hog&bodge
Established Member
Not sure if this of any use to members.
found in my doc file.
Nice ornate saw handle.
found in my doc file.
Nice ornate saw handle.
Dove Tail Saw Handle
- Thread starter hog&bodge
- Start date
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Bod
Established Member
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Bod
Adam W.
A Major Clanger
Thanks. I have a Gramercy carcass saw with a similar handle, it's very nice to use.
pgrbff
Established Member
Well, I've made enough saws & handles for other people to respect the difference of opinion when it comes to what suits us - there sure is no one size/shape/hang angle that suits all! There are many as loves the Gramercy & some as hates it. I just happen to be in the latter group.
When I first began making saws for myself, I made a "discovery" that I thought was universal & raved on about it for some time 'til I knew better & am now thoroughly embarrassed by my foolishness. My 'discovery' was the effect of "hang angle" (this was actually quite a while before I first heard that term). I had copied a handle that was on a friend's small Disston (can't remember what model it was) because I liked the feel of it. This handle happened to have quite a high hang angle (by which I mean the grip is closer to vertical wrt the tooth line), and I found it just suited me to a tee when sawing small tenons or dovetails because at the height I normally work (so I can see!), it put my arm & wrist in a most comfortable alignment. With this grip angle I can saw with maximum accuracy & the tooth line tends to remain parallel to the bech top without a lot of conscious input, so I rarely need to check the back of a cut to make sure it has reached the line. I can almost cut dovetails with my eyes closed using this saw.
I decided that everyone should have a saw like this, but it soon became apparent that only some agreed with me! We are all a bit different in our anatomy & our preference for the height at which we place the work, and well, just the way we like to work. My beloved saw really clicks with about 5% of other people, but most prefer a much more shallow hang-angle. I can offer what I think are rational reasons why a steep grip angle is better on a dovetail/small tenon saw, but personal preference trumps all, so I've learnt to just offer folks a choice & see which they like best.
This is my go-to saw:
But the vast majority of people I've made saws for opt for something more like this:
Although the grip is much less steep, it isn't lifted as much as the Gramercy. So far, this is about the maximum I've found that others like (& btw, it's very close to the angle & profile of the grip of the small Kenyon saw in the 'Seaton chest'). As you can see, I also like a more 'fulsome' grip on my handles, with a more oval shape, but again some prefer the more straight roundover style of the Kenyon saw. My arthritic hands just don't get on at all with the wincey little grip on the Gramercy....
It's quite easy to adjust the grip angle to suit your own taste when making a new handle. Unless the cheeks are too tiny & restrictive, you can usually alter the grip angle relative to the tooth line over a range of 5 degres or more (5* can make a big difference to the feel of the saw!). If the cheeks are tiny, like the pattern linked to, you can enlarge them a little, or skew them a bit by re-drawing the template. Just ensure that the spine slot will be accomodated & the bolts will fit comfortably without coming too close to an edge (either of the handle or the back of the blade).
There is no special formula for cheek size that I'm aware of, I guess on a small saw you have to keep them as small as you can to get maximum exposure of the narrow blade, but that's about it.
I would strongly advise any beginner at handle-making to do a few mock-ups in some cheap wood & try the saw out for a bit before you commit to the final design, but if you can't be bothered going to that extent, copying a handle that you've used & like is a good alternative...
Cheers,
Ian
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