I must admit that although I constantly use hand planes and could not live without one in the shop, I rarely use hand saws. Part of this is to be honest because I don’t use them a lot and just I don’t feel that comfortable using a hand saw. Now I realize that what I need is just more practice and since I do consider myself to be a hand tool user, it is time I get to practicing.
The hand saws I had in my shop were cheap and ended up causing more tear out than wood cutting so I decided if I was going to dive into the world of hand saws it was time to get a good one. I bought I Lie Nielsen 12″ Tenon Saw, like all Lie Nielsen tools it is a beautiful tool that will last me my lifetime.
The first few cuts were mediocre at best while I got the feel of the saw and I realized that I needed a little help. I decided that I needed a jig to help in keeping the blade aligned and straight. To do this I used an 8/8″ oak board with a 3/4″ board on the side dropped down 1/2″. The 8/8″ stock gives me a high enough guide that allows for a solid rest for the saw. To make the cut I simply glide the saw against the jig and slowly drop to the wood.
With this simple guide I was immediately making fast, accurate, and smooth cuts. Below is a video of the jig and saw in action.
As always thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment.
Good points Andy. I will be the first to admit my hand saw skills are my weak point. So if you will notice I have posted a new blog entry with a challenge to myself on hand cutting for the next 30 days.
Thanks for stopping by and for the helpful comments.
Looks like you were in a bit of a rush with that hand saw, it appeared to be jumping. You'll get better results with longer strokes and a medium pace and the saw will go where you want it to.
Thanks Dyami. I am kind of proud too on this post as it has my first video. Not the greatest but it was fun! Gotta start somewhere.
Nice jig, Chris. The mobile site looks great too!
Nice jig, Chris. The mobile site looks great too!