Bad Axe Tenon Saw

[Julie Moriarty]

I've been cutting tenons with whatever saw would work and it hasn't been fun. I don't own a tenon saw. I read an article that featured a couple of tenon saws and the one that caught my eye was the Bad Axe hybrid-cut. Then I found out they are $275.

My attitude toward tools is it's okay to spend the money if the tool will make the job easier and more enjoyable, and if it encourages you to use it. Safer comes into the picture too.

Any opinions on the Bad Axe?

[paul cottingham]

I have a Bad Axe 14" sash saw. Easily my favorite saw, and one of my favorite tools. Mark is very approachable and easy to talk to about your needs. He has answered all my questions about my saw, and I bought it second hand.
I can't imagine being disappointed with one of his offerings.

[Sam Murdoch]

I have a Bad Axe 14" sash saw. Easily my favorite saw, and one of my favorite tools. Mark is very approachable and easy to talk to about your needs. He has answered all my questions about my saw, and I bought it second hand.
I can't imagine being disappointed with one of his offerings.

My experience too. Great saw, great service. I have the 10" hybrid cut dovetail saw and it's very very nice. Don't know that it is safer though - they come sharrrrrp and will draw blood if you stick your fingers in the way.

[Mike Gottlieb]

I also have a Bad Axe dovetail saw. I like so much, that after speaking with Mark, I ordered a 14" sash saw, hybrid cut. Great saws!!

[Tony Wilkins]

I have a Bad Axe. Mine is a 12" hybrid filed DT/Tenon and it is great. I've got a 16" hybrid filed sash saw now being made by them. If you call Mark he'll get you exactly what you need.

[David Kuzdrall]

I have a few Bad Axe Saws and they are great. Expensive, yes but they are nice and I am sure they will hold their value fairly well if you choose to part with them.

mark is very helpful and will get you setup with the right saw that fits your hands...it is an amazing feeling when you get a saw that feels like an extension of your hand vs. a tool in your hand.

good luck

[Adam Cruea]

I've got 2 16" tenon saws (rip and x-cut) and they are wonderful. Good for general use or finer work. I also have a dovetail and sash saw, and they power through the super-dense hardwoods like nothing.

In short, they're awesome. You won't regret plopping down the cash.

[Bob Betker]

Julie: I've been using Mark's saws for about 4 years. I bought a bench hook set off him on eBay and then had him sharpen some saws for me.
I bought one of his first saws when he started manufacturing them, at that time there weren't the options there are today.
He is a great guy to deal with and his saws are fantastic. Your sawing will stop being a chore and become much more enjoyable with a quality saw.
While $265 is a lot of money, look at what refurbished saws are going for on eBay by the reputable saw sharpeners, they are in the same price range.
If you buy a Bad Axe, you are getting a tool that will last you a life time.
Good luck, Bob

[Shawn Pixley]

I have the 16" Tenon Saw filed hybrid. I love it (and this comes from one who prefers Japanese pull saws). Saws straight and fast. I think you would be happy with the saw.

[Mike Holbrook]

Great question! I was just checking out the Bad Axe site. I do not have a tenon saw, although I do have a Gramercy Sash saw, which I like very much. I just restored a nice Stanley 150 miter box that I have been thinking about buying the Bad Axe 20" miter saw for. Then I started thinking about an 18" hybrid tenon saw that might do both jobs…?

The Stanley 150 is a small miter box that I plan to keep on a shelf on my bench to use vs a bench hook for cross cutting.

[Kurt Cady]

If cost is the issue don't forget LV has their tenon saw release at the first of Dec.

[Hilton Ralphs]

If cost is the issue don't forget LV has their tenon saw release at the first of Dec.

and I'm guestimating that is will cost about $135. Does anyone have pictures of this? I thought I caught a glimpse of it in one of the Lee Valley videos, it has a curved front?

[Chris Griggs]

and I'm guestimating that is will cost about $135. Does anyone have pictures of this? I thought I caught a glimpse of it in one of the Lee Valley videos, it has a curved front?

Google the saw and you'll find some pics online. Yes, the pics I've seen it has a front like a disston no. 9...what is sometimes called a 4/5th backsaw, because the curved toe sticks out past the back.

