Small rip saw recommendations?

[Daniel Rode]

I make no apologies, I make long and/or repetitive rips on the table saw. But for short cuts and one-off cuts, I prefer to use a hand saw.

My 7/8 tip rip saw is too large and coarse for this work and a backsaw is not ideal for anything over a few inches long. What I keep thinking is how nice it would be to have a small rip saw in the 10-12 TPI range. Perhaps something under 18" long.

I'd really prefer something vintage. Did such saws exist? Am I better off just looking for a panel saw?

[ken hatch]

I make no apologies, I make long and/or repetitive rips on the table saw. But for short cuts and one-off cuts, I prefer to use a hand saw.

My 7/8 tip rip saw is too large and coarse for this work and a backsaw is not ideal for anything over a few inches long. What I keep thinking is how nice it would be to have a small rip saw in the 10-12 TPI range. Perhaps something under 18" long.

I'd really prefer something vintage. Did such saws exist? Am I better off just looking for a panel saw?

Dan,

There is a reason for the machines and like you I make no apologies for using them for the scut work.

Your post made me remember a couple of small saws in my too large pile of saws waiting for rehab. I expect they may still be there years from now .

I'm not sure what make the top one is but the bottom is an Atkins. Both are about 500mm or 20" for those still stuck in the foot, yard, stone world.

ken

[John Vernier]

I looked quickly at the Disstonian Institute website, and it seems that Disston offered rip saws no finer than 7 tpi, and no shorter than 20" (before the listings for the 1918 catalog they didn't specify rip vs crosscut as such). I think that this at least offers you a snapshot of what they considered a practical minimum size and coarseness generally needed for rip saws.

Like you, I use a table saw for much of my ripping, and I never find that I wish for something really fine in the way of a rip handsaw, since speed is always a virtue in a rip cut as far as I'm concerned, and a hand sawn surface always gets planed, virtually without exception. You might see if regularizing the set of your current saw (by stoning, for instance) might make for a cleaner cut without sacrificing quickness of cut.

Otherwise, if you want a really fine rip saw you shouldn't waste time searching for an old one, as you will be lucky to turn one up. Even 7 tpi ripsaws are scarce in my experience. You might as well find a fine crosscut and reshape the teeth.

[Andrae Covington]

I have a 22" Disston #7 7-ppi rip saw which I use for ripping and resawing. I agree they can be difficult to find. If you do go the route of refiling a crosscut panel saw, I would keep the teeth small, as large teeth in the thin sawplates typical on crosscut saws have a tendency to buckle in heavy ripsawing, at least in my amateur experience (I am no great sawyer, to be sure).

Lie-Nielsen sells 20" 7-ppi rip panel saws, and Lee Valley sells Wenzloff 20" 6-tpi rip panel saws. Perhaps some of the other premium backsaw makers also sell panel saws and would file them with small rip teeth to your specs.

[Daniel Rode]

Thanks! I appreciate the tips.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I do have a small rip saw, which I'll have to look later to see if there is a maker's name, but it looks like someone hit a panel saw with a shrinking ray and shrunk it 1/2 size. It is not a new one. It has quickly become my "go-to" saw.

If you want to spend the $ for a "boutique saw" (I hate the term, but love the saws) try one of Bontz's 1/2 back saws. It might give you the best of both worlds- stiffness of a saw with a spine, but the through-cutting ability of a panel saw. I ordered a blade only from him and he turned it out in a few days. I was very impressed also with his communication and his recommendations based on what I wanted to do with the saw. Much better than the 9+ months I waited for a sawblade from another well-known maker who never returned numerous calls and emails.

KEN HATCH: That top saw almost looks like someone cut down a Diston panel saw and refiled it with a finer tooth pattern.

[Kim Malmberg]

Daniel
Not sure how easily you can find smaller saws where you live, but despite owning around 30 sharpened and useable saws I tend to use my small panel saws the most. I have four or five, filed everywhere between 9 and 12 PPI and ranging from 18 to 20 inches. They are all vintage saws and are extremely versatile as most of them can be used both for ripping and crosscutting smaller stock. Not saying you can't buy new saws but if you can find a 18 inch panel saw around 10 PPI I think you'd find it very useful for a lot less money. You could even shorten it if you wanted to. You could also turn your short saw into a halfback saw by adding a spine from a backsaw whenever needed.

[Shawn Pixley]

The RB Half back saws look very appealing for these sorts of things.

[Daniel Rode]

On a fluke, I bid on a saw this AM. It's an 18" 10 tpi in decent condition. It's listed as a Pennsylvania Saw Co. brand. Probably an inexpensive saw when new. I'm confident I can clean up the little bit of rust and get it into solid user condition. The seller had it listed as a rip saw, but to me it looks like a crosscut that will need to be refiled as rip.

Looks like a good saw to lean sharpening and I'm not out anything if I mess it up

It's item #171715891884 is anyone is interested in seeing the pictures.

[lowell holmes]

Your on the right track.

If you have a cross cut saw that is redundant and you don't use, you can do what I did.

Frid sharpened all of his saws rip. I took his cue and had one of my 10 tpi cc saws sharpened 10 tpi rip.
If you want a shorter saw than one you modify, you can cut of to the length you desire.
If you desire more of a panel saw feel, make a new handle for it to panels saw dimensions.

If you want to learn to sharpen a saw, I suggest you download Ron Herman's video on sharpening handsaws. Popular Woodworking has the download.

[Mike Holbrook]

I like the HB (half back) I built from a Wenzloff kit. It may take quite a while to get one of those kits though. Sometimes Lee Valley stocks Wenzloff HB saws. Ron Bontz makes an excellent HB but they are expensive and you will wait probably 6-8 months to get one, unless you find something he made that has not been bought yet, which is rare. HB saws are difficult to find and usually quite expensive on the auction sites. You can even get Wenzloff to sharpen the plate for you before they ship it and they do a very good job. The other possibility that comes to mind is one of the smaller saws Disston built for children/smaller people to use. I have one that is 18" I think.

[lowell holmes]

Ron Bontz can provide a kit or a saw.

[Mike Holbrook]

I did not know Ron does kits. I wonder what the lead time is on those?

[lowell holmes]

I suggest you make a pm to Ron and ask him what is available.

I recently made a tenon saw from components Ron sold me. There is a string in this forum showing the saw.

[Judson Green]

Do you have a set? I cant recall.

Perhaps someone with more experience will chime in, but I'd be careful filing/setting the teeth with the pitting, might be brittle. The pitting on the body, just smooth out with sandpaper as best ya can, should be OK. Paraffin is also a friend on saws, especially ones without much set or that are a little kinky/crooked.