Wenzloff Half-Back saw

[Pedro Reyes]

I wanted to at some point own a premium saw, I had a couple of back saws from LN, and I am happy with them. But I wanted something from Mike, and the recent free shipping event pushed me over the edge.

I got a rip panel saw as well as the half-back. I was always attracted to this saw, and I reasoned (tricked myself) that I wanted something smaller than a panel but bigger than my carcass saw (there is no rational reason, I just wanted the beautiful tool OK?... he who is without sin cast the first stone, please make it a Shapton yellow 15,000 if you will) anyway, I got it yesterday, here it is hiding in the garage as I think I was quick enough to bring in the boxes before the missus saw them.

I must say, it is stunning, however the bottom horn seems to be too tight in my hand (dig in). I grabbed my smallest Disston dovetail and I noticed that while just as small the horns splay out a bit more. I have not used it yet, but I tried "air sawing" at different heights, some stances relieve the diggin in, but in general I would say the handle seems smallish, only time will tell. I'm 5'11" with normal sized paws, so I don't think that is the issue.

I know at least Derek owns one and was happy with it, anyone else have comments on the handle comfort?

I am going to say this again, the saw is gorgeous, Mike if you read this, congrats!


Pedro

[Andrew Fleck]

Congrats on the new saw. Maybe you can call and exchange the handle if it doesn't fit your hand. Personally I wouldn't learn to live with it. It would nag at me every time I used it, but to each their own.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

If it's not off by much, I'd just be tempted to relieve it a little bit to adjust the fit, but I can see the trepidation in shaping something that cost you that much. Beautiful piece of kit, though!

[Pedro Reyes]

If it's not off by much, I'd just be tempted to relieve it a little bit to adjust the fit, but I can see the trepidation in shaping something that cost you that much. Beautiful piece of kit, though!

I thought about this, since it is just slightly being felt on the outside of the bottom of my palm (the part you use if you would karate chop a board). And even that it is ever so slightly. But then again, like has been said I paid decent money for it, and I don't mean to say it is expensive, I am in fact amazed at how something so perfectly finished by hand can be made at a profit.

I am hopeful that technique may change things, I think some of the users may provide some comments.

/p

[george wilson]

Did you lay the top finger down the side of the handle while you gripped it?

[Pedro Reyes]

Did you lay the top finger down the side of the handle while you gripped it?

I did, always do ;-). I even tried something I never had before, which is lay my pinky parallel to it, so as to make it a two (instead of 3) fingered grip, but that felt weird.

/p

[David Weaver]

how much would it need to be relieved?

[Pedro Reyes]

how much would it need to be relieved?

Not sure, not much, maybe it is more of making it less sharp, the lines on it are nice and sharp, look at this picture, so perhaps a little softening of that bottom tip will do.
sawtill027.jpg

I've only had it ofr 1/2 a day, and I'm away from home now.

Pedro

[David Weaver]

Yeah, there's not much there to work with. It would depend on what the fit issue was for me if I was going to do something.

Mike does really nice sharp work on his saw handles when you compare his to something like an adria or some of the other makers.

[Jim Matthews]

I've got to wonder if your hands are larger than the saw maker's pattern.

Perhaps he can offer a replacement?
It's a premium tool, it should fit you without fiddling.

[Mike Holbrook]

I built my Wenzloff Half-Back from a kit. I had it sharpened so most of what I had to do was shape the handle. I think Bad Axe offers several different saw handle sizes but I don't know that is any guarantee that one of them will fit every person's hand. I think Wenzloff only makes one handle size, which I imagine means many people might benefit from working the grip. I suppose making handles a little small allows people with larger hands to just remove a little wood. If handles are made on the large size, people with smaller hands would just have to live with a bad fit since they could not add wood back to the handle. My point being that it might make sense for saw makers to leave handles a little on the small size so that they can be adjusted to fit the maximum humber of hands.

Tools for Working Wood makes a Handle Maker's Rasp. The job can be done with many rasps files or abrasives though.

[Pedro Reyes]

I've got to wonder if your hands are larger than the saw maker's pattern.

Perhaps he can offer a replacement?
It's a premium tool, it should fit you without fiddling.

I don't think I have large hands, as a kid when getting clothes my dad used to say "you've got the build of a beggar, everything fits you fine" in other words I'm pretty average.

I tried it today, simple cross cuts on thin stock, it was actually feeling better than last night.

Here I am holding my 8" Disston, likely the smallest handle they made, below that handle on top of the Wenzloff




Pedro

[Derek Cohen]

The Wenzloff halfback saw is beautifully made and filed. I generally pull it out when I need to break down a board at the bench. The handle is a little snug for my hand (4" across). This was the first saw I had Mike make for me, and in subsequent saws I specified a slightly larger handle.

This photo was taken shortly after it arrived. Tasmanian Blackwood handle (possibly identical to Koa) ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Moses Yoder]

I would have Wenzloff send you an unfinished handle to replace yours, work it to fit your hand, replace and save the original. He may or may not charge you for it. Any work you do on that horn will entirely change the way the handle looks, plus it will be very difficult to make it look close to the original. This only applies if you are going to use the saw.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I've had one of Mike's half back saws for about 5 years now. It fits my hand just fine, but my hands are a bit small and I have short fingers. I'll bet that the handles were sized by Mike to fit his hand. I remember us speaking on the phone a few years back and discovering that his and my hands are almost exactly the same size. I love the saw, it is a beuty and works quite well.