[George Beck]

You can't go wrong with anything from Bad Axe tools. Mark is a sharpening and set guru. His saws just perform surprisingly well. I actually think the $275 price tag is quite reasonable for a hand made hand set up saw. If price is the issue I would consider LV or LN which are nice saws. One of the great things about makers shows like WIA is test drives. I wish more people could experience what a well made and properly set up saw can do. If you do, you will think $275 is a deal.

[Julie Moriarty]

Thanks for the feedback! Seems there's a lot of happy Bad Axe customers here. :) I contacted Mark and he replied back in a few hours. He was very helpful. Whichever direction I go, I'm hoping to see a tenon saw under the Christmas tree, even if I have to wrap it and put it there myself. :rolleyes:

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Probably any sharp saw that fits your hand will suffice so you don't need to spend the money (says the guy who owns a couple of Bad Axe saws). So, why do I like them? They fit my hand very well. You give him your hand measurements so it is more likely to fit your hand.

I own a few saws. I have a freshly sharpened (by Lie Nielsen) saw that cuts very fast and aggressively. It is much more difficult to start than my Bad Axe saw. If I am not paying attention, it is more prone to jumping up when it binds on start and hitting my finger that is sitting there as a start point. This is all about how the saw is sharpened, and Mark does a very good job of sharpening. Some might prefer it, some might not, but you can also tell Mark how you want it sharpened.

[Kurt Cady]

and I'm guestimating that is will cost about $135. Does anyone have pictures of this? I thought I caught a glimpse of it in one of the Lee Valley videos, it has a curved front?
Somewhere I think Rob said $119 with a beginning of $99

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Good day,

First off, I don't own a Bad Axe Saw, but I have seen the quality and would not hesitate to buy one. I especially like the black oxide options- a nice look if you aren't a purist.

I recently bought a blade from Ron Bontz, who, I might add, is a contributor here. The experience was beyond flawless. I was expecting months of wait for the blade. It was made in a few days and I had it in my hands in a little over a week, and that is shipped to my tiny remote Caribbean island. The work was flawless and the communication excellent. The next saw purchase likely will be one of his completed tenon or miter saws. What I love about his saws is the style he puts into the blades- curves like a lovely lady.

It is a lot of money to pay for a saw, but I say pick the saw you use the most, and take the plunge with one good quality new saw and you will see the reason folks pay $275 for a hand saw. Believe me, I never thought I would justify that, but now I do. For me, holding a finely crafted tool as I craft a finely crafted piece of furniture is all part of the joy of woodworking. I have a beautiful hand-made leather mallet that I got on eBay. Every time I use it I appreciate the effort that went into the making of it. I almost feel like the craftsman has a part in every piece I make with it.

Note: I am not at all knocking tuning up an old rusty Diston, but certainly you would love a good high-end new saw.

Cheers,

Malcolm

[Mike Holbrook]

Thanks for sharing your experience in buying a hand crafted saw Malcolm. Not all those who make fine tools are that predictable or accommodating. Updating web sites is not something that most people can afford the time or money for on a regular basis, so I am confident that some information particularly for small businesses is old or worse case scenario.

[Hilton Ralphs]

I can also attest to the professionalism shown by Ron Bontz. A truly wonderful man who not unlike Mark is willing to accommodate your needs. Interestingly, he adds a bit of fleam to his Rip saws. I have always thought that rip teeth are always filed straight across but Ron maintains that a little bit of fleam helps with the cut.

[Chris Griggs]

I can also attest to the professionalism shown by Ron Bontz. A truly wonderful man who not unlike Mark is willing to accommodate your needs. Interestingly, he adds a bit of fleam to his Rip saws. I have always thought that rip teeth are always filed straight across but Ron maintains that a little bit of fleam helps with the cut.

Mark does the same thing. So do I sometimes...I just eases/smooths the cut little. I've read at least one well respected saw filer say that "by definition" once you add fleam its no longer a rip saw. Not by my definition. A saw is as a saw does...if a saw with a little fleam rips well, than its a rip saw.

