I've been wanting to make a dovetail saw for some time and have been playing around lately. This is a practice handle saw handle and a first attempt at making a closed handle.
Since it was just for practice I made it from a scrap of unknown hardwood and left undone since I'm still playing with it. This gives me a handle to try out for a while (once I actually put teeth on the thing) to see how I like the hang angle and size.
It's a bit rough, but just wanted some impressions on the shape. I started with a template for a groves backsaw and scaled back some of the dimensions (not the handle itself) to lighten it up a bit. I'm wondering if the handle looks a bit heavy for a dovetail saw, but have to admit I love the appearance of closed handles.
A few things I already know will probably change
1. The vertical part of the lambs tongue is probably to thin in the center (it cracked).
2. Need to look at some more good examples of lambs tongue since I'm not sure I really have the idea.
3. The inletting of the back to the handle needs more careful attention. I didn't have a small enough chisel for this and the fit isn't so good.
4. Not sure I like the little quarter radius I did at the point that the end of the back meets the handle.
5. Don't really like where I clipped the heel at 45 deg. Seemed like the thing to do at the time, but I think I overdid it.
Much of this is subjective of course, and the real test is how it will work for me, but with little experience making saw handles, I'm interest in constructive critique.
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Thanks,
Jeff