Re: Japanese rip saw technique

[grasshopper]

-

> Hoyt Weathers wrote:- > > Have you ever tried turning the board over, mark it, and then cut > it? > Or am I missing something?- > > Presumably sawdust covers the line if it is on top since the saw cuts > on-- > the-- > pull stroke. > > Mitch Berkson- > > The simple solution to that is just intermittently blow away the dust > and- > keep on- > sawing. I do that all the time on most cuts with a Jap pull saw. It- > doesn't take a- > rocket scientist to cut a board with a pull saw. > - > > true. I am specifically talking about the technique for ripping a > board > here, and my puzzlement as to why I appear to be experiencing such > difficulty. > > > -- > Richard Sampson > > email me at > richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

Hello. I don't own a Japanese saw yet, but with Google am trying to learn. Am I missing something or couldn't you approach the board and draw the saw like a Samurai would draw a sword? When the board becomes to close instead of reaching (potentially dangerous to a Samurai), straddle the board with legs and arms. Anything I should avoid in purchasing a first saw from the internet?

[Larry Jaques]

On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 09:57:58 +0100, the inscrutable grasshopper spake:

The $25.95 (delivered) Razor Saw from

is a great deal for a versatile saw. The Ryoba saw has a rip tooth config on one side and a crosscut config on the other, and both have decreasing tooth count toward the far end. This means that they cut finer close to your hand, coarser toward the end of the pull stroke. It's a great concept and works very well in practice.

The Gyokucho 9-1/2" Double Edge Saw (Ryoba Noko Giri) 19.610.0 is what I got from them. I would have ordered the slightly finer-toothed hardwood saw if I'd known they had a choice. If you order one, see if they'll let you have a 19.611.0 hardwood saw instead. 1-800-537-7820 (standard disclaimer applies)

With the Japanese "saw on a stick" config, you hold it as you would a carving knife, but with the index finger pointing toward the blade. Once started, they can be held any way you like. I have used mine recently on a neighbor's project (cutting birdhouses from a downed oak) vertically, in a milk-churn style grip. These things are faster than my minty fresh Disston rip or crosscut saws. I'm amazed and sold on the Japanese saw style.

Watch the prices. The really good saws go for upwards of $200 while the worthless saws go for under $20. Anything priced between those limits should get you a good saw, But staying with known entities is always a good choice, too. Lee Valley, The Japan Woodworker, Misugi are all good names.

[Australopithecus scobis]

I would add that a sub-20 saw might be a good first saw. Why? Because they are different there are different motor skills to learn and expectations to revise. I learned the hard way that those itty-bitty teeth will chip off if you let the saw hit the bench as the cut finishes. I'd hate to have learned that lesson on a more expensive saw. I learned the hard way that hardwood is tough on Japanese saws.

Folks here have given good reviews for Tashiro's saws:

, when you want to try something a little different.

On topic, I picked up an Irwin (evil outcast unclean) kataha noko giri for 40% off, just for fun. Man, that thing whizzes through wood. Not a finishing saw, for sure.

[WillR]

I have some of the "Plastic Versions" from Lee Valley. They work very well indeed.