Dovetail Saw

[Barry Beech]

I am looking for a nice dovetail saw. I am learning how to cut them and practicing more and more. The saw that I have now is a Japanese crosscut saw that I bought from Japan Woodworker a few years ago. The saw does a decent job but I would like to have something a little nicer.

What would ya'll suggest?

This is a little open ended I know, but to narrow it down some I really don't want to more that $150 for a saw. I really haven't considered a used saw because I haven't the slightest clue as to how to sharpen a saw. Heck I just recently discovered (through stealthy deductive reasoning ;) ) what the difference was between a rip and a crosscut saw.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Jason King]

I am certainly no expert, but I do hand-cut dovetails fairly frequently. I would HIGHLY recommend a rip profile saw. You will be able to cut dovetails much faster with many fewer strokes. For me, this results in less error and a straighter cut. (fewer strokes to mess up I suppose.) I am a fan of the japanese pull saws. I started out on a two sided (ryoba?) saw from the borg. One side was crosscut, the other was rip. For about $20 you'll get an average saw that will really show you the difference between crosscut and rip. I'll let other more learned colleagues talk about push saws, and I have limited experience in upper end japanese saws, so I will be watching this thread as well.

Good luck

[Roy Griggs]

My recommendation is simple, go here...
http://wenzloffandsons.com/saws/index.html

Just a very satisfied customer.
roy

[Alex Yeilding]

As others have said, cutting a dovetail is a rip cut.

Japanese saws are easier to use at first. I have recently bought a western style dovetail saw, and while I need more practice, I like it. Western saws have the advantage that the "show side" is toward you as you cut.

Mine is an Adria, and I really like it, and dealing with the maker. Lie Nielsen tends to do things right, so I imagine that their saws haven't lost anything after they bought Independence tool.

[Jack Folse]

Like Alex, I also have an Adria DT saw. I have had mine for at least 7 or 8 years. I also have a couple of vintage saws, but the Adria is better. My father has a Lie Nielsen which is good as well. I have used Japanese saws as well, but I find the harder teeth brittle in cherry and hard maple. I would stay away from the cheap saws.

[Dan Forman]

If you want to stick with a japanese style, the "Tools and Shops" issue of FWW has an article on japanese saws. For dovetails, the Deluxe Rip saw from Joel (Tools for Working Wood) took top honors, at about $100. This is not a disposable blade model, so can be sharpened, which means you will eventually have to find someone who can sharpen Japanese saws.

The usual suspects in western saws are Wenzloff, Adria, and Lie-Nielson. I have an Adria, and am quite pleased. It works MUCH better than the crosscut japanese saw I started with (Tashiro Queen Doveltail), which is just fine for crosscuts, but not for rip.

Dan

[Rob Blaustein]

I have an Adria as well and like it, though I have only limited experience with it (or dovetails). But I will tell you that I recently took a one day class on cutting dovetails by hand and our instructor, a professional cabinetmaker and restorer who has been cutting dovetails by hand for years, asked me if he could try my saw to demonstrate the cuts. He had brought his Lie Nielsen which he likes, but he said he loved my saw and wanted to buy one.

[Dean Lapinel]

amongst the many.

First of all the LN, Adria and Wenzloff all have a similar 15-16 TPI and they all are sharpened at 90 degrees for a rip cut (as far as I know). The set might be different but that's easy to change.

#1 How do you like the look?

#2 How does it feel in your hand while sawing?

This is an oversimplified solution since you can always buy a nice vintage saw and have it set up the same way.

Once any of these saws is set up properly it take little practice to saw straight.

[Paul Erickson]

I have three Adria saws and love them. The guarantee cannot be beat!

cheers, Paul

[Mark Stutz]

Barry,
I have used an Adria for a while. It was my only usable hand saw and works well. It was my favorite until I got a Wenzloff saw. It is 10' campared to the 8" Adria, but I much prefer it, because it starts so much easier. I have almost considered sellin ghte Adria and getting another Wenzloff.

Mark

[Mark Singer]

If you go the Japanese way....I have one handle that holds both the rip and crosscut blades...so I change... I also have some very expensive hand made Japanese saws....and the less expensive ones I seem to use more often. The rip is not essential because they all cut well...
On the western saws...I have many old ones and a Lie Neisen which is a good saw too...wider kerf but does beautiful cuts

[Barry Beech]

Well, I took a look at Mike Wenzloff's site and thought that he made a beautiful saw. I sent him an email stating my intentions, he replied very quickly. I also called him and talked with him for about 30min and he answered every question that I had and we just chatted for a while.

I placed the order with him because he makes a beautiful saw, I know that it will be a quality saw, I spoke with the man that will make it, he will build it according to how I will be using the saw, he comes highly regarded, and he is a member of the creek. :D

It will take several weeks to get here but I'm not in that big of a rush. 2 1/2yr old and 9month old have taken quite a bit out of shop time.

Just from my early experience with Mike, I would recommend him to anyone. Once I get my saw and get to play with it I'm sure that I will be able to recommend him that much more. So far he has been a joy to deal with.

Thanks Mike!!!

Barry

[Michael Hammers]

I have a dovetail saw made by Vlad Spehar and it is amazing. Unfortunately I went to his website and he is on hiatus from making saws:(
Vlad would take specific hand measurements from you then custom build the handle. I have not used Japanese DT saws, but I cannot imagine it cutting any better than my saw. It tracks wonderfully, has great steel and fits like a glove. I only say this because I think if you buy a high qulity saw and start learning/using it you will be very happy......:D
Cheers!