Handsaw recommendations

[joe Katzenberger]

Good evening to all,
I am cutting to length the SYP laminated top for my new workbench. The thickness is just over 4" un-handplaned. My circular saw, though a brand name, is hard pressed to keep its bottom plate perpendicular to the blade.
I am now looking to find a good/high quality handsaw and crosscut the top the Neanderthal way.
I look forward to your thoughts, suggestions and cautions about buying a new handsaw. I do appreciate the labor involved but my feet are so greasy now on the downward slide....
Thanks to all, joe Katzenberger

[Bob Easton]

Welcome to the slippery slope Joe!

I won't give you advice about NEW saws because most of the new very high quality saws I see are small joinery saws, such as some of the excellent dovetail saws. I'm not familiar with new long panel saws. They probably exist, but I don't know about them.

Instead, I can suggest that buying old Disston saws (mid 1900s) is a very good approach. They are still very plentiful and you can get them from a variety of sources. If you want low prices, there are always some available on EBay. If you prefer more assurance about what you're buying, there are sellers such as Vintage Saws that acqurie, refurbish, and sell these old gems.

I would also encourage you to learn saw sharpening. It's not that difficult and is a gateway skill that I think all hand saw users can appreciate. The Vintage Saws site has a great tutorial about sharpening.

No matter what saw you get, or where you get it, spend a good bit of time practicing before tackling that bench top. Staying on the line depends on two things: (1) having a well tuned saw that tracks straight naturally, and (2) having good technique that lets the saw do the work.

Good luck with your quest and the bench.

[Richard Magbanua]

I used a vintage Atkins...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/magbanua/3088722789/in/set-72157610497536990/

Really, most any large handsaw should work alright new or used (if sharpened). I've found it seems to be all about technique and elbow grease. If you can find an old hand saw you can research sharpening and learn to do it yourself in an hour. I really isn't that hard to do. But if you just need to get the darn thing done just go pick one up at the store and go to town. Just be sure to practice, practice, practice. And take some pictures!!!

[Robert Rozaieski]

Any vintage hand saw will do just fine for you if it is sharp. I'd say something around 5-6 TPI for the rip saw and 8-9 TPI for the crosscut saw ought to do you just fine. I do all my sawing by hand and that is what my two most used saws are set up at. File the rip saw at about 5 degrees of rake with a little more rake at the toe (maybe 7-8 degrees) to make for a smoother start. The crosscut saw can be filed about 15 degrees of rake and about 20 degrees of fleam. These two saws will do 99% of your rough hand sawing. If you need to do any resawing, get a second rip saw with 3-4 TPI.

[Bill Houghton]

I concur with others that, if you can find a vintage saw, you should do OK. Sight down its length and look for straight (although a slight curve over the length of the blade will not be bad, dead straight is nicest; kinks are a reason to put it back). You can buy from some online used saw dealers, too, and the good ones will send you a clean, sharp saw. I've never purchased from any, so can't make a recommendation.

I am always surprised at the number of saws I can find at garage sales that are sharp as they sit on the table, and can be put to work without anything but a little sanding to remove the rust.

There are some modern saw makers (Mike Wenzloff being one) making full-length saws, but you'd best have (a) a full-length wallet, fully stocked, and (b) patience, because they've often got a long list of orders in front of yours.

Cutting: Especially when you're new at it (for me, "new at it" has been true for 35 years), it's hard to get the cut dead straight. Lay out lines all around the top - on each edge and face. Once you get a cut established (like a little tiny bit), lower the saw until you can align it with your layout line on the face of the bench. Cut a little here until you've got a groove established. Now work the saw around until it's almost upright, and do the same on the layout line on the far edge. Alternate these cuts until you've got good, deep lines to guide the saw. Then you can move to the 45 degree angle the books all recommend.

Look underneath the top as you go, to see how you're doing on the layout line on the bottom. If you're wandering, you might need to flip the top over and repeat this approach on the bottom.

Make sure you're supporting the cutoff as you approach the end. Having a big chunk calve off, taking part of the part you want to keep with it, will not improve your day. It can also kink your saw, if the cutoff is big enough.

On a big cut, some wandering is really hard to avoid. Establishing your cuts to guide the saw and approaching it from both sides should help you minimize it. It's obviously better to err toward the waste side, but do as little as possible. Planing end grain on something that size will not leave you ready to go dancing, particularly when you're working sideways, as you will on a benchtop. I've never worked southern yellow pine, but, from what I understand of it, it's nearly as much fun to work as Douglas fir, the common strong utility wood around here - which is to say, not fun at all.

[Brian Kent]

I just checked out Vintage Saws for saws for sale. Many of them are as expensive as the Wenzloff full size saws (and some much more expensive!).

So…

1) I second the idea of getting a straight old classic and tuning / sharpening.

2) I cut my bench pieces with a $39 Ryoba saw.

3) Question: What new saws are worth buying without a six month wait?

Brian

[David Gendron]

good day guys, I agree as for the old saw... If you can find a good one, clean, tune, sharp, for cheep, buy it! Jim Bode Tools have a few good Disston in stock. As for new saws that are not to expensive and geat, you have Pax saws sold by Lee Valley, and a custom maker, Ed of Oakville Ont. under Medalliontools.com who makes great saws, I just got one Half back saw from him hand it's realy nice! There is also Wenzloff and sons sold by The best thing tool, but I do not know what they have in stock and what is the wait!!
David

[Brian Kent]

Thanks for the list David. That's helpful to me.