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A nice review on the Gramercy dovetail saw Derek. Thank you for posting it.
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I have three Lie Nielsen saws, a dovetail and both carcass saws, cross cut and rip. They predate the Lee Valley saws.
When I bought the dovetail, it was a fantasy saw. I left a woodworkers club meeting and bought one on the way home.
They were making a huge splash at the woodworking shows in those days. They are 16 years old, sharp, and shiney.
I keep them in the boxes they came in and are wrapped with Cortec paper.
Having them so long, I haven't stayed current on the market, but I suspect they still set the standard.
OBTW, I have a lot of Lee Valley tolls as well. I have three Veritas hand planes.
Last edited by lowell holmes; 01-20-2018 at 4:13 PM.
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Lowell, if LN dovetail saws set the standard - and I do believe that they are indeed the aspiration point for many - then the kudos go to Pete Taran who, along with his partner, Patrick Leach, set up Independence Tools to make dovetail saws in the mid '90s. They set the bar at this time, since there was nothing comparable then. IT was purchased by LN, and became the saw you own today.
I already owned the LN dovetail saw in 2006 when I found a NOS (new old stock) IT on eBay. I wrote a comparason here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRev...en%20saws.html
Other boutique sawmakers followed in later years. The design and quality of the LN today was established by IT yesterday. That is why the LN is a benchmark today. A fine, fine saw. The LV comes along at a much lower price. It was designed to meet the price point without sacrificing quality of cut, control and comfort. In that, the LV achieves its goal. It, too, is a very fine saw. What it comes down to is what one can afford, and what one's aesthetic preference is. I prefer the traditional look of the LN saw, with its brass back. It is the one that is more likely to be used in my workshop. The LV is the one I usually take to woodshows when demonstrating technique.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Last edited by Derek Cohen; 01-20-2018 at 9:29 PM.
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Thanks for replying Derek.
I also have a 4"x 20" tenon saw I made from a Ron Bontz kit. I copied the LN handle for the saw using curly maple.
It will cut tenons and split boards in half really fast. If any of you are a bit bored, get a kit and make a saw.
You can make any handle you want to.
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Derek,
I never saw your comparison, thanks for your kind words. Making those handles was a lot of work. I did them on a two spindle carving panograph. From there it was rasp, scraper and sanding. Took me about a week to make 30 saws. The finely finished and shaped handle was the key selling point of the IT enterprise. It is an exact copy of a Groves and Son saw from 1830. The date was actually scratched into the handle, so there was no mystery of when it was made. Everything on that handle was made identical to the original, even the flat sides with the slight ridge where it meets the curve of the handle. That bead on the top horn was a lot of work, let me tell you.
As for the rake, I started making them with zero rake like the LN saw is today, but quickly got feedback that it was too hard to start. I relaxed it to between 4 and 8 degrees depending on how careful I set up the filer. It is pretty hard to get precise when the tooth is only .035" high. I'm proud of the fact that I never, ever, not one time, had a saw come back because it didn't cut right.
Regards,
Pete
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