FW - Dovetail Saw Test

[Jim Becker]

I just received the new March/April 2006 issue of Fine Woodworking and there is a nice test of 11 dovetail saws by Chris Gochnour. I was very pleased to see that the Adria that I own received the "best overall" for it's handle category. (Chris tested both pistol-grip and "gents" style saws) I agree with his assessment on the Adria...it takes a little to get it going, but it really does cut beautifully and straight. I only need to learn how to make that straight line...be on the line...LOL :)

[David Fried]

Just got mine too. I've got food, coffee, and a new magazine - Let it snow!

I'm looking forward to the article on sharpening a dovetail saw. I've never sharpened a saw, have no idea how, and realize I might want to someday.

Dave Fried

[Doug Shepard]

It was a good review article. I just wish he'd have included Japanese style saws as well.

[Jim Becker]

Chris wrote about them briefly in the second paragraph and doesn't prefer them, but I also guess that focusing on 11 tools was a pretty good challenge, nonetheless.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Doug, I don't think you can compare Japanese to western saws, in a side by side test, that would give you any meaningful conclusion about the merits of one or the other. Some people prefer Japanese and others prefer western saws.

[Doug Shepard]

Doug, I don't think you can compare Japanese to western saws, in a side by side test, that would give you any meaningful conclusion about the merits of one or the other. Some people prefer Japanese and others prefer western saws.

I wasn't suggesting he do that. I don't think he compared the two different handle styles to each other either. It just would have been nice for folks who do like the pull-stroke saws to see 6-7 of them side by side compared to each other like he did with the other 2 types. I liked the article, but just wish he'd tossed in all the choices. His viewpoint of 'There are also Jap saws but I dont like them so wont include them' just seemed a bit of a cop-out - not necessarily from the author (he's entitled to his opinion) but from FWW. Had they titled the review Tool Test: Western Style Dovetail Saws I don't think I'd be as disapointed about the omission.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Doug, I thought it was a comparison test, I don't have that issue yet. It'd be nice to see a test of several different Japanese saws, I am kinda curious about them, but you don't see a lot of articles on Japanese tools in general. There's a whole new vocabulary to learn and it would be nice to see an article explaining the different types of chisels, saws and planes.

[Mark Singer]

The article is very general and doesn't really expain how to correctly use the saw other than stance and relaxed position...it could have been much better. So what may happen is a lot of saws get purchased and few get used because the results from using them are so-so. The Japenese saws are a different thing all together....and may require a seperate article...since they can't even get the Western saws explained in detail.

[Jerry Palmer]

The article is very general and doesn't really expain how to correctly use the saw other than stance and relaxed position...it could have been much better. So what may happen is a lot of saws get purchased and few get used because the results from using them are so-so. The Japenese saws are a different thing all together....and may require a seperate article...since they can't even get the Western saws explained in detail.

I agree and there seems to be a lot of that sort of thing going on, especially in reference to handtools. It is much easier to make a comparison between several than it is to explain the techniques for using them, and a lot of folks, me included for quite some time, get left with the impression that they can simply pick one (saw, handplane, even a card scraper) and just begin using it. When that doesn't work out, they get disgruntled and go back to their machines.

[Jim Hinze]

I really enjoyed the article and the saw sharpening tutorial. They have a video segment on FWW Network that basically gives you a birds eye view of all the steps in the sharpening article... It's something that I've been meaning to try but was always a bit intimitated... after reading the article and watching the video, I'm not so intimitated anymore...

[Jason Tuinstra]

The article is very general and doesn't really expain how to correctly use the saw other than stance and relaxed position...it could have been much better. So what may happen is a lot of saws get purchased and few get used because the results from using them are so-so. The Japenese saws are a different thing all together....and may require a seperate article...since they can't even get the Western saws explained in detail.

