Budget Tenon/Carcass Saw

[Pete Hotard]

Anyone know of any good Backsaws (Tenon or Carcass) that are relatively inexpensive. I am about to start building my friend a kitchen table and it will be my first large scale M&T project. I don't have the money in the budget right now for a nice LV, Bad Axe, or LN saw right now, but the cheap piece of junk I got at Lowes is just terrible (I know I know, i should have expected that). Just want something that is relatively sharp with a good stiff blade. Would like to keep it under $75 or even cheaper if I can. Thanks for ya'lls help.

I would not be opposed to putting a little money/effort into restoring an older saw either...

[Tony Zaffuto]

Two vendors offer saws that will fit your request (and budget): Take a look at the Lee Valley saws with the composite handles (I have several). Great bargains! For a more traditional look, take a peak at "The Best Things" website, at the Pax line. Slightly more cost (I don't have one, but I trust Lee Richmond's/owner knowledge of saws.

[Sam Stephens]

the veritas carcase saw from LV is $79. these are good saws. otherwise, a flea market or ebay can yield a good back saw (disston, simonds, atkins, etc) that may need a little TLC and sharpening but otherwise well worth the time spent.

[Charlie Buchanan]

Unless you are skilled at doctoring saws you might well spend more than the cost of a new Veritas tenon saw just to get a vintage saw in decent working shape. The Veritas composite back saws are a great value. I have used the dovetail rip version for several years. It was good right out of the box but got better (smoother kerf) with each use as the set wore down a bit. I have sharpened (really just minimal touchup) twice and it sharpens reliably. That said, the older Disston and Atkins back saws are great when they are straight and sharp.

[Pete Hotard]

Excellent. Thank y'all for the suggestions. Now to pose another question to ya'll..... If you could only have one saw, either cross cut or rip cut, to cut both shoulders and cheeks, which would you choose. I'm thinking the cross cut, tell me if I'm right or not....

[Hilton Ralphs]

If you could only have one saw, either cross cut or rip cut, to cut both shoulders and cheeks, which would you choose. I'm thinking the cross cut, tell me if I'm right or not....

Nah, RIP is better for that. Ideally though would be teeth filed hybrid​ but the Veritas saws are not available in that configuration.

[Anthony Moumar]

I think it depends what saw you get. If you get then tenon saw I would go for rip where as I would go for crosscut on the carcass saw. I think they would be the best options in the long term seeing as that's how those saws are normally used. I cut tenon checks with my cross cut carcass saw quite a lot because it's usually on my bench at all times and I'm lazy. I don't think it makes a huge difference, it maybe takes 5 seconds longer than a rip saw. As long as the saws sharp both should work just fine.

[Tony Zaffuto]

TFWW has a 13 P rip that is filed hybrid. I believe LN also has a thin plate that is set up as a hybrid also. However in my original answer to you I mentioned "The Best Things" and Pax saws. They also have a 13 point rip sash saw, at about $100 in cost.

I have many, many saws. Many vintage/antique (some wall hangers, but some as users), many of the modern makers, including TFWW, LN, Adria, LV, Wenzloff, etc. Of the modern saws, the Adria dovetail saw can do decent cross cuts. Of the vintage, two saws in particular, both Disston sash saws, filed rip, actually cut as well rip or cc. One was filed at 13 point, the other 14 point. If they were deliberately set up to cut like this, it was purely accidental. Back to the TFWW sash saw, Joel sells it as a saw that can do both jobs more than adequately and gives some commentary that a century and a half ago, this is how saws were set up.

Make our resident tool maker/tool historian George Wilson can weigh in here with his opinion about dual purpose saws (actually having a dovetail saw for just dovetails and a rip sash saw, around 13 or 14 pts.). My thoughts are that a fine tooth sash rip will do either job.

At this

[Chris Griggs]

Absolutely you want a rip if your main goal is cutting tenons. Moderate hardwoods xcut pretty easily with a rip saw, softwoods are a little messier, but you can still do it without a lot of trouble. If your getting an LV rip saw they have a pretty darn relaxed rake too, which should l make them easier to xcut with than most rips.

For your tenon shoulders, you'll get the cleanest result sawing just a hair away from the line and then using a chisel to cut right in the line, so the cleanliness of the saw cut really isn't a factor. A sharp chisel will always make a cleaner cut then a saw regardless of the saws filing.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Good call Chris as I forgot to mention marking out! Some may not care for him, but Paul Sellers does a good job of describing the "knife wall".

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I waffle between Japanese-style pull saws and western-style backsaws. It can be a bit of a bear on larger tenons, as the second set of teeth sometimes get in the way, but cheapest way to do these by hand that I could think of would be a mass-produced Ryoba. You get rip and crosscut teeth on one saw for 40 bucks or less. I would avoid the Irwin, Sharksaw and other cheap hardware store brands, (although I did like the performance out of the Vaughn "bearsaw" brand) and step up to something like a Gyokucho brand, which is available from a heck of a lot of places. After some recommendations from asking questions here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?191741-Mid-priced-japanese-saws), I have the Gyokucho 651, and it's done quite well for me. I think I payed like 35 dollars or something from Hida Tool or Japan Woodworker or somewhere.