[Matt Radtke]

I went with Bad Axe because I bought into the idea that a larger tenon saw is better. Easier to feel if it's off-plumb and cuts with fewer strokes. With that in mind, I swung big and bought his 18" Beast tenon, filed rip. It is quite simply a perfect saw and use it for all but my smallest tenons. I have yet to mess a cheek cut with it.

After making an end table with 6" aprons and struggling with a smaller carcass saw, but got a 14" sash saw filed crosscut. Also awesome. About the only saw I want from him now is a dovetail saw, but I can't decide which one, how much I really need one, etc. If I did, I could probably go down to only three backsaws.

[Cody Kemble]

I have the 12" hybrid and love it. I use it for dovetails and occasionally to crosscut with a bench hook. I always have it handy. Mark was really nice to deal with. I ordered mine while I was deployed and getting in touch with me was difficult.

[Chris Hachet]

I've been cutting tenons with whatever saw would work and it hasn't been fun. I don't own a tenon saw. I read an article that featured a couple of tenon saws and the one that caught my eye was the Bad Axe hybrid-cut. Then I found out they are $275.

My attitude toward tools is it's okay to spend the money if the tool will make the job easier and more enjoyable, and if it encourages you to use it. Safer comes into the picture too.

Any opinions on the Bad Axe?I bought one from another wood worker earlier this year. It's probably the best tool in my shop, and it had made me a far better woodworker and made me enjoy woodworking far more than I did before. Actually, getting my handsaws in order ahs probably been the single best thing I've done woodworking wise in the last few years. You might also try Ron Bontz, I am ordering a saw through him.

[Chris Hachet]

If cost is the issue don't forget LV has their tenon saw release at the first of Dec.I loe LV stuff, but my LV saw pretty much sits unused since I got the Bad Axe.

[Chris Hachet]

Probably any sharp saw that fits your hand will suffice so you don't need to spend the money (says the guy who owns a couple of Bad Axe saws). So, why do I like them? They fit my hand very well. You give him your hand measurements so it is more likely to fit your hand.

I own a few saws. I have a freshly sharpened (by Lie Nielsen) saw that cuts very fast and aggressively. It is much more difficult to start than my Bad Axe saw. If I am not paying attention, it is more prone to jumping up when it binds on start and hitting my finger that is sitting there as a start point. This is all about how the saw is sharpened, and Mark does a very good job of sharpening. Some might prefer it, some might not, but you can also tell Mark how you want it sharpened.Having actually used both Andrews Bad Axe and Lie Nielson saws I can tell you....I like the Bad Axe much better.

[Tim Null]

I have multiple Bad Axe saws. Dovetail, small tenon (12"), 16" tenon (Jack) and a 20" miter saw to go with my Stanley 150. All work amazing. Mark is the best to work with. He will make it right for you, no other way is acceptable to him. The saws cut great, so smooth and easy. You still have to use proper technique, but if you have problems then it's not the saw's fault....LOL.

And they are sooo damn pretty! If you decide to sell later, you will recoup most of your investment, so the "rental" is not that bad.

[Neil Schoepp]

Julie -- as a new member here and one that has just caught the hand tool bug i have been reading everything I can find from multiple sources (mostly Internet) and I have not come across one negative comment. I only wish they were closer so i could visit. I will be buying my saws from them in the near future. After you purchase it you'll soon be wondering "how the hell did i manage with out it". There's just something about using a fine tune tool.

[Julie Moriarty]

You guys got into my head. :rolleyes: Just how important do you think handle size is? Handle size never even dawned on my before seeing it mentioned. According to Mark from Bad Axe, I need a small handle. But how much of a difference will it really make?

[Tim Null]

In the past, the standard size was all you had to choose from. If you had a standard hand, then great. But too big or too small and it will not fit right. I play tennis. If you try to swing a racket with too big of a grip, your hand will slip and you will not be accurate. Same with a saw to some extent. If the handle fits properly, the saw will feel like an extension of your hand. Get the handle size he recommends. When the handle fits right, the saw goes where you aim. Same in all sports that use a handle: baseball, tennis, golf, etc. Sorry, I am a sports guy....

[Ron Bontz]

I believe Megan F. at PWW has a bad ax saw or two, sized to her hand. You may want to ask her what she thinks. SO go visit PWW and send an email. I am guessing you will get rave reviews. Providing she is not too busy to answer her email. :) Best wishes and happy sawing.

