dovetail saw

[Robert Culver]

Was looking at dovetail saws. I see a need for one in a upcoming project I have looked at grameracy, lie nielsen and veritas. Im leaning tword the lie nielson as I have used it in the past .I like the idea of the value of the vertas however. I was looking at the progressive pitch saw by lie nielson being relatively new to hand cut dovetails im wondering if this saw would be a little easier to start due to the tooth count, I will basically be working stock at a max thickness of 1 1/8 of a in to 1/2 in .

[Sean Hughto]

All are fine saws and will do what you need. Pick the one that tickles your fancy.

[Mike Henderson]

If you want the lowest cost saw, get a small dozuki (Japanese back saw). A way to help you start your cut on dovetails is to cut a small notch on the waste side of the line with a chisel. See the picture below. This is from a tutorial (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/ThroughDovetails.htm)I have on my web site on cutting dovetails. It's cheaper than a progressive pitch LN saw:)

Mike
http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/images/Dovetails/Dovetails-013.jpg

[phil harold]

As to value
I love Gent saws
http://www.amazon.com/Cherries-520-6020-10-Inch-Brass-Dovetail/dp/B000JRBL48

[Robert Culver]

well im not keen on gent saws and it looks like is filed for crosscut but after reading the reviews one reviewer took it and re handled it sounds like a fun project at that price it wouldnt be a great loss if it didnt work out but if it did it could be pretty cool.

[Hilton Ralphs]

The Veritas Gents saws are both rip and x-cut and that set is a good price.

Not so sure that a progressive pitch is that useful on a tooth count above 15 so pick whichever handle fits comfortably.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Robert

You need to decide whether you would like a Japanese pull saw or a Western push saw. They are not only different in action, but they feel different in action. I started with the pull saw and moved to a push saw. I would not go back. Others feel the other way.

Of the Western dovetail saws, the best new one to learn with is the Veritas 14 ppi rip. This cuts easily (lower rake angle) and will allow you to focus on sawing rather than control, which some of the other saws expect you to have mastered first (the LN saws, with their high rake angle, are examples of this). Once you improve, so a saw with a higher rake angle may well appeal (I love the standard LN as it cuts fast).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Winton Applegate]

There.
Now you can relax and get a couple/three tools.

I am fairly serious.
First once you learn to lift the saw and just graze the wood as you push the SHARP saw, western push saw, FORWARD to start the cut (don't make your starting "cut" by drawing the saw opposite to the way the teeth cut, the progressive pitch is not critical but could be nice to have.
Second I like the coarsest saw I can make work on the stock to be cut. Meaning on the order of three teeth minimum on the wood. The finer you go the more strokes it takes and the more wobble and wander you get per kerf.
So
For the 1/8 stock ( I assume you didn't mean to write 1 inch plus 1 eighth) I would use a 15 tooth. Finer than that just gets harder to sharpen with a file.

For the 1/2 " stock I would use my 10 tooth LN which I think they discontinued. I haven't looked at LN in a while. If you want to get really crazy you could re sharpen a 15 to make it a 10. I would go that far to get the coarser saw if I couldn't buy one. I am still talking little dovetail saw not a big back saw.
This is my "coarse" tooth dovetail saw.
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy298/noydb1/IMG_1491_zpsce90cdc6.jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/noydb1/media/IMG_1491_zpsce90cdc6.jpg.html)

[Chris Griggs]

I haven't used the Veritas saws. By all accounts they work great.

I am personally a big fan of LNs saws...they are really a very nice saw for the money, in terms of cost they fall right in between the LVs and the more boutique saws.

If you go LN, I really like their thin plate saws, but my recommendation would be their standard 10" dovetail saw. I would shy away from their progressive pitch. I wouldn't worry too much about learning to start the saw. It's one of those things that gets a lot of air play, but its just part of the learning process. You will learn to use the saw you have.

Anyway, I like that the LNs are 10" which for me is the perfect size for a dovetail saw, and I think you'll very quickly come to appreciate the extra inch as well as the somewhat aggressive filing.


Regardless of which one you get, if you just use it you will naturally adapt to it's individual characteristics and any quirks it has. Once you've done that it won't matter which you've gotten. Heck, if all you had was a large tenon saw you could adapt to that as well and in the end your dovetails wouldn't know the difference.

(BTW, This is the saw (http://www.lie-nielsen.com/carcass-saws/rip-carcass-saw/) I learned to cut dovetails on)

Anyway, Sean hit the nail on the head.."All are fine saws and will do what you need. Pick the one that tickles your fancy."

[Brian Holcombe]

I have the 15 ppi Lie Nielsen and it works well for me, however after buying a couple Mitsukawa saws for other purposes I might consider a dozuki saw instead.

You may plan to only cut 1-1/8" material (max) but as you get into dovetails you'll be quickly drawn to cutting them in 8/4 and 10/4 stock as well.

[Prashun Patel]

I've had a Veritas dt saw (20tpi) and a new dozuki; both have completely different ergonomics (push/pull, grip style). I've only done a project or two with handcut dovetails so far, but I can say that the saw matters very little vis-a-vis sheer practice. Any one of the brands you mention will serve well.

[Brian Holcombe]

I'll add to that, good paring chisels will be appreciated.

[Daniel Rode]

I've been learning to cut dovetails the last few months. I initially used a Crown gent saw. I believe it was a 17 tpi. I found it hard to start smoothly and I don't like the grip on this type of saw. I eventually purchased the Veritas dovetail saw. I wanted a better saw, but I did not want to spend $200 on one. For $59, it's been simply excellent. As long as I remember to hold the saw loosely, it starts easily and cuts quickly despite being a 20 tpi saw. I have large hands and it still fits my hand well.

Hope that helps.

[Curt Putnam]

If you have large or small hands then the feel of the handle will be somewhat important. Too small for big hands means you need to grip in unnatural ways and I assume the same is truee for very small hands. My hand is 4.25" across the palm and does not fit into the LV handles well, but I have all of them and can use them. Dovetail saws get used more for longer periods of time than do most other saws. With DTs you just keep sawing, and sawing, and sawing, and .....