Thread: japanese saws?

Hey guys, just wanting to hear from you guys that are using japanese saws.
I am looking for a good quality Ryoba saw, but it doesn't have to be a hand forged 8 billion dollar saw... just something that will give a good finish and have a thin kerf for resawing. I am pretty sure that I want a ryoba, because I think a dozuki wouldn't work with the thickness of stock that I usually cut... but I'll be glad to hear any advice on these saws.

The most important things for me are
1. price
2. cut finish
3. small kerf width

anyway... thanks for your input in advance

Dave

I'm far from being an aficionado but I bought a Sharksaw (American Japanese-style saw) & it makes thin slices quickly & easily. Has a rip side, a crosscut side, rubberized handle, replaceable blade, ~$30. They make one with a pistol-grip but I stuck with the traditional straight handle.

I have the Japanese dozuki cross-cut saw and must say that absolutely no western-style saw can compete with the clean finish that this thing delivers. Additionally, the thin kerf is just the ticket for saving your valuable wood. But I must put in a cautionary note. Japanese saws work on the pull stroke rather than the push. If you treat it gently and don't force it the results will be absolutely superb. On the other hand, if you try to force the things you can damage the work and/or the saw (like bending it or ripping off the thin teeth). But even with those cautions I find them to be superior to western saws for the kind of small, delicate work I do. Buy it, try it, love it!

What retail stores sell these?

Originally Posted by ignatz

I have the Japanese dozuki cross-cut saw and must say that absolutely no western-style saw can compete with the clean finish that this thing delivers. Buy it, try it, love it!

Oh I am going to buy one, but not a dozuki because I need a saw without a spine so I can resaw wider stock (also need a rip blade) so I am looking for any experience people have with Ryoba style saws. I am already sold on the whole pull saw/ thin kerf thing... Thanks for the comments though.

I have owned a Shark saw, a Vaughn Bear Saw, and an Irwin saw. I find that that they all preform basicly the same I might have a slight preferace for the Vaughn brand. I have some more expensive saws, but for the money I would say these Big Box store brands work nearly as well.

These saws take a little more care as compared to a western beater saws but it is worth the effort.

Charlie

Dave,

Japanese backsaws are absolutely amazing and worth every penny. I was at first reluctant to pay a premium for a piece of frikkin steel, but after using one for a couple weeks and acquiring several more, I can never go back! You can literally saw through a 2x2 piece of white oak in about 7-8 strokes.

They come in a wide selection of kerf widths and all leave a perfect face that requires no sanding or finishing. Also, if you are handy with waterstones (being on this forum I'm guessing you are) you can file the kerf down even smaller. All japanese backsaws I've seen have an outward protruding kerf. You don't want to go too crazy or the saw will bind up and be tough to handle.

Anyway, being a musician and at the time, cutting my teeth as a luthier, I couldn't afford the damn things, so here's what I did.

Buy just the blades and make your own handle....it saves you a few bucks and allows you to create a great customized saw. This only works with the kind that have a supporting spine on the blade (as opposed to the "flush cut" style, which are VERY useful also).

I made mine out of an old piece of flamed maple I found in a friend's wood pile. If memory servers, the kerf on my tablesaw was the perfect width to cut a slot that the blade's attachment shank would slide into. After the slot was cut, I just had to fill some of it back in with more wood to make a little pocket for the shank to snugly slide into. I used a contrasting walnut which looked really nice.

Lastly, there is a little notch on the shank. Take some close measurements and drill a hole through the handle in just the right place so that when the shank is inserted, you can put a screw into the hole that will hold the blade securely in place using it's notch.

I used an allen screw, which of course has a recessed "head" so you can still remove it and replace the blade, but it's head won't just out of the side of your handle.

Anyway, hope that advice wasn't entirely useless and confusing ;p

Best of luck!

Jonny

damn....just NOW read that you need the "flush cut" kind with no spine so I guess that post WAS a bit useless. They're a great saw for exactly the reason you mentioned, as well as being able to flex and cut along the face of a board. Either way, you can't go wrong with a japanese back/pull saw. Spend a few extra bucks on the saw, and save a few by skipping your next meal out....you'll be glad you did!!!

Jonny