[peter gagliardi]

I too have a Bad Axe saw, and it is quite nice, and Mark is a great guy.
But, I recently completed my purchase of 3 saws from another member here Isaac Smith who owns Blackburn Tools, and all I can say is his saws are in a whole 'nother class!
Nothing against the Bad Axe saws, but the Blackburns are just so much cleaner and crisper!!! The level of detail is astounding for the money! I think they fall in price between the Lie-Nielsen and the Bad Axe saws!! In my opinion, a huge bargain for what you get! The handles are a work of art!

[Hilton Ralphs]

Isaac Smith who owns Blackburn Tools

Interesting that Isaac doesn't make any Tenon saws.

[Isaac Smith]

Interesting that Isaac doesn't make any Tenon saws.

They are coming. I started out building only 12 inch carcase saws, and have been expanding outwards from there, a process that seems glacial at times. I have done a few 18 inch saws, but until I work out a full set of patterns, those are a special request item.

[Chris Hachet]

I believe Megan F. at PWW has a bad ax saw or two, sized to her hand. You may want to ask her what she thinks. SO go visit PWW and send an email. I am guessing you will get rave reviews. Providing she is not too busy to answer her email. :) Best wishes and happy sawing.happy sawing indeed!

[Julie Moriarty]

In the past, the standard size was all you had to choose from. If you had a standard hand, then great. But too big or too small and it will not fit right. I play tennis. If you try to swing a racket with too big of a grip, your hand will slip and you will not be accurate. Same with a saw to some extent. If the handle fits properly, the saw will feel like an extension of your hand. Get the handle size he recommends. When the handle fits right, the saw goes where you aim. Same in all sports that use a handle: baseball, tennis, golf, etc. Sorry, I am a sports guy....

I understand the sports analogy, as I play tennis and golf, and the size of the grip matters a lot there. But I don't see how that translates in the same way with a saw handle because the action is different. I can see a hand being too large for a handle and that presenting a problem, but with a smaller hand (not child-like) it wouldn't seem to be as much an issue. I've never had different size handles to try one against another so I could be way off here. And, of course, if I went with the Bad Axe, I'd get the size Mark recommends.


I believe Megan F. at PWW has a bad ax saw or two, sized to her hand. You may want to ask her what she thinks. SO go visit PWW and send an email. I am guessing you will get rave reviews. Providing she is not too busy to answer her email. :) Best wishes and happy sawing.

I sent Megan an email. Maybe she can shed some more light on the subject.

[Augusto Orosco]

You guys got into my head. :rolleyes: Just how important do you think handle size is? Handle size never even dawned on my before seeing it mentioned. According to Mark from Bad Axe, I need a small handle. But how much of a difference will it really make?

I have two of Mark's saws (and 16" tenon and a 14" sash), sized to my hand, which happens to require a "small" handle. They do feel more comfortable for sure. Had I been limited to a one size fits all handle, I would have been perfectly fine; but given the option I can now certainly tell that I prefer the feel of my small fitted handle. I don't know if I would pay extra for it, but in Mark's case, there is no extra cost to custom fit it; it's just all part of the saw's cost and his service.

Needless to say, Mark's customer service is great.

[Randy Karst]

Peter,

Thanks for reminding me about Blackburn Tools. I've been shopping a different DT saw; been happy with Winsor and Lie-Nelsen for my regular case work and joinery but wanted something nicer for finer work. Isaac had exactly what I wanted-order placed!

[Clint Baxter]

I have more of the "opposite" when it comes to handle size as I ended up getting the large size handles on my tenon and dovetail saws. Having a saw that nestles into your hand seems to make it more of a body extension. That, to me, has translated into a better cut, or it could be using the Bad Axe saws that make this possible. I definitely like the way the saws fit my hand regardless of anything else and am glad that Mark provides that as he makes your saw. As others have already mentioned, they are outstanding tools, probably the best individual tools in my shop. I got both my saws with the hybrid cut, and am very happy with their performance. If I add to my collection in the future, I can always repurpose my current saws to dedicated rip or crosscut.

Good luck on the purchase. I'm sure you'll be thrilled with your new "toy".

Clint