Current Handsaw Info?

[Steve Mathews]

I'm about to purchase my first dovetail, carcass and tenon handsaws but some of them mentioned in my search are no longer made. The ones made by Lie Nielsen seem like a good fit and the prices seem reasonable. Are there others in that category? Should I go with the tapered or straight version? Any better alternatives at a slightly higher price point?

[Jim Koepke]

Steve,

Currently my three favorite saws are from Ron Bontz. Two were a kit purchase and one was a gift from a friend I haven't met yet.

He often posts on SMC.

Ron seems very willing to work with folks to get a saw that fits their application.

Oops! Just went to his web site to get the URL and it appears he is not taking orders at this time.

The choice of straight or tapered is up to the user. Those with a tendency to cut to deep on the far side of a dovetail or tenon may find a tapered saw helpful in avoiding such errors.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

The Lie Neilson are very nice. For me, the Lee Valley were and excellent value. I have the dovetail, crosscut and rip tenon. All very nice saws and the 3 of them cost about what one boutique saw does.

I still want one of Ron Bontz' though!

Fred

[lowell holmes]

I bought a 16"x4" saw plate and back from Ron complete with saw nuts. It is a tenon sawing machine.

I get straight fast tenons with it. I made a curly maple handle. Use your imagination and have some fun.

[David Eisenhauer]

There are several different brands of new manufactured saws that are considered to offer good service, with some saying (perhaps) the Lee Valley saws offering "the best bang for the buck" due to their lower cost than some of the others. Many have said their Lie Nielsen saws work just fine, and at a lower cost than some of the even higher priced boutique saws. It is sort of a how much do you want to pay kind of thing because most of the better known saws will probably get the job done. I would call at least one of the saw makers and ask him "why should I buy your saw instead of the others?" I would also not buy all three saws you mentioned at one time unless I had tried someone else's saw out and knew I liked that saw. I would try one of the saws from a particular maker to see how I liked the balance, action and fit of the handle before jumping in on three saws at the same time from the same maker. Look up Derek's "In The wood Shop" website for a review/comparison of some saws he owns and/or has used in the past. Having said that, the better known saws should sell for a decent percentage of their new price if you later decide to try something else. If you let folks know where you are located, maybe someone can invite you over to try out a saw or two to help you make up your mind.

[lowell holmes]

In addition to the 16X4 saw I wrote about earlier, I have three Lie Nielsen saws. a dovetail, tenon rip and tenon crosscut.

I have a thing for quality saws.

[Steve Mathews]

There are several different brands of new manufactured saws that are considered to offer good service, with some saying (perhaps) the Lee Valley saws offering "the best bang for the buck" due to their lower cost than some of the others. Many have said their Lie Nielsen saws work just fine, and at a lower cost than some of the even higher priced boutique saws. It is sort of a how much do you want to pay kind of thing because most of the better known saws will probably get the job done. I would call at least one of the saw makers and ask him "why should I buy your saw instead of the others?" I would also not buy all three saws you mentioned at one time unless I had tried someone else's saw out and knew I liked that saw. I would try one of the saws from a particular maker to see how I liked the balance, action and fit of the handle before jumping in on three saws at the same time from the same maker. Look up Derek's "In The wood Shop" website for a review/comparison of some saws he owns and/or has used in the past. Having said that, the better known saws should sell for a decent percentage of their new price if you later decide to try something else. If you let folks know where you are located, maybe someone can invite you over to try out a saw or two to help you make up your mind.

After reading the above and advice given by RenaissanceWW on YouTube it seems that buying just one of the saws originally mentioned would be the preferred way to go, especially considering my inexperience. I was just trying to save a little money by buying a set. RenaissanceWW recommends getting a carcass saw in the beginning. And unless a better suggestion is offered I'll go with one by LN, probably the non-tapered version for no other reason than it seems to be standard. I would still like to consider other manufacturers but I'm coming short on names. Bontz mentioned above doesn't have anything for sale. A few others mentioned in my search online have since gone out of business. So, are there others that fit into the LN price point or a little higher? It seems unreasonable to me at this point to purchase one of the boutique saws at twice the price. Or will I come to regret that type of thinking?

Unfortunately because of my remote location I don't have ready access to other woodworkers that might allow me to try out their saws.

Edit: Thanks for the heads up on Derek's website. I'm finding there's a lot of good stuff on his website. As an interesting bonus I just discovered that I have an old Disston saw sharpening vise. Didn't know what it was until now.

[David Eisenhauer]

Lee Valley, Lie Nielsen, Grammercy Tools, Ron Bonz, Bad Axe Tools, Rob Cosman are saw manufacturers that come to mind. Many of these may very well have a waiting list or 6-8-10-12 week shipping period and many will cost more than the either the Lie Nielsen or the Lee Valley. As you have mentioned that you consider yourself inexperienced, you may want to look towards the much less expensive Lee Valley saws for a first saw to dip your toes into the water so to speak. Many here have stated complete satisfaction with the cutting performance of the saws. I have no doubt (without having used all of the above and am in no way to be considered an expert of many years standing) that all of the listed saws above will do the job perfectly well, but each users particular experience tends to lean them towards a particular "feel" in a saw that works better for them than a different brand does.

