them at the West Coast WIA conference and though they were "nice" (i.e. light [except on the wallet]) but not $95+ "nice" when compared to a relatively inexpensive yet decent quality coping saw. That said, like Tony, I prefer the Fret Saw to a coping saw. Craftsman Studio has a good quality one for a very reasonable price: www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/C018002D.htm. Additionally, you will still want to "finish" the joint with a chisel for paint grade and certainly for furniture grade dovetails.

[bob blakeborough]

I bought a Knew Concepts fret saw after using the simple Featherweight fret saw from Lee Valley for quite a while. To tell you the truth, I find I like the cheaper Featherweight one better. I don't know if it because that is what I was used to cutting with, but I find the KC saw a bit finicky and the frame and handle is not as rigid as I was hoping it would be. I was somewhat surprised by my finding after hearing all the raves about the KC saw. Not saying it is a piece of junk or anything at all though. Just that I found for cutting DT's I like the Featherweight better...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/images/item/woodworking/saws/29t3010s1.jpg

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=45654&cat=1,42884,42902&ap=1

[Randy Karst]

Rob,

Above, I gave the link for the 5" saw, I meant to proved the link for the 3" saw which is what I prefer: http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/C018001D.htm.

[Rob Dickson]

Rob,

Above, I gave the link for the 5" saw, I meant to proved the link for the 3" saw which is what I prefer: http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/C018001D.htm.

Thanks Randy, just having a look now....

[Rob Dickson]

thanks guys...It seems I should be rethinking this a bit....$20 for a tool to remove the waste is appreciably better than the $200 I was thinking. Hell, I could buy the Veritas router plane with the saw for the money I have in the budget...

[Tony Zaffuto]

I like my Olson coping saw and Olson blades (TFWW), if I want to cut out the waste. If I use the coping saw I do not cut to the line, but pare to the knife line, but I've learned to just use chisels as well as cutting out the waste.

[Lloyd Robins]

Yes, think that you have the technique down about right. As to what you buy, you have a wide range of choices. As I said I preferred the coping bow saw to the KC fretsaw. Pricing will probably help make your decision. After all we now live in a world where LN saws are low middle of the pack priced. Isn't it wonderful to have choices. As to bow saws, I really like them and they seem quite useful, but I am still learning how to use them (not giving up other saws yet.). The main problem seems to be quality blades although you can often make your own. If I were more talented, I would make a Frank Klausz style blade.

[David Weaver]

If I were looking for a jewelers saw and had $200 to spend, I'd get the zona jewelers saw and if I wanted a premium coping saw, I'd go with the chester toolworks saw (to use the remainder of the money).

[Mike Henderson]

It's not very tough to chisel out the wood. Even if you use a fret saw, you have to go back and chisel to the line so I just chisel it all out.

Mike