I am looking for references on hand saws. Mostly I need some guidance on purchasing a couple saws. Don't laugh, but currently the only hand saw I own is a Stanley Handyman miter saw that came with a $30 miter box kit that I bought 10 year ago (okay, now you can laugh).

What would I like to do? hmmm… I would like to learn to hand cut dovetails. I like the idea of hand cutting tenons as well. I figure that I also could use a saw to crosscut boards. BTW, I also own a tablesaw.

What is my budget? Free would be good, but I suppose that I could justify around $100 for two or three saws. I don't need the best to get started and there are a lot of items on my "tool need" list. My next project is a bed-side end table with a dovetailed drawer, so I guess the dovetail saw is the biggest priority (and hopefully my Buck Bros chisels are good enough for now).

I was browsing around the Woodcraft in Springfield Virginia. They had a number of backsaws and Japanese saws in the $20-$30 range. I was just confused by what would be the best for me. Browsing around the Lee Valley web site I see a number of saws in my price range. The "Veritas Dovetail Saw and Guide" looks interesting.

What saws do you use and what do you recommend as a starter set?

thanks,
Brent Langdon, Sterling VA