Hand tools are so slow...

[Steve Voigt]

Not. Check out Bob:
http://logancabinetshoppe.com/blog/2013/03/ripping-a-board-this-is-for-you-wilbur/

[Jim Matthews]

I like the way he flipped the board to finish the last few inches.

That addresses one of the persistent problems I've had ripping stock.
Every time I go to Bob's site, I learn something I can use.

Unlike Algebra/French/Unix/ and damn near everything in my formative education; this stuff provides meaningful results and artifacts for my daily life.

[David Weaver]

I would probably sit to cut that board (which necessitates the flip, anyway). That's how lazy I've gotten (plus you can cut faster when you sit, and you can cut board 4 as fast as board 1 - few of us would be in good enough shape to keep up a good rip pace for three or four of those boards leaning on saw bench). I don't have any 4/4 walnut floating around, or maybe I'd make a video.

I wonder where this whole topic originated :rolleyes:

Another member of this board (who can name themselves if they'd like) has done some detective work and will likely come up with a proper japanese saw for comparison to western saws. What we've found so far is that there is little on the common saw market in japanese tools that's suitable for ripping, one has to be made.

I do think, looking at the way that saw behaves in the cut, that Bob would've been better off with a decent vintage saw. I'm a bit far away to say that for sure, but I'd make the suggestion to anyone who is thinking about getting a rip saw in the common 5 or 5 1/2 tooth size to get a thumbhole rip or a #7 or #12 disston (or similar quality saw) from the late 1800s to early 1900s. They will be tensioned and tapered nicely, file pretty well and easily and have even hardness along the toothline. And they should be cheap.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

If I remember correctly, isn't Bob using saws he made from Wenzloff parts? I don't think they were taper-ground, and I don't know if Wenzloff tensions his blades the way the old Disstons are. I know that saw looks a lot more "floppy" than my Disstons, so I'd have to agree with Dave's comment. I'd also try and get a slightly longer stroke if I could.

Watching that video makes me appreciate the the little notch for ripping on my sawbench - it seems a lot more stable than trying to hang it off the side like Bob is doing. His bench setup also seems a lot more wobbly than mine.

It sounds like I'm knocking on Bob, and I'm not. His final results are probably better than mine.

I rip with a 7pt saw because it's what I have, so it's nice to see the 5pt isn't really terribly faster.

[David Weaver]

I don't know if anyone other than japanese makers tension saws now. I recall someone mentioning that the newer 1095 is hard enough that it's not really necessary.

Might have been george (though his saws were being made for a more competent group than at least users like me).

[Kees Heiden]

In central Europe everyone would get red hot on the cheeks and cry out that a framesaw is even a lot faster then that.

I have been doing a lot of ripping lately. With an old English Tyzak. In 2" thick wallnut I take about 5 minutes to cut a similar length. When the saw is fully into the wood I tend to grab the handle with my other hand, my thumb trough the fingerhole.

[Steve Voigt]

I don't know if anyone other than japanese makers tension saws now. I recall someone mentioning that the newer 1095 is hard enough that it's not really necessary.



How do you tension a saw? I thought it had to do with tapping the spine of a back saw, but that's obviously wrong.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I think Herman covers it a bit in his second saw video through PWW. I feel like there was a thread here about doing it as well, I'll see if I can't dig it up. I'm 99% sure whatever I'm thinking of was written by Bob Smalser. The basic concept is that the steel is hammered a bit above the tooth line, (from both sides) to put the plate in tension. There's a lot more to it than that, of course.

[Alan Schwabacher]

I haven't tried to tension a saw plate, but Bob Smalser has touched on the subject several times. For instance, look here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?63325-Straightening-Bent-Handsaw-Blades

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Alan's got one of the threads I was thinking of. This one (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?66090-New-Life-for-an-Old-Saw-%96-Advanced-Filing-and-Restoration&highlight=life) is one of the others I was thinking of. I think a lot of these are in the "Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs" which as moved to the announcements sub-forum. Honestly, it's probably worth taking a few hours of your time and reading anything Bob has written here . . .

[Graham Hughes (CA)]

Tapping the spine works for a back saw because there's a back, obviously. Hand saws are a little different; as far as I understand the idea is to put the middle of the plate in tension while the rest of the outside edge is in compression.