Dovetail saws

[Benchwayze]

Anyone who can help please?

I need a good, pistol grip dovetail saw.
Does anyone know of suppliers where I can go and try the various models for feel and even a few cuts maybe?

I like

Adria
Wenzloff
Lie Nielsen and Robertson. Not necessarily in that order.

Thanks folks
John

 

[andy king]

hi John,

I would say Classic Hadtools would be your best option for looking at them, but if it's any help, I've looked at the first three on your list and the Wenzloff is definitely my favourite of those, but when I was sent a Gramercy saw for review, that one is equal, if not better than that.
It has a far more delicate handle, and a finer tooth, so you can get really fine cuts with it, plus it's hand filed and razor sharp.
I found the Adria was not as sharp as the Lie Nielsen, but the Wenzloff was very sharp. The handle of the Wenzloff was the more comfortable of the three as well. Out of them I would say Wenzloff, Lie Nielsen, then Adria for choice, but now I would definitely lean towards the Gramercy.
I was also sent a kit by them to make your own, and it's not overly difficult to do so.
Here's the one I made, which will be going in Good Woodworking's next issue I think.

Gramercy saw can be found here: link

hope this helps
Andy

 

[Philly]

Very nice, Andy!
Philly

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks Andy, and very nice it is too. I had an idea about Grammercy, from the standpoint of putting it together. (Which I would have enjoyed) Also it occured I might write a piece on it.. Too late now though!
At the same time, what would I have don had I not been impressed?


I am still casting around and I thank you again for the information.
Regards
John

 

[shim20]

i have the adria dovetailsaw. its very good give a nice clean acurate cut.

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Folks,

I decided to go with the Wenzloff. I wonder if they would make my handle from this lump of figured English Walnut I have? Then again, I would have to send it to them!

Thanks for the replies and the notes .
It's appreciated.

John

 

[Paul Chapman]

I decided to go with the Wenzloff.

Hi John,

If you are in a hurry, I would order one through Lee Valley who, I believe, have them in stock http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,42884

I've had a couple on order from Mike W for ages and I'm still waiting. He seems to be very busy.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks for that Paul. In that case, I think I will mention that DC swayed my decision! A bit of name-dropping might help.

I am a patient man... At my age, something to look forward to, gives me reason to get out of bed in the morning. I think it's called the will to carry on! ccasion5:

Cheers..
John

 

[Paul Chapman]

Either way, Mike's saws are excellent and definitely the best in my view.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Philly]

Incidentally - Mike and the Boys are moving into a nice shiny new factory. They have been working from the house for he last years - with the new space (and also new staff) they should soon be catching up with back-orders.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[Paul Chapman]

That's great news, Phil.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks Philly. There is hope yet. As I said, I am paitient and if I do run out of that virtue, I can aways buy a Lie Nielsen from Axminster to be going on with!
Thanks again.


(Just saw your blog btw. My bathroom need a face lift, so I will keep my other half away from the screen!

Regards
John

 

[Imperial]

I've been waiting for 6 months now for my saws from Mr Wenzloff and still no sign of them,he hasn't responded to my last 2 email's either !
beginning to wish I'd bought something else of the shelf now, but having waited this long finding it hard to walk away. I've seen pictures of the Gramercy Kit made by one of our members and feel like having a go with that, but what's the best wood for a handle? I have lots of offcuts which would be the right size but grain direction I assume is critical? What finish should be applied? I was buying carcass saws but the Gramercy is a dovetail so not really what I wanted.
Any thoughts

 

[Chris Knight]

I hope Mike hasn't over-reached himself with the Veritas contract.

 

[DaveL]

I have lots of offcuts which would be the right size but grain direction I assume is critical? What finish should be applied?

Here is a link to the pdf instructions for the Gramercy kit. They give a layout for the handle, with grain orientation. Their production saw handles are finished with oil and wax.

 

[Benchwayze]

It crossed my mind, that a laminated blank, made from three plys of walnut, (say about 3/8" thick) with grain opposing (cross grain on the outsides ) would maybe make a nice handle and the problem of short grain might be less of an issue? I am going to try this lamination method on an old plane I am tarting up.

Someone with more knowledge of why and how totes and handles were made as they were might help. Fact is, whichever way the grain runs, somehere along the 'grain', there is the issue of short grain breaking off. Hence my idea of laminating. Cheers
John

 

[Paul Chapman]

John,

There's some nice pictures from Mike Wenzloff's site of him shaping the handle of a panel saw (I believe it's Philly's saw), which you might find useful if you haven't already seen them http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/saws/kits/index.html

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Philly]

Yes, that saw sure looks familiar! :lol:
Philly

 

[Benchwayze]

I decided to go with the Wenzloff.

Hi John,

If you are in a hurry, I would order one through Lee Valley who, I believe, have them in stock http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,42884

I've had a couple on order from Mike W for ages and I'm still waiting. He seems to be very busy.

Cheers :wink:


Paul

Well Paul,

Someone mentioned an ignored email from Mike W. I have to say I suppose he is busy with the new move!

I emailed him about five days ago now, and still no reply. I will give it another few days and if no reply then, I will think about another firm (Who shall be nameless!) because they answered my email regarding a LN #140 inside the hour!

In honesty, when I heard that Mike had taken on new staff, I had a moment's pause. I'm not saying the quality of the saws WILL go down, but when makers start to expand their business, this is not an unknown occurence.

Thanks again Paul.
Regards
John

 

[Paul Chapman]

I emailed him about five days ago now, and still no reply. I will give it another few days and if no reply then, I will think about another firm (Who shall be nameless!) because they answered my email regarding a LN #140 inside the hour!

Just to give you an update, John, on my situation. Mike has been in contact with me this week and is making my two saws now, so I will have them soon \/

Mike's is a very small operation - just him and his two sons, producing very high quality, hand-made saws for which there is a lot of demand. He's probably in a catch-22 situation - does he get on and make the saws or spend all day dealing with emails? It's always a difficult situation for small businesses.

If you want them more quickly, you can always go through Lee Valley who hold a range in stock, provided those styles meet your needs.

Anyway, I'll post some pictures when I get mine.

Cheers :wink:

Paul