Which dovetail saw: opinion from those who knows

[Tom Godley]

John -- can you please teach a class on "tool selling" -- How does that work?

I need to learn! ......... soon.

[John Keeton]

John -- can you please teach a class on "tool selling" -- How does that work?

I need to learn! ......... soon.

Tom, I have sold a bunch of them - all very traumatic events, BTW!!! But, all the sales were associated with another purchase, so I am not sure I have much to teach other than "buy up!"

Shawn, I will add, that if you get the LV, consider taking 2-3 very light passes on the side of the teeth with a stone - both sides. This improved the cut on mine substantially and left a much smoother kerf. The newer fine tooth saw may not respond the same.

[gary Zimmel]

I've got a few dovetail saws. Medallion, LN, and a couple of Cosmans.
I learnt to cut dovetails with a regular LN. Got a progressive LN to see how it would be but preferred the regular one.
When Cosman came out with his I got one and have been very happy with it. The 22 TPI at the tip makes for a easy clean start. I really like this feature for doing the pins on a half blind. His saws also have a very small set which makes a very clean cut. It's a bit pricey but I think it is worth it. The Cosman saw is now my go to one.
Good luck on your pick Shawn. But between you and me over time you will end up with a few.... They seem to be addictive.

[Shawn Stennett]

Gary, I haven't even got one and I feel like I would like a few.

[Zach England]

I am lousy at cutting dovetails, but good at buying dovetail saws. I have (or have had):

Adria
Veritas 14 and 20 TPI (sold the 14 a while ago)
Glen Drake
Grammacy
LN straight handled

I like the Adria the best, but I did have to modify the handle to make it more comfortable. The Glen Drake is totally different. It's only a dovetail saw in its application. In the little bit I have used it I like the way it cuts but find the handle uncomfortable. I have considered buying a replacement blade and fashioning my own back and handle for it.

[Rick Lasita]

Shawn, I have been happy with my LN saw and have had the opportunity to use a couple of those mentioned in your post. Quite frankly, I think it is what you like, and I also found out it's not the saw so much as it is the person holding the saw and cutting the dovetails Good luck with your choice.

[Derek Cohen]

I have been cutting all my dovetails with a Japanese pull saw and like it alright but want to get a western style saw. I got a chance to try the veritas saw at the Woodworking Show in Mesquite yesterday and liked it but don't know how it compares to other saws. I am considering a few different ones and would like to know all of your opinions on them and others maybe. I have been reading several posts abou saws recently but they haven't really been compared to each other. I am looking at the Veritas saw, the Lie-Nielson dovetail saw, Wenzloff & Sons saw, and the Gramercy dovetail saw. Which one should I get?

Hi Shawn

This review and comparison may help: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRev...vetailSaw.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[george wilson]

Everyone here is so SPOILED. Years ago you'd have been using standard European junk and thinking it was great!!! This really is a new age for tool users,except now,there is mass confusion about all the choices.

[Roy Lindberry]

I have been cutting all my dovetails with a Japanese pull saw and like it alright but want to get a western style saw. I got a chance to try the veritas saw at the Woodworking Show in Mesquite yesterday and liked it but don't know how it compares to other saws. I am considering a few different ones and would like to know all of your opinions on them and others maybe. I have been reading several posts abou saws recently but they haven't really been compared to each other. I am looking at the Veritas saw, the Lie-Nielson dovetail saw, Wenzloff & Sons saw, and the Gramercy dovetail saw. Which one should I get?

I have the Lee Valley fine tooth dovetail saw, and it is far and away better than the old saw I was using. I would like to have the coarser teeth, though, so I might get that.

For the price, I don't think it can be beat although I haven't tried any other high end saws yet.

My only complaint about the Lee Valley saw is aesthetic. I really like the traditional backsaw look (i.e. Lie-Neilsen), rather than the modern look of my saw.

[Shawn Stennett]

Roy- I feel the sameway about the looks but as many people have said about the price for quality ratio is good. I have decided on the pair of saws from LV. I finely let go and decided because of what Gary Zimmel said about most likely I will end up with a few. I figure that one I get used to the style I can figure out what I like and what I don't while not spending too much while retaining quality.

Derek- How many forums are you a part off? I think everytime I google something woodworking and look at different forums there are post from you. Oh by the way, I enjoyed your review very much, it was very detailed.

[Joel Moskowitz]

Can I offer a suggestion. All the saws you mention are made by reputable companies. Give it some though - order a saw or two and return the ones you don't want. Some vendors even pay return shipping. The saw that speaks to you is a highly personally thing not not inexpensive. You need to get your hands on them to find out what speaks to you.

(ps no manufacter or retailer complains minds if something gets returned as long as it was ordered in good faith and the tool is given a chance to win the customers heart.)

[Rob Lee]

Can I offer a suggestion. All the saws you mention are made by reputable companies. Give it some though - order a saw or two and return the ones you don't want. Some vendors even pay return shipping. The saw that speaks to you is a highly personally thing not not inexpensive. You need to get your hands on them to find out what speaks to you.

(ps no manufacter or retailer complains minds if something gets returned as long as it was ordered in good faith and the tool is given a chance to win the customers heart.)

Joel -

Your post script is correct - retailers don't mind if a transaction is in good faith - but the body of your text suggests doing the opposite - ordering more saws than you plan to keep. That just raises costs for everyone, and is an abuse of goodwill.

Rob

[george wilson]

I agree,Rob. We have that happen to us sometimes,and we are a very small company with 2 full time employees,trying to not lay anyone off in this economy.

[Prashun Patel]

If it were me (and it was me), just follow your instinct. You can't go wrong with your array. All of these will be vast improvements over your previous experience. You will learn over time what features really matter to you. This will inform yr next saw purchase - which I believe will come at some point. If in the future, you decide to sell whatever u purchase now, all of these saws have excellent resale values.

With good tools, you're really just renting.

I ended up with the Veritas 20tpi. I love everything about it; and it's priced low to boot. The angle, heft, rigidity, and balance are all great for me. The only complaint I've ever heard about is the look of it (although I love even that).

[Joel Moskowitz]

Joel -

Your post script is correct - retailers don't mind if a transaction is in good faith - but the body of your text suggests doing the opposite - ordering more saws than you plan to keep. That just raises costs for everyone, and is an abuse of goodwill.

Rob

Rob,
How is a person supposed to know if they are going to like something without trying it first? If you walk into a store and want to buy a pair of pants you try it on first and if you are clever you walk into the dressing room with several pairs - it's faster. With mail order clothing it's the same thing - I buy most of my clothes mail order and a decent portion goes back. But if I could not return the stuff that I didn't like or didn't fit I would not buy in the first place. With tools a box of nails is pretty much a box of nails but when it comes to pricier tools it's much harder to make an optimal selection and you have to try to see what fits your hand. For someone will little exposure to various makers I don't know what other advice to give. And we pay return shipping (I think you do too) so it's frustrating when something comes back, but I would rather have a customer try our tools and then return them and maybe get something in the future than not have the opportunity to comparison shop.
Of course it's more efficient for us when someone gets a chance to play with our tools at a show or in a class but sometimes that isn't practical.