[Steve Mathews]

Based on what I've read it seems that the Veritas saws are the more sensible choice for a first time purchaser. But I can't get past the non-traditional look despite being very satisfied with every Veritas product purchased in the past. So, unless a better idea comes along I will be ordering a LN Crosscut (Carcass?) saw tomorrow morning. I plan to follow that up with a Tenon saw after some use with the Crosscut saw. At that time I'll either get another LN or choose one of the more premium brands. One thing I don't like about some of the later is the embellishments or ornamental engravings put on them. I prefer a more straightforward or plain look. A Dovetail saw may eventually follow depending on how I progress in the craft. Thanks everyone for the comments. It would appear that I have some direction at this point, right or wrong. I'm looking forward to making my first true handsaw cuts, probably some dovetails.

[Jim Koepke]

Based on what I've read it seems that the Veritas saws are the more sensible choice for a first time purchaser. But I can't get past the non-traditional look despite being very satisfied with every Veritas product purchased in the past. So, unless a better idea comes along I will be ordering a LN Crosscut (Carcass?) saw tomorrow morning. I plan to follow that up with a Tenon saw after some use with the Crosscut saw. At that time I'll either get another LN or choose one of the more premium brands. One thing I don't like about some of the later is the embellishments or ornamental engravings put on them. I prefer a more straightforward or plain look. A Dovetail saw may eventually follow depending on how I progress in the craft. Thanks everyone for the comments. It would appear that I have some direction at this point, right or wrong. I'm looking forward to making my first true handsaw cuts, probably some dovetails.

This seems strange to me. The LN is a good choice. How ever if you are looking forward to making some dovetails first, why not purchase a dovetail saw?

We are in agreement on the Veritas saws. Despite their being of the highest quality the aesthetics do not appeal to me. My solution was to purchase a kit and make my own handle:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?249983

There are few pleasures to compare with using one's own creation in one's work.

jtk

[Steve Mathews]

This seems strange to me. The LN is a good choice. How ever if you are looking forward to making some dovetails first, why not purchase a dovetail saw?
...
jtk

RenaissanceWW makes a compelling case in favor of the Carcass saw as a first purchase in at least a couple of his videos. He describes the Dovetail saw as being more dedicated to one purpose while the crosscut saw is more versatile. Makes sense to me but that's why I raised the issue, to see what others think. I realize there is no perfect answer but I was just looking for a direction to get started. The idea of a kit is appealing but for now I just want to get started cutting some wood. Maybe it would be more appropriate for a second or third saw purchase.

[David Eisenhauer]

I did not mean to discourage you from the LN for any "anti LN" reasons, just providing you with some of the general saw information gathered from reading over some of the comments from many users that have responded to these type questions before. You will receive a very well made saw from LN that should provide you with good service for as long as you want. Enjoy it.

[ken hatch]

Based on what I've read it seems that the Veritas saws are the more sensible choice for a first time purchaser. But I can't get past the non-traditional look despite being very satisfied with every Veritas product purchased in the past. So, unless a better idea comes along I will be ordering a LN Crosscut (Carcass?) saw tomorrow morning. I plan to follow that up with a Tenon saw after some use with the Crosscut saw. At that time I'll either get another LN or choose one of the more premium brands. One thing I don't like about some of the later is the embellishments or ornamental engravings put on them. I prefer a more straightforward or plain look. A Dovetail saw may eventually follow depending on how I progress in the craft. Thanks everyone for the comments. It would appear that I have some direction at this point, right or wrong. I'm looking forward to making my first true handsaw cuts, probably some dovetails.

Steve,

You might want to re-think the crosscut filed saw. A rip filed saw is much more useable in the high TPI you find in back saws and if it is to be used for dovetails or tenons it is much preferred. In fact there is little need for a crosscut filed back saw.

ken

[lowell holmes]

Steve,

You might want to re-think the crosscut filed saw. A rip filed saw is much more useable in the high TPI you find in back saws and if it is to be used for dovetails or tenons it is much preferred. In fact there is little need for a crosscut filed back saw.

ken

I agree there is no reason for a cross cut dovetail saw, but I have carcass saws both rip and crosscut. I would not be without them. It's different strokes for different folks.

[Steve Mathews]

OK, I'm confused again. I have or had the impression that using a crosscut saw for dovetails was workable although not ideal. I don't mind getting the core set of LN saws but didn't want to commit to that many from one manufacturer without getting a feel for how they fit in my hand, etc. All of the other premium saws have a significant lead time. So, waiting to get one would delay start. It seems to me that I have very little choice if my impatience is a factor.