Hand Saws

[hawkenhunter50]

I've been using a Japanese Ryoba saw for ripping the excess wood from blanks. It takes me forever and I am constantly fighting the saw to keep it tracking. I'm no expert on saws but I think the thin blade is part of the tracking problem. Was looking at getting a more traditional style rip handsaw like the Pax saw from Lee Valley. Anyone got experience with these saws to share? Wasting money?? Bad technique with the Ryoba?

 

[Sam squanch]

Get your saw sharpened or get a new one. Saw from one side for a few strokes, then saw from the other side of the blank. Take your time. I’ve sawn out stock blanks by hand , I plan on taking the whole day doing it. Take breaks. It’s not a race.

 

[rusticbob]

Lee Valley has top notch products.,

 

[Sean E Bug]

I use that kind of saw for most of the time. the only problems I have are that it is difficult to adjust the direction of the cut so starting the cut is really critical. highly figured wood sometimes causes the thin blade to cup or bow. my western style saw does not have those problems but for me cuts much slower.

 

[Phil Coffins]

3/4 horse band saw with 4 skip tooth blade running at max speed. Unless you don’t expect to do any more stock work.

 

[ZUG]

I use a bandsaw as Phil recommends. When the plank is too large for me to get it onto the bandsaw by myself, I use a Bosh jig saw to profile out the gunstock from the plank. I called Bosh up and asked them for blade suggestions and they told me to use a course blade and my Bosh jig saw would handle the job with no problems - LOVE that Bosh jig saw.

 

[Sam squanch]

Ever since Covid used power tools are scarce

 

[hawkenhunter50]

3/4 horse band saw with 4 skip tooth blade running at max speed. Unless you don’t expect to do any more stock work.

I've been looking for a used saw,but I do like doing as much by hand as possible.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

I use that kind of saw for most of the time. the only problems I have are that it is difficult to adjust the direction of the cut so starting the cut is really critical. highly figured wood sometimes causes the thin blade to cup or bow. my western style saw does not have those problems but for me cuts much slower.

That is what I think is happening also, the blade kind of bows from deflection, gets to cutting off track, and hard to correct. What kind of saw is your western style? I'm not so much worried about slow, otherwise I'd just get a bandsaw like mentioned above, but the tracking is getting frustrating.

 

[Sean E Bug]

That is what I think is happening also, the blade kind of bows from deflection, gets to cutting off track, and hard to correct. What kind of saw is your western style? I'm not so much worried about slow, otherwise I'd just get a bandsaw like mentioned above, but the tracking is getting frustrating.

just a standard hardpoint saw from a big box store.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

I've been using a Japanese Ryoba saw for ripping the excess wood from blanks. It takes me forever and I am constantly fighting the saw to keep it tracking. I'm no expert on saws but I think the thin blade is part of the tracking problem. Was looking at getting a more traditional style rip handsaw like the Pax saw from Lee Valley. Anyone got experience with these saws to share? Wasting money?? Bad technique with the Ryoba?

Before I got a band saw I used a rip saw. I found the best way to keep a saw on track was to mark a line on the top and bottom of the blank. Stand the stock up on the butt. Cut along the line at a 45 degree angle cut about an inch or so then flip it around and repeat on other side then cut flat down the center. Repeat, repeat and repeat again. Takes awhile but it can get the job done.

 

[SDSmlf]

I've been using a Japanese Ryoba saw for ripping the excess wood from blanks. It takes me forever and I am constantly fighting the saw to keep it tracking. I'm no expert on saws but I think the thin blade is part of the tracking problem. Was looking at getting a more traditional style rip handsaw like the Pax saw from Lee Valley. Anyone got experience with these saws to share? Wasting money?? Bad technique with the Ryoba?

Handsaw, jigsaw, bandsaw, chainsaw etc, don’t track well when dull. Learn how to sharpen or replace whatever kind of dull blades you have.

 

[IanH]

Old iron band saw with freshened parts and a large-throated low-tooth 3/8" blade, chainsaw, table saw, belt sander, and vertical milling machine with a razor-honed HSS flycutter.

I save my elbows and shoulders for filing, inletting, engraving, and rubbing finish.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

Handsaw, jigsaw, bandsaw, chainsaw etc, don’t track well when dull. Learn how to sharpen or replace whatever kind of dull blades you have.

Good point, a skill I have not yet acquired. I bought the ryoba from Lee Valley as well so assumed it was good and sharp but could be wrong.

 

[poker]

Good point, a skill I have not yet acquired. I bought the ryoba from Lee Valley as well so assumed it was good and sharp but could be wrong.

In all hand saws theres rip or crosscut. It sounds like you bought a crosscut ryoba and are trying to rip with it? That wont work well at all.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

In all hand saws theres rip or crosscut. It sounds like you bought a crosscut ryoba and are trying to rip with it? That wont work well at all.

It is actually a 2 sided blade, 1 side for rip, other for crosscut.

 

[hawkenhunter50]

Before I got a band saw I used a rip saw. I found the best way to keep a saw on track was to mark a line on the top and bottom of the blank. Stand the stock up on the butt. Cut along the line at a 45 degree angle cut about an inch or so then flip it around and repeat on other side then cut flat down the center. Repeat, repeat and repeat again. Takes awhile but it can get the job done.

That's pretty much the technique I use as well except I probably don't switch sides that often. I will give that a try, thanks for the advice.

Handsaw, jigsaw, bandsaw, chainsaw etc, don’t track well when dull. Learn how to sharpen or replace whatever kind of dull blades you have.

I just ordered a feather file made for Japanese saw sharpening. Will see what I can do for sharpening. Does not appear to be a replacement blade available for the saw I got, although most of them seem to have replacement blades.