Mark, I'd love to read that article on Japenese saws (hint, hint... :D :p ) Come on, it's not like you're busy or anything :D

[Mark Singer]

Mark, I'd love to read that article on Japenese saws (hint, hint... :D :p ) Come on, it's not like you're busy or anything :D

Jason,
I have given better tips on SMC in Threads than that article had on Western saws...and I didn't say much....Just relaxing and using it often is great practice. My father and I started before we had any power tools with hand saws...I was about 5 years old and already helping him...that was all we had...so that is what we used...Practice ...Practice. My Father would always say..."Mark...next to the line...get off the line" If I was not accurate...he would take over an I would hold...you improve fast that way!

[Alan DuBoff]

The article is very general and doesn't really expain how to correctly use the saw other than stance and relaxed position...it could have been much better. So what may happen is a lot of saws get purchased and few get used because the results from using them are so-so. The Japenese saws are a different thing all together....and may require a seperate article...since they can't even get the Western saws explained in detail.It's very difficult to compare tools for a wide audience, because there are so many skill levels, personal preferences, points, rip/xcut, thin/thick, handle hang, etc...

I still haven't received my copy of FWW, but briefly thumbed through the article at Woodcraft earlier. I think that would have been a bit much to try and educate folks on how to correctly use a western style saw, given the fact that there is a lot of other knowedge needed to understand what type of saw would be best suited for the task at hand.

I think there's enough followings for both Western and Japanese styles, that it might have been best to keep them seperate (as they did). One side of me says that Japanese saws also require a small quiver of tools to cover various tasks, just as western saws (or most hand tools for that matter;-). It would be good to see an article where it wasn't focused on the actual tool comparison, and to focus on the quiver of saws and the types of joinery they're used for. It's probably best to do as they did though, IMO.

I saw they gave a couple awards to the Crown gent's saw. I had some experience with one recentely and had thoughts...which I won't go into, unless someone is interested. Very close copy to the old Disston 68, but needs tuning, so I'm curious to read if they tuned up the Crown or not. The one I bought was pretty useless out of the box without being tuned up. This is the very reason Japanese saws are widely available. You do not need to do anything to a Japanese saw, it's ready to go when new, even the cheap ones.

You need to get a fairly high end western style saw to have a working tool when new, like a LN, Adria, Norse Woodsmith, Wenzloff, Anderson, Spehar (although not active), TimHoff, et all...that would be my shootout, forget the cheap widely available saws, show me a shootout with the creme de la creme!

Certainly, I'm not the only type of reader...:(

[Mike Wenzloff]

Jason,
I have given better tips on SMC in Threads than that article had on Western saws...and I didn't say much...
I agree.

Forums are a wonderful source for information. And unlike print media, we are not limited by a single author's point of view.

What is most often missing are pertinent photographs of a described process or method. I am very guilty of that. I think that is one reason magazines still have value to me.

This is one major reason I enjoy Smalser's posts so much. He has taken the time to document processes over the years and is able to quickly show relevant content illustrating the written points. You too, Mark, are another who has invested a great amount of time instructing with both words and photos. There are others here as well.

I believe Bob is writing or has written an article for FWW which goes into more use issues of handsaws that is yet to appear. And Popular Woodworking is moving into this arena [the how to aspect] very smartly. Hand tool usage in the modern shop is a concept near and dear to Chris Schwarz's heart. So I expect more in the near term from both magazines.

Take care, Mike

[Bernhard Kühnen]

I agree that the how to use a handtool is an essantial part for woodworkers as the majority had never learned to use them. This maybe one of the major aspects that powertools are much more appreciated because they need less skills to be handled and are ready to go immediately.

The report in FWW regarding the dovetailsaws is indeed very general but I could recommend the about 8 min. movie on their Web showing step by step sharpening a dovetail saw. I was so infected by that movie that I had to buy a cheap saw and started sharpening by myself. I certainly did not become an expert but the cheap saw runs better than before and I keep on trying.

Bernhard