New Hand Saw advice? Stanly/Irwin...

I use Japanese style pull-saws for a lot of work. If you
don’t have a pull-saw I’d recommend getting one. Even
though I prefer the one’s with the bamboo-wrapped handles
I’ve seen some decent-looking ones at Big box stores.

I’d avoid the Shark saw brand of pullsaw. The blades are
flimsy. I prefer the saws with the stiffer blades.

For cutting bigger dovetails I use a self-made bowsaw. I
bought a butcher saw blade, refiled the teeth for ripping,
and filed most of the set off the teeth – works like a charm
for straight rip cuts in end grain.

-- http://amherstcabinets.com - also a marketing consultant with expertise in direct response marketing for woodworking and online businesses - http://COPYMATCH.COM

I think Loren hit it on the head. The Japanese style saws have won me over. I had one in my garage for about a year, but never used it. Once I started it quickly became my goto saw for quick one offs. The saw I use is a double edges ryoba. I have also picked up a zero set flush trim saw. Both of these pull saws are worlds easier to control than the traditional back saws I had been using. The ryoba is a good saw to have since it is a combo blade one side is higher tpi and set for cross cutting, the other side is lower tpi and no set for ripping.

-- Doug, woodworking in Alabama

I’m with the rest. For hand cuts I use a pull saw that is two sided. One for ripping and the other for cross suts.

Works great and it’s very fast. Like Doug I also use a flush cut saw all the time.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Pull-saws are a must have tool. Accurate easy to use and able to trim very close.

-- Days in the shop don't count toward the total.

The Japan Woodworker and Lee Valley carry nice saws. I’ve bought saws from both that are ground for ripping.
The rip saws are great for cutting tenons. They have a back spline on them to keep them tracking straight. I had problems with the two sided Dozuki saws wandering, so went with the dedicated saws. You might want to use your Lowe’s card for something else.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

I laughed for sometime when reading your post, I haven’t used my chop saw in over two years and I am currently residing my house. I have several small handsaws (Western style backsaws, I recently posted a review of these saws in the review section) and a couple of Japanese pull saws which I use for smaller work and I have two 26” Lynx Handsaws (one rip and one crosscut) which I use for larger work. I use the Western Style saws before I would use my Japanese saws, but that is just my preference. I also I have a Wenzloff half back saw but it has only seen limited useage and I am not that enamored with it yet. I know that the types of saws I use are not at Lowe’s but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents in case you hadn’t been exposed to other makers\types of saws. Good luck and keep us posted on what you pick up and how you like using it.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

this is a great question…jtd…I have only a couple small hand saws…and while completing my deck i need something larger since my chopsaw does not have a large enough opening…and I am thinking of getting a new one…but from this strand I see maybe I need to invest in some better hand saws…

I actually bought a “multi-cut” saw—-that I would have called a cross-cut saw—-but I guess it will cut both ways??? to do what we needed…

Now I want to look into some the saws mentioned here…so thanks everyone!!!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...119 days to sanity...

OK I was sold. It’s is gonna take some time for me to get used to this thing though. The fine side is not so bad. But ripping with the coarse side is a little awkward. I selected the IRWIN double edged pull saw.($20 @ da BORG) It has a long handle/stick for a handle.

I’ll post a review once I learn to use it.

-- ~jtd