Blue Spruce Coping Saw

[Brian Holcombe]

Speaking of coping saws, the Knew Concepts fret saw is great for dovetail work, giving good control.

But the KC fret saw is NOT a replacement of a good coping saw (with the right blade). The KC is no match for the aggressiveness of a coping saw when gang cutting or sawing 3/4" or 1" thick hardwood dovetails. The difference is like a pruning saw and a chainsaw when you have a tree to fell.

Simon

They also make a coping saw. I agree they’re unnecessary for good work and more a matter of preference.
One of my students brought his vintage coping saw to class, it performed beautifully.

I have had plenty of boutique tools come and go from my shop, some of them I really admire how well they’re made and they end up being multipurpose sinc I find myself doing more and more work with my Bridgeport Mill and other work.

The ‘good enough for woodwork’ designation may be literally true but it’s nice to have tools which are extremely accurate and also ‘good enough for woodwork’ certainly helpful when your scratching your head chasing down an issue and you do not have to second guess your equipment.

[Simon MacGowen]

I couldn't convince myself to have both a 5" fret saw AND a 6-1/2" coping saw from KC, so I opted for the fret, after trying both.

I don't find the handle an issue as some have, but no matter what, I would not spend $80 (more?) on that after market handle, which is close to the full cost of the fret itself!

Simon

[Derek Cohen]

I have the KC coping saw. It is beautiful and works very well. However I did not purchase it, and did not have intentions of doing so. Mine was a gift from Lee Marshall, the late owner of KC. Lee was such a wonderful man, with a true passion for his tools. I helped him bring the fretsaw into woodworking, aiding in the evolution of its design. Lee just kept sending me more fretsaws as they evolved, for my feedback and interest. He sent me the coping saw in this vein.

Frankly I was happy with my Olsen coping saw. Coping saws are different from fretsaws. The problem with the fretsaw frame not being stiff or light enough is not the issue with a coping saw. The KC fretsaw was a significant jump in technology and design and performance. Many here will attest to their experiences in this regard. However the coping saw does not have this "jump", and it is not needed. I use the KC coping saw because I have it. But I would be as satisfied with the Olsen if I did not.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Patrick Chase]

I met Chris Vesper one time. As I looked over one of his bevel squares, he told me that the Stanley No. 18 bevel squares did not work. I said "I have used that type since 1978." He said "They don't work. They don't hold their setting." The guy took me for a fool. I don't want to say what I thought of him.

The World is full of people with very strange but deeply held opinions who nonetheless produce wonderful tools/art/etc. What you've demonstrated here is that:

1. Chris may be one of those (for the record I think that the #18 works just fine)
2. It invariably reflects poorly upon us when we take somebody else's harmless foibles as a personal insult. He wasn't "taking you for a fool", he was just voicing his own kooky opinion.

The phrase "taking the good with the bad" comes to mind, and I'm not referring only (or even primarily) to Chris when I say that.

[Derek Cohen]

I suspect that Chris has been taken out of context. I know him very well - have spent time on his stall at woodshows for several years, and own a number of his tools, including his sliding bevels. He also manufacturers marking knives I designed.

What is special about Chris' sliding bevel is that it is rock solid and better than any other sliding bevel in regard to remaining locked in position. Yes, I also own a #18 Stanley, and it is a good one. I could be happy with just a Stanley, but the Vesper is better - not only in locking, but in ease of adjustment. My #18 locks pretty securely, but I have not subjected it to the type of test that Chris subjects his - he will challenge onlookers to twist or bend the arms using as much force as they can, or shift the setting. All this is just the fun and games of a manufacturer at a wood show. If you take this seriously, you are lacking a sense of humour.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[andy bessette]

...What is special about Chris' sliding bevel is that it is rock solid and better than any other sliding bevel in regard to remaining locked in position...

The Veritas sliding T-bevel is the best I have ever used. Easy to use one-handed
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/Page.aspx?p=32593

[Tony Wilkins]

The Veritas sliding T-bevel is the best I have ever used. Easy to use one-handed
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/Page.aspx?p=32593

I wish they still made those.

[Simon MacGowen]

The World is full of people with very strange but deeply held opinions who nonetheless produce wonderful tools/art/etc. What you've demonstrated here is that:

1. Chris may be one of those (for the record I think that the #18 works just fine)
2. It invariably reflects poorly upon us when we take somebody else's harmless foibles as a personal insult. He wasn't "taking you for a fool", he was just voicing his own kooky opinion.

The phrase "taking the good with the bad" comes to mind, and I'm not referring only (or even primarily) to Chris when I say that.

I met Chris at a tradeshow with all his signature tools on the table, a nice guy as Derek noted. I don't know the full context of his conversation with Warren, but he was certainly trying to put across his message that his sliding bevels were more superior. Standard sales pitch, nothing wrong.

However, if someone is at your booth expressing his actual hands-on experience -- whether since 1998 or just a few years ago -- you should probe and hear out what the fellow has to offer. If you sell mortising chisels and Paul Sellers unknown to you as being Paul shows up and says, bench chisels can do a similar job. You don't tell him bench chisels are not for mortising. You would want to understand why Paul says so.

So the question is, does it reflect poorly on the vendor or on the visitor? I don't think there is a simple answer.

Simon

[Brian Holcombe]

I worked in sales for 10 years (I suppose I still work in sales as a business owner), sometimes you're talking to someone important or highly experienced and you don't know it until after you blurt out something....not that I've ever done such a thing.

[Simon MacGowen]

I worked in sales for 10 years (I suppose I still work in sales as a business owner), sometimes you're talking to someone important or highly experienced and you don't know it until after you blurt out something....not that I've ever done such a thing.

In our club, we once had a relatively new member. I was sharing with a few guys information about files for saw sharpening after a demo on the topic. He did not say anything until the end of our conversation and told us where we could get some nice files. We looked at him with a question mark on our faces before he said he did saw sharpening for a living!

Simon

[John C Cox]

There is an interesting phenenon related to this...
The part of your brain which controls motor skills - responsible for cutting perfect joints, hitting baseballs, riding bikes, sharpening chisels, and the like is NOT directly connected to the part of the brain which makes words, crafts logical arguments, or writes magazine articles...

And as such - we often find people with amazing skills which can accomplish truly brilliant things... And given the chance to explain how he does it - and you would swear the person was a complete imbecile... I remember hearing a world famous luthier explain his mental model for a particularly critical part of the design.. The crowd waited with baited breath.. And Zoink... Complete gobbledygook.... Everybody's jaws dropped...

And yet nobody questions that his guitars are some of the best out there... But that's the gap between doing things and real life vs explaining things...

[Bill White]

I guess that my old heavily framed Bahco coping saw will have to do for a while. Just can't justify the cost.
Bill

[Mel Fulks]

I've got a pretty standard type of coping saw for "big" stuff. But for cuts of just 2 or 3 inch depth I use one of those old
German jewelors saws. Very springy strong frame. They turn up on Ebay.

[Simon MacGowen]

I've got a pretty standard type of coping saw for "big" stuff. But for cuts of just 2 or 3 inch depth I use one of those old
German jewelors saws. Very springy strong frame. They turn up on Ebay.

I used to have one of those German saws, very affordable: https://www.esslinger.com/jewelers-s...e-choose-size/ I gave it away after getting a Knew Concepts.

Simon

[William Adams]

Well, it's now available, and rather than regret, I've put in an order.

Hopefully won't regret African Blackwood for the handle.