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Thread: Bad Axe saws worth it? Anyone try Winsor saws?

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    Bad Axe saws worth it? Anyone try Winsor saws?

    Im in the late stages of choosing a set of saws for my shop. Im switching to a more hand tool based approach and Im going to get a pair of 14" sash/carcase saws (rip and crosscut) and a dovetail saw. I've narrowed my choice down to either bad axe, winsor saw, or lie-nielsen. I'm confident the bad axe saws are great, I just hesitate because they are basically twice the price of my other options. I found winsor saws online, and they seem great, have a good price point, and offer some customization. I hesitate to order them because they seem to be a very small company and do not have any professional reviews yet. And, lastly lie-nielsen, which is the cheapest of the bunch (never thought Id say that) only offers a 14" saw in .032 plate which seems to be really thick compared to everyone else's .020 or .025 plate. The Scharwz says he's fond of thinner plates and I have to agree. I'd just rather spend around $450 instead of $700. I don't mind to shell out the coin for bad axe if they truly are worth it, but I'd rather save that extra money for another tool. Thoughts, ideas???

  2. #2
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    Aaron,

    Welcome to the Creek. Your profile doesn't show your location. You may live near another member who is willing to let you test drive their saws.

    In another thread you asked about how someone felt about their Winsor saw. The only comment he made about the saw was in his first post about how it seemed to track to the left. This is something that is not difficult to correct. Though it isn't fun the first time or two someone goes through the process.

    Not knowing the return policy of Winsor, my money would be going with a known entity like LN or Bad Axe. Of course, if Winsor has a "make the customer happy" policy, then they might be worth a look.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 01-03-2013 at 2:15 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  3. #3
    If money is an issue, buy the LN saws. 0.032 is pretty blunt for a 14" saw. Add set and it's pretty coarse. The disston saws around that size (12" or so), I think, mic around .024 or something like that, at least the ones I've checked.

  4. #4
    I'll tell you, I have a LN dovetail that I really like, a bad axe CC sash saw and a set of 3 saws from Bontz Woodworking. They are all really great saws, but I keep reaching for the bontz saws. They seem to start and cut smoother than the others, and really fit my hand well. You can basically get a large tenon, a carcass and a Dovetail saw for the price of one badaxe. I like my badaxe, but the price is pretty steep. I don't have any experience with the Winsor saws...

    That's my .02.

  5. #5
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    Windsor saws are typical lower quality saws,as far as I know. Softer steel,too thick blades.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    Windsor saws are typical lower quality saws,as far as I know. Softer steel,too thick blades.
    You sure? Look like pretty nice saws

    Specifications:

    • Closed Handle—hand-shaped by our master craftsman and hand rubbed finished with a proprietary finish.
    • All made in the USA, in our Colorado saw shop
    • 13ppi, precision cut and hand set, sharpened for tenon ripping and individually tuned to perfection, however we offer custom setups like 11ppi rip, or 14ppi crosscut.
    • Solid brass spine, milled, slotted, not folded (.25" x .75")
    • Blade is 12", 14" or 16" x 3", 3.5", and 4" usable girth, .025" thick Spring Steel
    • Milled solid brass split nuts


    http://www.winsorsaw.com/tenonsaws/tenonsaws.htm

  7. #7
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    Jun 2009
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    I have a bad axe sash saw, as well as 2 old disston tennon saws. I reach for the bad axe first, every time. It is a great saw, and although I am not well off, I think it is worth while saving the extra money for one of Mark's offerings. I will always buy tools from small craftsmen if given the choice.
    I do not own any lie-Nielsen saws, but they would be my next choice.
    Paul

  8. #8
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    The Windsor saws do look nice and reasonable prices for saw plates and split nuts. Thanks for the link, Sean. I hadn't heard of them.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    Madison, WI
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    I have to Bad Axe saws, the 18" tenon rip and the 14" sash crosscut. They are excellent saws and worth every penny to me. It did help my decision to get my first Bad Axe that Mark's a Wisconsinite. The decision to get the second Bad Axe was because of how nice the 1st was.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Frederick, Maryland
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    Here is my question...for those who pay big bucks on Bad Axe saws do they include free sharpening? Mark is fantastic at sharpening which is what makes his saws so nice, but what happens when they dull?...what are his sharpening prices?

    For that reason, I like Lie Nielsen, lifetime warranty, USA made, affordable, and $15 sharpening.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
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    Calgary AB, Canada
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    I have 4 Bad Axe saws... A 10 inch DT I use in thinner wood, a 12 inch filed rip I like when dovetailing in a bit thicker woods, a 14 inch filed X-cut and a 16 inch filed hybrid. I do not ever regret buying these and they perform to the extreme...

    That said, they are not cheap, but in my mind, I was able to justify the cost difference when thinking that over the course of my lifetime, it made a difference of few cups of starbucks a year... lol! If you can justify it, they are a pleasure to use, but any saw cuts...

  12. #12
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    I have six back saws, two Bad Axe (14" x-cut sash and 16" rip tenon), two LN (10" rip dovetail and 12" x-cut carcase) plus a couple of old Disstons. I flat out love the two Bad Axe saws - they cut like a hot knife through melted butter. The LNs are nice saws, but they just don't quite feel and cut like the Bad Axes.

    They certainly weren't cheap, and I'll admit there is a certain about of "I'm worth it" that went into buying them, but it was nice to be able to specify every aspect of the saw, and they are a joy to look at and use. I don't regret buying them for a moment and am likely going to buy one of his dovetail saws later this year.

    He does offer sharpening as a service. I sent him my father's old saws to be sharpened last Fall and got them back better than they had ever been. He quotes a standard price of $45 for Jointing, Sharpening & Setting. That's part of his restoration services for old saws, so I don't know if he has a lower price if you are sending one of his saws in to be resharpened.
    - Mike

    Si vis pacem, para bellum

  13. #13
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    I like my Bad Axe 16" tenons. Great, great saws that just chew up wood like it's candy.

    Pricey? Yes. Made in USA and a small business guy, though. That's why I chose Bad Axe.

    Bah, I just noticed. . .

    Winsor (at least the dovetails) don't have the folded backs that the Bad Axe do. What the difference is, I'm not completely sure, but I remember reading that the folding was more rigid or something and when the saw plate got hot, it warped less.

    I could be very wrong, but hey. . .
    Last edited by Adam Cruea; 01-03-2013 at 2:59 PM.
    The Barefoot Woodworker.

    Fueled by leather, chrome, and thunder.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Cruea View Post
    Winsor (at least the dovetails) don't have the folded backs that the Bad Axe do. What the difference is, I'm not completely sure, but I remember reading that the folding was more rigid or something and when the saw plate got hot, it warped less. I could be very wrong, but hey. . .
    IMHO there is no functional difference in slotted or folded backs.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Richards View Post
    IMHO there is no functional difference in slotted or folded backs.
    How does a user adjust saw plate straightness on a saw with a slotted back? It's pretty easy to adjust the spine on a folded back.

    I don't know if there's a need for users to pay extra for a folded back, but they aren't the same.

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