I am not sure if I ever mentioned how fond I have become of the Marples Japanese pull saws I got from Home Depot… These things are a breeze to use, and last night, while working in the attic, laying down some new bracing for decking, and then the decking I had an opportunity to use said Japanese pull saw to clear out some 1/2” ply bracing (no kidding) that was completely unsupported, and just dangling in to thin air that was over the joists… (I do not think the builders of my house were drug tested…).
Well while I was stooped over in the short attic space, it happened to cross my mind of the traditional bow to one’s opponent in Martial arts, and I wondered, if this wood was my opponent, was I supposed to bow to it before I took the weapon that would cut it down to it?
Yeah my brain works that way… Kind of a dumb thought, but that is what crossed my mind…
Anyway, so the closet space is finished, I have another 4 panels of 2’x4’ 5/8” OSB decking down in the attic, and the remaining totes from LOML’s scrapbooking addiction are in place. I have the shop dog induced drywall hole in the kitchen patched, and mudded, I need to sand it today, and at least prime it.
I have so much more to do, the guests will be arriving on Tuesday, and it looks like I am going to be working this weekend. I think LOML is going to end up having a conniption fit…
All things considered, I’d rather be at the hunting lease right about now.
-- Manufacturer of fine quality sawdust since 1984. Comments and advice on my shop welcome. Check it out at http://lumberjocks.com/dbhost/workshop. Gladly accepting shop build donations!
5 comments so far
HokieMojo
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2084 posts in 1925 days
#1 posted 914 days ago
I love those saws too. I made the mistake of kinking mine because I’ve used it for much rougher work than it was intended for. It just worked so well I couldn’t resist. I’ll probably pick up another one and keep the one with a couple bent teeth for the rough work.
dfdye
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372 posts in 1234 days
#2 posted 914 days ago
Yea, the Irwin disposable Japanese style saws I have used have all cut well out of the package, and unfortunately I too know how easy they are to kink. As cheap as they are, I really don’t have too much trouble replacing them when needed, but I am increasingly drawn to back saws since I can re-file them and keep them in shape when needed. The cost has definitely been keeping me from switching away from the cheap Japanese saws, though—I just don’t do enough hand sawing to justify a LN. Maybe the Veritas back saws will end up on my bench some day, but for now, I don’t really have an complaints about the Irwin saws for general use. Ironically, their “dovetail” saw is filed for crosscutting, rather than ripping, but as long as you aren’t cutting dovetails with it, it is actually a pretty good little saw.
-- David from Indiana --
BigTiny
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1652 posts in 1085 days
#3 posted 914 days ago
Ah, sensei, bowing to the wood is optional, depending on the quality of the wood. Nice hardwood deserves a bow before attacking it with cold steel. Cheap 2 by 4s may be cut down without compunction. (grin)
-- The nicer the nice, the higher the price!
Jim Bertelson
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3345 posts in 1361 days
#4 posted 913 days ago
Right now the only hand saws I use are my hack saw and my coping saw. Neither are Japenese, so neither gets a bow.
My Hitachi half sheet sander gets a bow because he is my longest lived Japenese tool, and will never die, so must be considered a diety. I may install him in a shrine…....................(-:
Jim
-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska
mafe
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8084 posts in 1286 days
#5 posted 911 days ago
I’m also a admire of the Japanese saws, so I think a bow is in it’s place.
But it makes me think, what should I do for a hacksaw then?
Hmmmm…
(I do sketchbooks not scrapbooks – http://www.felding.net/mysketchbook.html).
Best thoughts, and thank you for the smile,
Mads
-- Mad F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect. Democraticwoodworking.
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