what dovetail saw?

[mike s]

i was browsing the web for a fine kerf dovetail saw when it struck me
could i just use a hacksaw? it has lots of TPI and is not aggressive enough to tear out the wood
a guess its been mentioned before... what could go wrong?

*update* what saw??

 

[spannermonkey]

yes, well I do but I am only a beginner but it does work ok for me. I have a dovetail jig for my router but cant even work the router let alone the jig

 

[pedder]

I think the waves in the toothline would disturb sawing wood. Or do you have straight hacksawblades in UK?

Cheers Pedder

 

[Henry Disston]

Cecil Pierce used to cut dovetails with a hacksaw. He detailed his method in the last part of his book. It is to be noted that he fitted his dovetails by paring with a chisel not straight from the saw. His was the first work on dovetails that I read and that is the way I did them for quite a while. This was back when your only choice for dovetail saws was vintage, Japanese or junk.
It isn't a bad way to get started as almost everyone has a chisel and a hacksaw.

 

[barkwindjammer]

or try one of these, super slim kerf , its a brilliant saw for the money (IMHO)

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_from=R40 ... Categories

 

[clk230]

brilliant saw's i've got several Bahco's and would recommend them

 

[mike s]

what about this?
http://www.axminster.co.uk/ice-bear-jap ... prod22299/
i have read that japanese saws are very good, is this the case?
thanks
p.s. i like the price on the bahco but i know from experience that low price is not always good

 

[pedder]

what about this?
http://www.axminster.co.uk/ice-bear-jap ... prod22299/
i have read that japanese saws are very good, is this the case?
thanks
p.s. i like the price on the bahco but i know from experience that low price is not always good

Isn't the bahco crosscut? You better take a rip filed saw for dovetails. So the japanese is much better for dovetails, if it is rip cut. Any good filed gents saw will do the job on the push stroke. For small dovetails you could try the Victor razor saw, too.

Cheers Pedder

 

[Alf]

Them's as knows speak well of the Zona Razor Saws, fwiw. But equally I've read plenty of folks getting making good dovetails using a hacksaw. You could probably nibble them with your teeth, if you put your mind to it - it all comes down to ease, choice of technique, speed and so forth.

 

[Harbo]

I've cut the odd bit of wood with a hacksaw when it was the nearest tool to hand, but its very slow work.
The teeth etc are designed for cutting metal after all?

The Zona saws are really good and not that expensive.

Rod

 

[mike s]

Ok ignoring the hacksaw, what should i go with? price range is anything lower than 25
it seems their is so much choice i dont know what's good and what's bad
the saw im using currently is a fairly blunt wilkinson tenon saw that leaves a nasty finish and its pretty much impossible to follow a line accurately
how about this?
http://www.axminster.co.uk/victor-victo ... prod23575/
better than a zona?

thanks

 

[Harbo]

Victor - no idea but these are great:

http://www.alwayshobbies.com/Tools-$4-Materials/Hand-Tools/Hand-Saws.ice

Not much of a gamble either way?

Rod